Operation Safe Shield Raises Over $1.1 Million to Equip Local Law Enforcement Vehicles Across Brazos Valley

Operation Safe Shield Raises Over .1 Million to Equip Local Law Enforcement Vehicles Across Brazos Valley — Installing windows in patrol cars

In a significant milestone, Operation Safe Shield has successfully raised over $1.1 million during its first two years, dedicated to enhancing the safety of local law enforcement in the Brazos Valley. The initiative has achieved the milestone of equipping vehicles in all seven counties of the Brazos Valley, along with a couple of vehicles in Fayette County.

The departments benefiting from Operation Safe Shield include prominent entities such as College Station Police Department, Bryan Police Department, Brazos County Sheriff Office, Texas A&M University Police Department, Burleson County Sheriff Office, Caldwell Police Department, Grimes County Sheriff Office, Washington County Sheriff Office, Robertson County Sheriff Office, Leon County Sheriff Office, Madison County Sheriff Office, Normangee Police Department, Buffalo Police Department, Jewett Police Department, Oakwood Police Department, and Fayette County Sheriff Office.

Operation Safe Shield is collaborating with Dana Safety Supply for bullet-resistant glass and door panels, while George’s Auto Glass handles the local installations. Dana Safety Supply is also at the forefront of providing protection for the Texas Department of Public Safety, having equipped over 2900 vehicles, with another 1400 scheduled for 2024. Texas leads the nation in providing this level of protection to law enforcement departments.

Notable departments set to receive this protection include the San Antonio Police Department, Ft Worth Police Department, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff Office, Brazoria County Sheriff, Liberty County Sheriff, and Matagorda County Sheriff. Across the state, a total of thirty different departments are currently utilizing this protective glass in over 700 vehicles.

The next Brazos Valley Benefit will be held on April 11, 2024, at the Brazos County Expo. To help with this important live saving initiative, you can make your donation at https://operationsafeshield.org or contact Dr. Clifford Dorn at (979) 820-1252 or admin@operationsafeshield.org.

About Operation Safe Shield

Operation Safe Shield’s establishment stems from recent legislation, SB2222, which mandates bullet-resistant windows for all Texas Department of Public Safety patrol vehicles. This legislative response follows two separate incidents where officers were shot through the windows of their patrol cars. Trooper Chad Walker, shot near Mexia, Texas, succumbed to his injuries on March 26, 2021, while Trooper Juan Tovar was shot through his side window on April 8, 2021, while attempting to apprehend a fleeing mass shooter in Bryan, Texas.

The initiative was sparked by concerned citizens in Bryan/College Station who, following the second shooting in the Brazos Valley, decided to start Operation Safe Shield to provide lifesaving bullet-resistant windows for all patrol vehicles in the region. Dr. Clifford Dorn, the founder of Backing the Badge BCS, and Kristi Schiller of K9s4Cops came together to form Operation Safe Shield as a non-profit, dedicated to generating funds to support this critical initiative.