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Invest in Blue: Supporting Officer Safety in Stilesville

The Central Indiana Police Foundation is proud to announce that the Stilesville Police Department has been awarded an Invest in Blue grant to help equip one of its reserve officers with new protective body armor.

For small departments like Stilesville, reserve officers play a critical role in keeping their communities safe—often serving in a volunteer capacity and responding to the same calls as full-time sworn officers. Yet, without department-issued body armor, these officers face increased personal risk every time they step into uniform.

Through the support of generous donors, Invest in Blue funding is providing this reserve officer with a Slate Solutions ballistic vest and matching tactical carrier (which allows for external wear and attachment of duty gear), ensuring the same level of protection available to other sworn personnel.

This essential equipment not only offers advanced ballistic protection but also enhances comfort and mobility during patrol and community service duties. It will be used for patrol coverage, mutual aid calls, and local community events—helping ensure that every officer serving Stilesville has the protection needed to return home safely.

The Invest in Blue grant has been a major boost for the Stilesville Police Department. Each year, we face difficult decisions about what equipment we can afford, what requires special approval, and what simply falls outside our budget. It’s a constant balancing act that becomes even more challenging as our needs grow. Earlier this year, the town board approved the launch of a reserve officer program to help stabilize staffing. While this addition strengthens our department, it also places added pressure on an already stretched budget. Without outside support, our reserve officer, and at times even I, would have had to purchase essential safety equipment out of our own pockets. Thanks to the Invest in Blue grant, Stilesville PD can now properly and confidently outfit our reserve officer with modern ballistic protection. Without this support, we would have been forced to rely on used, ill-fitting, or potentially expired gear as a temporary measure. This grant is truly a difference-maker. It enables us to reallocate limited funds to other critical needs, from replacing outdated equipment and an aging patrol vehicle to expanding training opportunities that ensure our officers remain highly proficient in serving the Town of Stilesville.

Ryan Blinn

Town Marshal, Stilesville Police Department

The Invest in Blue Fund is dedicated to equipping officers with the tools, training, and technology they need to serve safely and effectively. From body armor and trauma kits to advanced investigative equipment, every grant made possible by this fund represents a direct investment in officer safety—and in the wellbeing of the communities they protect.

Because of your support, Invest in Blue continues to fill critical funding gaps for departments like Stilesville PD, ensuring that no officer, regardless of department size or budget, has to serve without the protection they deserve.