By Jim Bloch
In February, a fire destroyed the building in Kimball Township that housed the St. Clair County Drug Task Force. The fire alarm went off around 3:30 a.m. Feb. 25 and area departments fought the Ash Drive blaze for the next five-and-a-half hours. According to the Kimball Township Fire Department, 17 agencies pitched in at the fire scene.
Equipment, office furniture, ammunition and vehicles were lost to the flames. Case evidence had been stored in a fireproof vault and survived the fire.
Now two companies that sell personal protection equipment to law enforcement agencies have stepped forward and donated several items to the Sheriff’s Department to help it recover from its losses.
United Shield International, of Traverse City, donated multiple rifle-rated and pistol-rated ballistic shields and 15 Level IV body armor plates to the deparment.
Pro-Tech Sales, of Berea, Ohio, donated helmets, gas masks and ballistic shields to the department’s Special Response Team.
“These donations are making a tremendous difference as we work to rebuild the equipment lost in the fire,” said Sheriff Mat King in a Facebook post April 2. “The support we have received from these companies, neighboring agencies, and the law enforcement community has been incredible. Their generosity helps ensure our deputies have the equipment they need to safely serve and protect the community, and we are deeply grateful.”
Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms determined that the fire had been sparked by a mechanical failure.
King told the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners in March that the department’s insurance would cover the cost of the equipment losses. The donations of the two companies will help provide the Special Response Team with the specialized equipment it needs to continue protecting the community, the department said in its post.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
