Grinnell Police Department receives grant, purchases ballistic helmets and vests

by J.O. Parker 

   Thanks to a donation from Team B.L.U.E., the Grinnell Police Department was able to purchase three Ballistic Vests with Level IV Front/Rear Ballistic Plates and three Level IIIA Ballistic Helmets.
   Team B.L.U.E. is a non-profit organization that supports law enforcement training and equipment. The ballistic helmets and vests cost just more than $2,000.
   In the funding request, Grinnell Police Chief Dennis Reilly explained that the Grinnell Police Department has entered into an agreement with two other agencies to form a regional tactical team.
    “This equipment will provide enhanced protection to team members,” said Chief Reilly. “This is an excellent example of how grant funding can be used to benefit multiple agencies.”
    According to Chief Reilly, toward the end of 2019, a mutual aid agreement was signed between the Grinnell Police Department, Pella Police Department and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office to facilitate the formation of the Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team.
    The purpose of the team is to provide those cities and Jasper County with officers who receive advanced tactical training for high risk events,” noted Chief Reilly. “For agencies our size, it is logistically difficult to have individual teams due to staffing limitations. Collectively, though, we are able to provide officer’s from each agency to form the team.
    It’s a win, win for all the departments since they already work closely together as members of the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force – East.
  “So forming this joint tactical team was the logical next step since threat assessments for narcotics enforcement search warrants often call for the use of a tactical team.”
    For more on Team B.L.U.E., visit www.iowateamblue.org.