Governor Mike Kehoe announced nearly $10 million in state grants for improving public safety to Missouri Blue Shield communities across the state. A total of 201 counties, cities, and towns earned the Missouri Blue Shield designation by creating comprehensive, sustainable plans to fight crime and promote safer communities, making them eligible for grant funding.

Missouri communities could apply for $50,000 in training, equipment, and technology grants if they met Missouri Blue Shield requirements and were designated as Blue Shield communities by June 1, 2025. A total of 60 counties, 137 cities and four towns were approved. Many area entities throughout the KMMO listening area have earned the designation, including the counties of Pettis, Lafayette, Johnson, and Randolph. The cities of Sedalia, Warrensburg, Knob Noster, Higginsville, Concordia, Odessa, Lexington, and Moberly also earned the designation.

Blue Shield counties, cities, and towns must maintain their commitments to retain the Blue Shield designation via annual reporting about their ongoing efforts to support public safety to DPS. There will be another opportunity for other communities to apply for the Blue Shield designation and take advantage of future grants in 2026.

A map of Missouri Blue Shield communities is available here.