GRANT FAQ
Are Fire Departments eligible to apply for grants through this program?
No, we do not provide grants to fire service agencies. The only exception is for arson investigators or similar individuals who are recognized as sworn peace officers with arrest authority in their state.
Spirit of Blue has identified 15 categories of focus, arranged into three major groups. These categories represent areas of products and services that deliver on the Foundation’s mission of enhancing officer safety:
Protecting Life
There is risk and peril at every turn for an officer, deputy or agent – while responding to a call, arriving on scene or dealing with any number of dynamic and uncontrollable situations in the course of a shift. Some threats can never be avoided, and so passive protection must be available to defend at any time. Other threats can be prevented, or at least minimized, with a combination of the proper equipment and training. These categories of products and services represent the highest order in the continuum of officer safety and longevity.
Projecting Force
Once a threat to life or personal injury has been identified, be it toward the officer, deputy or agent or to the general public itself, it is incumbent upon professional law enforcement officers to respond in a swift, powerful and appropriate manner. Access to the right tools and equipment are critical to enable the professional to neutralize threats according to the guidelines of the force continuum and to achieve the ultimate end result – protection of life, preservation of order and the security of their own well-being.
Creating Advantage
Thankfully, the law does not require the balance of power between peace officers and the criminal element to be equal. Officers must take every opportunity to create an unfair advantage, within the confines of the law. This is achieved through access to better equipment, better information about the situation, the ability to coordinate efforts and solutions for securing their lethal force options so they can’t be used without authorization. These tools and equipment represent key categories that augment the effectiveness and safety of officers in the execution of their duties.