04/25/2025
THE O’FALLON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF O’FALLON OFFICIALLY RECEIVES MISSOURI BLUE SHIELD DESIGNATION
O’Fallon – The O’Fallon Police Department and the City of O’Fallon officially received the Missouri Blue Shield designation from the Missouri Department of Public Safety. This prestigious honor recognizes Missouri communities that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to enhancing public safety and supporting law enforcement.
The Missouri Blue Shield Program, created by Governor Kehoe in January 2025 through Executive Order 25-03, recognizes local governments that make significant efforts to reduce crime, foster law enforcement collaboration, and build strong community partnerships for public safety.
“Public safety is the foundation of a thriving community and state. It affects everything from families feeling secure to businesses having the confidence to invest and grow,” said Governor Kehoe. “We designed the Missouri Blue Shield Program to recognize communities that go above and beyond in creating a place where people want to live, work, and build their futures. A Missouri Blue Shield designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of local governments across Missouri who are leading the way in making public safety a priority.”
“The Department of Public Safety is proud to work alongside communities like the City of O’Fallon, that have shown exceptional dedication to enhancing public safety,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS). “This program is about fostering collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Our goal is to support these efforts, providing resources and guidance to help communities build sustainable, long-term solutions for crime reduction and public safety.”
O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy offered his thoughts, “I continue to be proud of the achievements of our O’Fallon Police Department. This recognition by Governor Kehoe as a Missouri Blue Shield community exemplifies the importance of public safety and our commitment to that ongoing commitment. I want to thank Chief Mininni and his staff for their work to obtain this designation – with this – O’Fallon will continue to be a great place to live, work, and play.”
O’Fallon Police Chief Frank Mininni praised the men and women of the O’Fallon Police Department along with the City’s elected officials and the nearly 95,000 residents of O’Fallon in a brief statement, “Receiving the Missouri Blue Shield designation is a testament to our police department, Elected Officials, and residents’ commitment to public safety and collaborative partnerships. This recognition reflects the city’s dedication to supporting law enforcement and fostering a safer environment for all of our residents."
Eligibility and Program Details
Communities are eligible for a Missouri Blue Shield designation based on their dedication to reducing crime, making substantial investments in public safety, and developing strong collaboration with law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders. Each participating community’s commitment will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with the program’s goals.
Participation Incentives
Communities that earn a Missouri Blue Shield designation will receive grant funding for law enforcement training and equipment as part of Governor Kehoe’s Recommended Budget for the State Fiscal Year 2026. Communities will also be featured on Governor Kehoe’s social media pages as well as the DPS website to highlight their participation in the program.
The City of O’Fallon earned a Missouri Blue Shield designation due to its exceptional commitment to public safety. Through implementing a state-of-the-art computer aided dispatch and records management system, collaborating with the City of St. Charles to start construction on a 24 million dollar police training facility, creating a Special Operations Division to target dangerous and violent criminals, increasing the departments Drone Program with pilots and equipment, adding outdoor warning sirens for the community, instituting a Neighborhood Police Officer to address issues with long-term fixes and work with the unhoused, adding a Vehicle Longevity Program that adds more visibility of marked police cars in the community, to achieving accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies which is the Gold Standard of accrediting bodies, the O’Fallon community has demonstrated a strong and ongoing commitment to protecting its residents. This designation affirms O’Fallon’s effort to create a safer, more secure environment for all who live and work here.
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