On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Evansville Board of Public Safety approved a donation to the Evansville Police Department from the Evansville Police Foundation.
These items included 16 K9 vests , pepper projectile systems, riot shields and a surveillance pod. No total cost of the items were available, but each shield can cost more than $3,000; each K9 vest more than $1,000. Such donations are not unusual.
EPD Capt. John McQuay said the Foundation helps enhance their capabilities.
“In this instance, it was quite a few pieces of equipment to protect our canines,” McQuay said. “Obviously, our canines allow us for a very enhanced capability when it comes to crime fighting and keeping those dogs safe when they're engaged in somewhat dangerous activities is vitally important for us.”
The Foundation recently updated their expansive donation list from 2024, totaling $253,821 in equipment offerings to the department in 2024.
In part, it includes drone equipment, wellness equipment, marketing and various defensive training sessions. Other donations include SWAT team gear like rifle systems and an electro-hydraulic breaching unit.
McQuay said the department regularly requests equipment from the foundation, through grants.
“When something doesn't fit into the regular police or the regular city budget, we can fill out a grant application on their website, and then their board reviews that and decides if it's something that follows along their guidelines, and something that they want to donate to the city.”
Once the foundation decides there is a need they can fill, the donation goes to the Board of Public Safety to confirm or deny the request for the EPD to accept the donation.
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