Riverton, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – In the face of rising school shootings, ensuring law enforcement is equipped with effective tools is at the heart of one Riverton business owner’s decision to raise funds for the local police department.  

Riverton Police Chief Bob Crouch said when he was approached by the manager of Dockers in Spaulding about a fundraiser, he immediately knew the number one priority – the children. Ballistic shields are at the top of Crouch’s list. The shields can be used to provide additional protection in a school shooting situation.  

“The way we train is for the first officer on the scene is to go in with or without a ballistic shield. You’re obviously going to save the children. That’s our main goal,” said Crouch.  Having a ballistic shield not only provides additional protection for the officer going into a school shooting incident, he said, but the shields can be used as protection to help in pulling someone to safety as well. 

The department currently has one RTS Active Shooter SWAT Ballistic Shield purchased for about $2,500. The fundraiser aims to raise enough money to purchase two additional shields.  

The ultimate goal, according to Crouch, is to raise enough money to purchase a shield to keep in each of the nine squad cars in the department, so they are always easily accessible when an officer responds to the scene. 

“When you do a budget, there’s only so much money to go around.” Crouch said the budget is used to cover several unfunded mandates including training and bodycams. “We spent about $40,000 on bodycams last year.” He said once the department purchases the things it must buy, the optional things are “hard to come by.”  

In addition to ballistic shields, Crouch has a broader wish list of safety enhancements for the local schools. Metal detectors, that students could walk through unencumbered, and wands are on that list.  Crouch said he works closely with the school superintendent, and they apply for grants in an attempt to cover some of the additional items.  

The fundraiser at Dockers at 120 W. State Route 54 is set for Saturday, Sept. 21 starting at 10 a.m. and will feature blind net volleyball, bocci ball and bags tournaments.