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MU donates safety shields to police

Misericordia University has donated high-tech safety shields for use by the Dallas and Dallas Township police departments to help protect them as they respond to incidents involving gunfire.

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Misericordia University recently donated four, high-tech ballistic shields to the Dallas and Dallas Township Police Departments for protection in case of a gunfire incident. Shown from left are: Paul Murphy, director of Campus Safety & Facilities; James Drury, Dallas Borough chief of police; Philip Walter, chairman, Dallas Township Board of Supervisors; Robert G. Jolley, Dallas Township chief of police; Michael A. MacDowell, university president; and Robert Cragle, associate director of campus safety.

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The university provided $15,580 to purchase four ballistics shields that will be shared by the two Back Mountain police departments. The shields make use of lightweight plastics to offer a high level of protection for the local officers.

“Over the years, shields weighed as much as 60 pounds and we abandoned them because they were so cumbersome to carry,” said Robert G. Jolley, Dallas Township Chief of Police. “The new shields fold for easy storage and accessibility. At only 12 pounds, they offer the greatest weight to protection available on the market.”

Misericordia is the first university in the area to make a donation that directly affects the safety of local law enforcement officers, Jolley added. “This presentation shows real initiative on the part of Misericordia to improve our law enforcement capabilities for all residents of the Back Mountain.”

James Drury, Dallas Borough Chief of Police, said, “Although the borough is only responsible for a small portion of the campus property, along Lake Street between Main Street and Center Hill Road, we have full cooperation with Dallas Township and Campus Safety to coordinate efforts. These shields will greatly add to our officers’ protection and our ability to respond to a variety of incidents.”