Protecting those who protect us
The idea came to Jake Skifstad December 9, 2007.
It’s a date many in the Pikes Peak Region will recognize: the day of the New Life Shootings.
He knew about the heroism that day – of the dozens of officers who rushed to the scene, without a second thought to their personal safety.
But there was a problem:
“We quickly learned that they didn’t have the necessary gear that they needed to protect them against the threat they were facing,” said Skifstad. “There was nothing on the market that was designed specifically for the street cop.”
It’s a raw fact: line officers get to crime scenes well before S.W.A.T. can, oftentimes, waiting up to 30 minutes for those with tactical gear to arrive. Current bullet-proof vests, worn by street officers, cannot withstand high-powered assault-style rifles.
It was out of need that Skifstad founded Shield616, a 501(c)3 non-profit. The organization’s purpose is to outfit law enforcement with rifle-rated gear that officers can put on in 20 seconds.
A $1,000 sponsorship equips an officer with a rifle-rated vest, ballistic helmet, glasses, trauma kit, gas mask pouch, and optic.
Shield616 aims to pair businesses, churches, and corporations willing to sponsor an individual officer at any financial level.
But the vision goes beyond just equipping officers. It’s about getting sponsors on board to take a vested interest in the well-being of the man or woman in uniform and helping them in time of need, whether that’s mowing their lawn or praying for them, according to Skifstad.
“We want to allow the community to get a sense of the face behind the uniform,” said Skifstad. “We came across a verse, Ephesians 6:16, that talks about taking up the shield of faith. We want the officers to know that they can go up against that situation and know that they’re protected. We want their family to know that they’ll come home at the end of their shift and they’re protected.”
Shield616 has the backing of all Pikes Peak area law enforcement: Colorado Springs Police, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, UCCS Police, and Colorado State Patrol.
“We don’t have the ability to purchase equipment like this, so it’s invaluable to us,” said Chief Brian McPike, with UCCS Police.
For more information on Shield616, click here.
