LYNN — A new grant from the state will help put “active shooter bail-out bags” in every Lynn Police Department cruiser.
Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the local law enforcement equipment and technology grants from the Executive Office of Public Safety late last week. The $19,769.84 funding for Lynn is part of the $1.3 million in federal Byrne Justice Assistance grants from the Baker administration, which was awarded to 77 police departments across the commonwealth.
“Our goal is to provide law enforcement officers with the most updated equipment and technology available to ensure their safety while they serve on the front lines to protect our communities,” said Polito. “These awards will provide Massachusetts police officers with life-saving protective gear such as bulletproof vests, helmets and medical equipment, as well as a range of technology items to bolster public safety.”
Lynn Police will determine how many bags they can purchase with the funding provided, said Lynn Police Lt. Michael Kmiec.
“In the bags there are a lot of medical supplies that would assist in the event there are a lot of injuries,” said Kmiec. “For instance there is hemostatic gauze, so if there is an open wound you can stick (the gauze) in there and it helps control the bleeding. There will also be tourniquets in the event there is a serious wound and someone needs to control the bleeding ASAP.”
Other tactical equipment will be included in the bags, he said. The goal is to create a bag small enough for officers to carry around in the event they need to treat multiple people at once.
“They are specifically designed for the officers to have with them in the cruisers,” said Kmiec. “If dispatched somewhere, they can take these out quickly and be able to respond and provide medical care for themselves or victims.”
Kmiec said he hopes the grant money will allow them to purchase the kits for every one of their police cruisers, but they need to see how far the grant will get them.
