SPD aims to improve conditions of department for officers and community
SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury Police Department is receiving federal grant and city funding to improve conditions for officers; specifically by addressing old equipment in need of replacement, and a creating new position to help officers address the mental health crisis,. It’s something not every officer may be properly trained for, according to Salisbury Chief of Police David Meienschein.
“Police work is an inherently dangerous profession,” Chief Meienschein said. “So, what this does is offers a level of protection in case an officer runs into an assailant with a gun, a handgun.”
Just over $10,000 in federal funding will cover half the cost of new protective vests at Salisbury Police Department. The old ones have outlived their five-year lifespan.
“We make sure officers here at Salisbury Police Department are equipped with the absolute best equipment and when we research and purchase these vests,” Chief Meienschein said. “We are purchasing the absolute best technology that’s out there to protect our officers.”
Chief Meienschein says there are two parts to the vest; the part that carries the Kevlar plate, and the outer portion that allows officers to carry additional ammunition and utilities. Even if the vest hasn’t hit its five-year limit, it has to be replaced with any instance of blunt force trauma.
“If a vest is struck by a bullet, by a round, we would then take that vest from that officer and they would get a replacement vest because there has been a level of compromise to the integrity of how that vest is constructed,” said Chief Meienschein.
However, better equipment is not the only thing the fifteen officer department is changing to improve conditions.
“Some folks that have mental health issues, they will call us and our officers will respond and it does not quite fit,” said Chief Meienschein. “It is a square peg and round hole situation.”
$84,000 will help the department hire a mental health clinician, who will be an expert trained on mental health.
Chief Meienschein says police training focuses on criminal investigations. However, a mental health clinician may have the social work experience needed to better handle the situation.
“They would team up a mental health professional with one of our officers that may work a particular area of town,” Chief Meienschein said. “They may have a client list, and sometimes these are folks that call us quite recently.”
Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor says he is a big advocate for better mental health resources for community members. It was one of his promises made during his recently won campaign.
“Policing is becoming, sometimes in some cases, less of a police matter and more of a social services matter,” Mayor Taylor said. “So, we are trying to create resources, both in terms of personnel and funding to do more of a cooped approach and policing at the same time.”
