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Wednesday, a Protect the Protectors telethon took place at the Wisebrod Museum at the Pueblo Airport to give the Pueblo Police Department and the Pueblo County Sheriff top notch protective gear while they are in the field.
Pueblo Police and Sheriff’s employees manned the phones to raise money to give them the additional protection. In the first hour nearly $14,000 was raised.
These active-shooter kits come complete with a plate vest that can stop the bullet of a high-powered rifle, a helmet, and medical kits designed to save lives on the spot. Vests normally issued are designed to stop only hand gun rounds.
El Paso County law enforcement has already been fitted and the group is now trying to raise enough money to fit the 400 officers in Pueblo County. Retail price of the kits are $2,000 a kit.
The founder of the organization was Colorado Springs officer Jake Skifstad.
Skifstad was born in Northern Minnesota. After graduating high school in 1998, Skifstad attended Alexandria Technical College in Minnesota. Alex Tech is known nationally for their Law Enforcement training program. While attending Campus Crusade for Christ, Skifstad met his wife, Jenna.
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