Governor Mike Kehoe announced today that 201 Missouri counties, cities, and towns have earned the Missouri Blue Shield designation, recognizing their commitment to effective law enforcement and community safety. This milestone, part of the Governor’s “Safer Missouri” initiative launched on his first day in office, enables these communities to apply for a share of $10 million in state grant funding for law enforcement training, equipment, and technology.
The Blue Shield Program, created under Executive Order 25-03, is administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS), which opened the grant application process today, marking the start of the state’s Fiscal Year 2026. Funding may be used for items such as body-worn cameras, ballistic vests, surveillance systems, gunshot detection technology, and crime analytics software.
Of the 201 approved communities, 60 are counties, 137 are cities, and four are towns. These jurisdictions met a series of eligibility requirements, including a formal commitment to public safety, crime reduction strategies, officer recruitment and retention initiatives, and participation in regional task forces.
Communities must maintain annual reporting to retain their Blue Shield status. Additional opportunities to join the program and access future grant funding will be available in 2026.
For more information, including the full list of designated communities, visit governor.mo.gov.
