In 2024, the Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance Corporation and Community Insurance Corporation’s Advanced Law Enforcement Risk Training (ALERT) Law Enforcement Grants program awarded $30,000 to eight departments.

These funds will support important initiatives such as stress debriefing programs for officers after critical incidents, the replacement of aging body armor, and mental health programs for law enforcement personnel.

“We saw more applicants this year with requests demonstrating greater needs within our member departments, especially in the areas of mental health and wellness,” said Josh Dirkse, senior vice president of client services with Aegis, a Charles Taylor Company. “Our members’ dedication to safer, more engaged communities was evident in the submissions, as was a desire to ensure that officers and members of the community are empowered to address mental health.”

County Mutual and Community Insurance Corporation launched the grant program in 2023 with $30,000 in total monies available annually. To be eligible, grantees must hold an active County Mutual or Community Insurance Corporation general liability insurance policy at the time of entry and meet the definition of a “law enforcement agency” as outlined in Wis. Stat. 165.

The 2024 ALERT Law Enforcement Grants were awarded in three categories: equipment/PPE technology, training, and mental health and wellness.

The eight winning departments included:

Equipment/PPE Technology
·      Shawano County for body armor
·      Dunn County for wearable safety lights

Training
·      Sheboygan County for a critical incident stress debriefing class

Mental Health/Wellness
·      Iowa County for a mental health/wellness/community engagement app
·      City of St. Francis for a wellness program with first responder psychological services
·      Village of Kewaskum for biannual mental wellness checks
·      Douglas County for visits with a wellness provider
·      Richland County for a mental health counseling/wellness program for employees  

“When critical incidents occur, it is vitally important to ensure the members of our department are given the tools necessary to process and prioritize the event and maintain their mental health,” said Sheboygan County Sheriff Matt Spence. “The Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office is grateful to be a recipient of this grant to empower our team so we can serve the people of our county in a strong and positive way.”

Law enforcement and fire agencies were welcome to apply for grant monies towards items such as training, equipment/technology/PPE (NO firearms or non/less-lethal alternatives [e.g., tasers]), community awareness campaigns, mental health and wellness programming, and other innovative ideas or programs. 

Following a thorough review of all applications, grants were awarded by the joint County Mutual and Community Insurance Loss Prevention/Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee at its November 2024 meeting.

“Law enforcement is vital for safe communities, but it’s a risky job,” said Michael Lamont, vice president of programs and services at the Wisconsin Counties Association. “We’re excited to see these 2024 ALERT Law Enforcement Grants in action, helping member departments work safer and better serve their communities.”

The ALERT Program provides training on key law enforcement issues, including the Fourth Amendment, vehicle operations, jail operations, and communications. In addition, the County Mutual owns several state-of-the-art firearms training systems, including the MILO Range Pro. The ALERT Program is available at no additional cost to members.

Questions?
For more information, contact Josh Dirkse, senior vice president of client services, via email or phone at 262-230-1495.