Alvin ISD purchases bullet-resistant shields for police department through state grant

The Alvin ISD board of trustees approved the purchase of 30 rifle-rated bullet-resistant shields for the Alvin ISD police department as part of a grant program by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Superintendent Carol Nelson said that the AISD police department is not equipped with this type of bullet-resistant shield. AISD will spend $168,313.50 on the shields, which will be reimbursed in full by the state.

Abbott ratified a budget execution order June 28 that allowed for the state to reimburse educational institutions that apply for the purchase of the shields. The action was taken to bolster school police departments after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

According to the grant application document, officers provided with a grant-funded ballistic shield must have received 16 hours of Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training within the last two years or commit to attend the training in the next two years.

“In light of the continued threat of active shooters and mass-casualty events in and around schools, we propose to purchase and train our officers with rifle-rated ballistic shields in order to protect the first responders who may encounter such scenarios,” the district’s grant application states.

AISD board of trustees meeting agendas and dates can be viewed on the AISD website. Regular meetings are streamed on the district’s YouTube page.