Torrance County deputies frequently respond to active shooter incidents and other violent situations involving firearms and other kinds of threats. Deputies at the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office train and prepare for such emergencies.
When first responders are dispatched to a violent emergency, they are not all protected against handgun or rifle gun fire. These brave deputies respond to situations where rifle threats exist.
Despite not having all the necessary equipment to protect them against those threats, they make a conscious decision to respond and never know what kind of scene they will come upon. The equipment required to perform their duty is often too expensive for most police and fire agencies to afford as a part of their general funding.
The Torrance County Sheriff’s Office has been involved in five officer involved shootings in the last ten months. Prior to this year, the last shooting took place in 2014. Dangerous calls for service have progressively increased and show no indication of slowing down.
Torrance County Deputies paired with Riata Realty to raise funds to provide protective equipment. The type of gear that will be purchased is Angel Armor. Angel Armor includes a lightweight all-day ballistic vest, ceramic rifle plates and a Galvion helmet. If a situation occurs, our deputies need to be able to respond as quickly and safely as possible. Angel Armor offers a mobility that other companies do not.
Deputy Monica Torres, Renee Sauter of Riata Realty, and Cheryl Huppertz, a local citizen, worked together to coordinate the raffle, asking stores to help sell tickets and finding volunteers to help sell tickets. Two firearms from Rose’s Gun Shop were the first two items in the raffle. The raffle drawing was held on December 19 at the Moriarty Lion’s Club. A check for $11,127 was presented to Under Sheriff Eli Lucero, Torrance County Sheriff’s Office. The funds came from both the sale of raffle tickets and donations, with Tillery Chevrolet making a generous donation of $1,000.
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