We’ve recently seen some rough times in this country and unfortunately, members of the Law Enforcement community have given their lives in service. One of our biggest concerns here at SSD is that these men and women (and their K9 partners) have the equipment they need to protect their communities as well as themselves. Recently, Tactical Distributors approached us about doing a Thin Blue Line version of our popular Keep Calm Return Fire T-shirts to raise finds for a Law Enforcement charity. We thought it was a great idea and suggested Spirit of Blue Foundation for the great work they do identifying and fulfilling capability gaps in smaller Law Enforcement Agencies. Since 2011, this 501(c)(3) has awarded 42 grants valued at almost $200,000 in 22 states.
We only had one stipulation; our entire licensing fee had to go to Spirit of Blue. The shirts look great and we are pleased to report that TD kicked in on their end as well. $10.00 from the sale of each shirt will be donated to Spirit of Blue.
Tags: Tactical Distributors
Great shirt, great cause, take my money…BUT, it’s tough to throat a $9 (almost 50% of the sale price) shipping charge to ship one t-shirt…and I assume none of that goes to the Spirit of Blue.
$200k over 5 year is not a lot of money. Upon reviewing info on their website, it seems they are purchasing stuff that agencies are negligent in not funding. Some departments that have received grants are far from small, and have budgets into the double or even triple digit millions. Yet SoB is buying flashlights? As a chief, I’d be ashamed to not be able to buy flashlights. I would find the money or pass the hat at civic functions.
Beaverton, OR, received a $2500 grant to help buy a new K9…their annual budget is close to $30 million! Seriously? Franklin, TN is one of the wealthiest communities in the state, and the PD’s budget is about $15 million, yet they were given a grant for 17 helmets? Philadelphia, PA, has a police budget over $650 million, yet they got $10k for vests? Really?
How is a child crimes investigation software grant (amount not specified) for Georgia Bureau of Investigations, who has a $130 million budget, helping keep officers alive? Portland, OR, PD has a $185 million budget and yet needed a token grant (amount unspecified) for software? And Oklahoma City PD, too? Even LAPD, one of the largest and best-funded agencies in the country got software funds.
How about Chicago PD, even, getting what reads to be a SINGLE patrol rifle. Wow.
I’m just not feeling it. Look at the website, read the bios, look at the partnerships, and think critically. SoB seems to have a pretty large amount of expenses relative to their income, a 2.2 ratio, (36 k expenses on 89k income) per an online source. Forgive me for being jaded, but the WWF snookered many and I now look a bit harder at charities.
Preach it. Some of us have been wondering the very same for quite a bit longer than WWP backdooring the ignorant.
Thanks. Meant WWP, not WWF.
I chose the charity because several companies in industry donate to them. One of the reasons is that they are not a front for a union and do not have an anti-2A agenda as so many LE advocacy organizations do.
Spirit of Blue supports those who apply for grants. If it’s a big city, it’s a big city. One one occasion the company that donated specified where their donation would go. That happens. If you are jealous of not getting a grant, then write one.
As far as rounds on target, yeah, they could do better and they are working on it but they aren’t really that old and raising money for LE is much harder than for mil charities.
To be clear, I don’t really care if you don’t want to buy a shirt, but some people will, and they’ll be glad to support LE both symbolically and monetarily even if you want to run them off.
Well, to be clear…I am an leo. I have written and received over 500k in grants. I’m not jealous, but I do jealously guard my integrity and professional ethics, which extends to the charities I support. There are better charities that support LE, IMO. There are also a number of “charities” selling license plate medallions and window stickers while claiming to be raising funds to “support local police.” You may not be aware, but my agency gets calls weekly from folks wanting to vet solicitors we’ve no clue about or association with.
YOU wrote this…”identifying and fulfilling capability gaps in smaller Law Enforcement Agencies” while saying they do “great” work. I fail to see how SoB donating token amounts to huge agencies supports your statement. Either way, not saying they aren’t worthy of support, just caveat emptor. Your snarkiness is really evident and doesn’t reflect well on you, SoB, or TD.
To be clear, you have licensed your IP in support of a charitable cause. You should want that to be a great cause. I love the “I don’t really care if you don’t want to buy a shirt” bit. Nice. I actually wanted to buy seven, one for each guy on my crew, plus my kid. I simply exercised diligence about the SoB first and spoke about concerns. If I was on the fence, your remarks settled it. Another meaningless “we support LE, buy our shit” gesture. How about readers just skip the t-shirt and buy a tourniquet for a local cop instead?
BTW, raising money for LE charities is not that hard…raising money for LE grants that buy gear that taxpayers should be buying, or that taxpayers expect officers to already have is going to be hard. Call me up and ask for $30 to subsidize the local SO, when I already pay plenty of taxes and know where they waste money and you’ll go away empty handed. Need it for a widow or orphan? A funeral expense? A retirement party? Food or drinks for guys on a scene? No problem. But operational costs that are basic? Sorry, no. We have had no problem raising money for officers in need. Agencies in need require better management.
You think it’s ok to just come in anonymously and talk shit because you have a chip on your shoulder? It’s not. It’s pathetic. Worse yet, you make my case for me, yet you have to talk shit. I absolutely do not care if YOU buy a shirt. You’re obviously an angry little man. So, go ahead and try to sabotage support to LE, you’re doing a great job of shitting on your fellow officers.
You’re right that it would be great if people were happy to pay more taxes so they’d get a better police force, but they aren’t. They also aren’t willing to donate toward protective gear for LE, that’s why I chose SOB, because it’s what they do. If you have a more effective charity, nominate them. They need to be national in focus and work on protecting cops.
Btw, $500k in grants from the federal government isn’t that big of a deal. $500k in grants from private organizations that have to go out and raise the funds is something altogether different so don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back.
And another thing, you go on and on about how agencies should manage their funds better, but you then boast that you received $500k in grants. Wtf? Seriously? Whatever it is you’re taking, stop.
Now, go run off and tell all of your buddies how you’re the victim because I called you on your bullshit.
Matt, Perhaps you should offer your services to SoB and help them decide how they should award their grants. Coming to SSD and whining about it like SSD has a say in the fund distribution is not the way to handle it. Then bragging about you enormous grant writing history, which isn’t a big deal in the real world, and telling everybody you’re a LEO doesn’t help the image at all. I didn’t detect any “Snarkiness” is the SSD post so it would seem that your SoB anger is spilling onto SSD.
So to sum it up, write that letter to SoB and offer your consulting services and help them avoid turning into a WWP.
Then write letters to all of the big agencies on how to allocate their budget resources. I have a hunch that these administrators have already heard the same thing internally but chose differently. Just because you don’t agree with it from a external point of view doesn’t make it a wrong decision on the agencies part. As a grant writer you should know that any money that is awarded for anything frees up other budgeted money.
Finally, go be a fireman, everybody loves them
You’re a real piece of work. SSD is trying to support cops and you’re running your mouth? You don’t speak for me or my fellow officers. Thanks SSD and Tactical Distributors!
Hahaha 500k in grants. That’s like bragging that you can afford a Hyundai instead of a Kia….
Hey SSD,
How do these shirts fit compared to the others? I have to run a size larger on grey/black/green but the correct size on the white. I want to make sure I order the correct size.
Thanks,
Chris
Never mind, I called TD and they helped me out. Ordered two, one for my brother.
Thanks for your support of this project.
Wish this was black, not heather black. Oh well.
Thanks for doing this, SSD.
For the complainers, way to crap on people when they are trying to help. Seriously, who does that?
Having been on the LE procurement side, of and on, and having been involved extensively (usually against my will) in the budgeting process, you are way, way off base.
Yes, agencies should be buying lots of gear for their line cops, and oftentimes they don’t. I am horrified at how cheap municipalities and counties can be, particularly when you are dealing with critical services like public safety.
But, things like PCs, helmets, carbines and optics, while most of us KNOW (and have known) are critical and needed pieces of kit for cops, can be a hard sell for administrators, particularly when 80% or more of the typical LE budget goes for salaries and benefits, and the other 20% for critical operational spending, which gets prioritized for vehicles, vehicle maintenance, fuel, comms and comm maintenance, facilities, keeping the lights turned on and dozens of other things.
Getting PCs and helmets for free is kind of like a gateway drug; once you have an established and successful program, replacement funds become a recurring budget sustainment item. This year’s PCs come from a grant. Next year’s are just a routine purchase.
20 years ago issued carbines were rare. 10 years ago issued PCs were rare. I managed to make both items (among many other critical equipment items) ongoing, successful programs by getting at least some (or all) of the initial issue items for free.