Staff recommends that City Council accept various donations totaling $15,000. 

 

Council policy requires that any donation greater than $500 be approved by the City Council. The Billings Police Department has received monetary donations from the following individuals/organizations to support equipment and recognition programs:

• Mike and Diane Boyett — $2,500 — designated to cover costs related to purchasing less-lethal shotgun conversions.
• Scheels — $10,000 — designated to cover costs related to purchasing less-lethal shotgun conversions.
• Archie Cochrane Motors — $500 — designated for purchase of a DRACO less-lethal gas delivery system (GDS).
• Coleen Black & Company P.C. — $1,000 — designated for purchase of a DRACO less-lethal gas delivery system (GDS).
• The Jeremy Bullock Memorial Fund — $1,000 — awarded to the School Resource Officers (SRO) for “Team of the Year” (award for outstanding services to schools, students, teachers and the community).

Purpose / Use of Funds
Less-lethal shotgun conversions — funds will fund purchase/retrofit of less-lethal shotgun conversion kits for Police use. These tools allow deployment of less-lethal munitions and support de-escalation and officer safety. Combined donations for this purpose: $12,500.

DRACO GDS — funds will assist purchase of a DRACO less-lethal gas delivery system (GDS), a multi-use tool to deliver command-initiated, indoor safe less-lethal munitions from the safety of an armored vehicle. Combined donations for this purpose: $1,500.

SRO Team Award (Jeremy Bullock Memorial Fund) — $1,000 awarded to the SRO Team of the Year.

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City Council may:

• Approve the donations to the Billings Police Department in the amount of $15,000 or;
• Disapprove the donations to the Billings Police Department in the amount of $15,000 and provide further direction to staff.   

There is no impact on the General Fund since all activities will be supported by donations.