(MURRAY, Ky.)
— The Murray Police Department has equipped its officers with upgraded protective gear and weapons valued at more than $145,000, all obtained through state grant programs at no cost to city taxpayers.
The equipment upgrades began earlier this year when the department received hard armor plates for each officer through the Kentucky Attorney General’s Body Armor Grant Program. The plates provide protection against high-level ballistic threats, including rifle fire.
The Body Armor Grant Program continued its support in October, supplying the department with three ballistic shields and ballistic helmets for every officer. School Resource Officers received specialized training on the shields, with one now stationed at each of Murray’s three independent schools. The helmets are intended for use during active-shooter incidents and other high-risk situations.
In a separate initiative, the Murray Police Department secured funding through the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security’s Law Enforcement Protection Program. That program, financed through the sale of confiscated firearms by Kentucky State Police at public auction, operates as a 100 percent reimbursement grant.
The department used those funds to purchase new duty weapons equipped with pistol-mounted optics and weapon-mounted flashlights, enhancements designed to improve accuracy and situational awareness during critical incidents.
“The Murray Police Department remains committed to providing officers with the equipment necessary to carry out its mission of delivering public safety with integrity, fairness, and professionalism, while also exercising fiscal responsibility,” department officials said.
All equipment was obtained without any expenditure from the City of Murray’s general fund.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MURRAY POLICE DEPARTMENT
