BY FREDA MIKLIN
GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
On September 6, Mark Griffin, Jan Harrison Griffin, and Jeremy Abelson, who comprise the board of directors of the Cherry Hills Village Police Foundation (CHVPF) appeared at the regular CHV City Council meeting.
Griffin explained that CHVPF “has been working with CHV Police Chief Lyons on “how best the foundation can serve our police department, given our top priority of safety for our community police officers and school safety.” Griffin went on, “The chief suggested, and we concur that first responder kids would be an important first step toward our goal.”
The first responder kits, Griffin explained, are custom-fitted to each CHV police officer and cost about $1,000 each, for a total of $20,000 for the city’s 20 line duty officers. He continued, “I am pleased to announce that the CHVPF has voted unanimously and approved a donation to the Cherry Hills Village Police Department, subject to city council approval, of $20,000 to cover the costs of these first responder kits for each duty officer.”
CHV Mayor Russell Stewart and Police Chief Jason Lyons each thanked Griffin and the foundation for their generous donation. Lyons explained that the first responder kits will contain “a higher-level ballistic vest that is considered rifle-rated, so it would protect our officers against the highest caliber rifle rounds.” It also contains “a ballistic helmet that matches that level of ballistic protection.” Lyons went on, “Currently, we do not have that equipment as a general uniform-issued item, and the ones that we do have are certainly not fitted for the personnel that we have that may use it on any given day, should they have to. This really advances equipping and training our officers to respond to the unthinkable.”
fmiklin.villager@gmail.com