By Ashley Silver
Police1
ST. LOUIS — After a St. Louis deputy was recently carjacked and robbed at gunpoint while in uniform, the St. Louis Sheriff’s Office is requesting additional funding from the city for officer safety advancements to help prevent other heinous crimes on police.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the robbery and the deputy’s car was recovered thanks to mobile technology and GPS capabilities helping track the deputy’s vehicle. However, Sheriff Vernon Betts believes enhanced officer safety tools like 24/7 police radios could’ve prevented the theft entirely.
According to KMOV News, the sheriff’s office is asking St. Louis leaders to provide $2 million in funding to their department for take-home radios that would replace their current outdated equipment.
“Our radios are obsolete,” Betts told the news platform. “We’re having problems getting them repaired and all that kind of stuff. I believe that the city now has the money through ARPA or Rams money or whatever. The city has a lot and now we can resolve that issue. We think we deserve to get the money that’s going to help us keep our employees safe and the citizens of St. Louis safe.”
The mayor responded briefly to the sheriff’s request this week during an event.
“We’re always willing to work with the sheriff’s office and we’re willing to have that conversation to see what’s available,” Mayor Tishaura Jones told KMOV.
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