NRA Foundation grants GSPD $2,880
CONTRIBUTED
New ballistic helmets for the Granite Shoals Police Department (GSPD) are displayed by Sgt. Christopher Decker, M.S., left, and Officer John Ortis. Helmets, such as the one that saved the life of an Orlando, Florida, officer June 12, have been purchased with a grant from the NRA Foundation.
By Glynis Crawford Smith
THE HIGHLANDER
The National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation has awarded the City of Granite Shoals Police Department a grant of $2,880 for the purchase of ballistic helmets.
Interim Chief Gary Boshears said the grant would cover the cost of helmets for the department's full compliment of eight officers.
"We are very excited about being able to purchase ballistic helmets for our staff," said Boshears. “We are pleased that the NRA is making an investment in our community."
“Police officers are being called to more dangerous situations each and every day,” he said. “The recent events in Orlando, Florida, highlight the need for additional items to help protect officers from injury or death in these events. The life of a responding officer in the Orlando shooting was saved when the officer took a round to his ballistic helmet.
“Without such protection a police officer would have been one of the many victims that tragic day.”
“Even small communities, such as our city, and surrounding cities, could have a similar event at any time,” Boshears continued. “With the NRA Grant, we have been able to outfit our staff with ballistic helmets to complement ballistic vests to be used in active shooter or other high risk encounters.
“Thanks to the NRA, our officers have more protection to help them survive in a violent encounter so we can remain focused on saving lives and reducing the risk of injury or death to one, or more, of our officers.”
In May the Horseshoe Bay Police Chief Rocky Wardlow announced that a similar NRA Foundation gift had been used to purchase new shotguns for patrol units.
Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit organization that accepts donations through Friends of NRA for use in a wide range of firearm-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations. Activities supported include promotion of firearm and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shootings sports, and to educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context. equipment, training materials, range improvements, and more, qualified local, state, and national programs receive aid to involve and inspire a new generation of competitive shooters.
