Missouri – Governor Mike Kehoe underlined in a recent statement the first 15 Missouri towns awarded the Missouri Blue Shield honors, a major part of his administration’s Safer Missouri campaign. The announcement is a major turning point in the state’s efforts to improve public safety, assist law enforcement, and strengthen community partnerships.
Cities, counties, and towns showing strong dedication to public safety get the Missouri Blue Shield title. This covers active involvement in regional anti-crime task teams, projects to lower violent crime, and investments in law enforcement training and equipment. These localities have also demonstrated compliance with Missouri’s crime reporting criteria as well as improvement in law enforcement officer hiring and retention.
The communities recognized with this first title are Jefferson County, Arnold, Warrensburg, Carter County, Miller County, Sedalia, Kennett, Branson, Desloge, Johnson County, Cole County, Grandview, Vinita Park, Greenwood, and Town and Country. Every one has fulfilled strict standards showing their commitment to build safer surroundings for their residents.
“We are proud to see Missouri communities committed to supporting our administration’s top priority – improving public safety and building strong partnerships between citizens and law enforcement,” Governor Kehoe said. “We have a number of applications from additional communities that are still under review, and we encourage even more communities to apply.”
Known in Executive Order 25-03, the Blue Shield Program not only recognizes municipalities for outstanding public safety initiatives but also creates possibilities for them to obtain state funding. Intended to fund additional law enforcement training and equipment purchases, these awards are part of a larger initiative to improve community safety. Governor Kehoe has collaborated closely with the General Assembly to obtain almost $10 million in grant money for the program.
Managed by the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS), applications for the Blue Shield certification continue to be accepted. Especially with the new fiscal year beginning in July 2026, Courtney Kawelaske of DPS underlined the need of communities submitting early as grant money will become accessible. Communities wishing to apply for the designation have to do so online under the direction of a local authority and the jurisdiction’s primary law enforcement officer.
Several factors define Blue Shield eligibility: the adoption of a resolution to pledge public safety, notable public safety financing, community policing projects, and adherence to state crime reporting standards. To keep their status, successful communities have to keep collaborating and report every year.
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Governor Kehoe and his administration hope to see additional communities work for and achieve the Blue Shield designation as the program develops, so showing a continuous state-wide dedication to improving security and safety throughout Missouri.
Additional questions on the application process can be directed to Courtney Kawelaske at [email protected].
