City of Licking and Texas County receive Blue Shield designation
Graphic courtesy of City of Licking PD
On Friday, April 24, the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) welcomed another 21 Blue Shield communities for 2026. The total number of jurisdictions recognized are 249 for Year 2 of the Blue Shield program.
First-time Blue Shield communities recognized last week included Bethany, Breckenridge Hills, Buffalo, Chaffee, Crane, Hamilton, Humansville, Laclede County, Licking, Shrewsbury, Smithville and Union.
Returning 2025 Blue Shield communities were Bates County, Berkeley, Creve Coeur, Ellisville, Greenwood, Ladue, Perryville, Richmond Heights and St. Charles.
The previous Friday, the DPS welcomed eight additional Blue Shield communities, including four first-time communities: the cities of Bland and Fredericktown, and Ray and Texas counties. There were four returning jurisdictions recognized: the cities of Independence, Jefferson City and Nevada, and St. Louis County.
The DPS congratulated each community and the participating law enforcement agencies for their commitment to bolstering public safety and support for law enforcement, along with building public safety partnerships.
Governor Mike Kehoe created the program in January 2025. The program recognizes local governments’ efforts to reduce crime and foster law enforcement.
“The Blue Shield program has shown what’s possible when communities commit to prioritizing law enforcement and public safety,” Governor Kehoe said. “After awarding $50,000 grants to more than 200 communities last year, we’re continuing that work by welcoming new communities and renewing Blue Shield designations for counties, towns, and cities that remain committed to the program.”
“The Department of Public Safety is honored to work with communities like The City of Licking that have answered the Blue Shield challenge,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri DPS. “Last year, the essential equipment provided by Blue Shield grants included 388 mobile data terminals, 351 body cameras, 151 license plate readers (LPR), 102 ballistic vests, 91 interoperable radios and 56 vehicles. We look forward to getting additional important equipment and training to our partners in local law enforcement.”
In a social media post released by the City of Licking Police Department, the department expressed the following:
“The Missouri Blue Shield designation is a direct reflection of the expectations we have set and the work our officers deliver every day. We have taken a proactive approach to law enforcement by targeting high-risk violations, strengthening partnerships with our community and surrounding agencies, and ensuring our officers have the training and equipment they need to perform at a high level. Public safety is not something we take lightly, and we are committed to holding that line. This recognition reinforces that The City of Licking is serious about reducing crime, supporting law enforcement, and protecting our citizens now and into the future.”
