Shield 616, KRDO present Pueblo law enforcement with protective kits

Thanks to the KRDO viewers and our Protect the Protectors telethon event, Shield 616 was able to raise enough money to outfit more than 100 law enforcement officers in Pueblo with active shooter protection kits.

Our telethon last month raised more than $140,000, and Tuesday evening, Shield 616 presented 103 officers from the Pueblo Police Department and Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office with their kits. Donors were also invited to come out and meet the law enforcement officers and see what the donations paid for.

Watch the event live below (Presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Each kit comes with a rifle-rated protective vest, a helmet, and an individual trauma aid kit (or ITAK.)

For Shield 616, Tuesday night is what all the hard work and fundraising is all for.

“You are going to see smiles for all these officers it like a late Christmas,” said Jake Skifstad, the founder and President of Shield 616. “We know because of the generosity of KRDO viewers these officers are being blessed tonight .”

Donors like Michele Traylor and her family say they couldn’t miss this opportunity to donate. The family payed for an entire kit for a specific officer, Pueblo Police Colonel Miana Difusco.

“She came to our aid last year and because of her efforts she was able to keep us from harms way and keep our family safe,” said Traylor.

Traylor says Difusco went above and beyond to make sure her family was okay. As for Difusco, she was just doing her job.

When Difusco was told a family donated an entire kit to her specifically, she was caught off guard. “I’ve been doing this job almost 19 years and I can imagine I’ve influenced a lot of people or had an impact on a lot of people’s lives,” said Difusco. “But no one has ever done something like this for me.” “I hope that she never needs the vest,” said Traylor. “But in the event that she does, I do feel very grateful that she has it. Hopefully it will help her, and allow her to go home to her family.” However, Tuesday night wasn’t just about the kits. For Shield 616, presentations like tonight are all about bringing law enforcement and the people they serve a little closer. “We want them to remember these folks that are here tonight,” said Skifstad. “We want them to be reminded that their community is behind them. Their community does support them, and that they are grateful for what they are doing.”

Donations have provided nearly 3,000 officers in 18 states have already received the potentially life-saving gear since 2015.

Now that all law enforcement officers in El Paso County — the so-called epicenter of Shield616 — have received their gear, attention turns to members of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office and Pueblo Police Department.