Fundraiser to provide law enforcement with rifle-rated protective shields

Hearts broke around the world as news first spread of the devastating school shooting that took place in Uvalde on May 24, which left 19 students and two educators dead.

According to cbsnews.com, the shooter purchased two rifles prior to the massacre, but used only one: an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle made by the firearm company Daniel Defense.

William (Willie) Jensen, a Hood County resident and former law enforcement officer, took it upon himself to make sure a similar situation would not take place in Granbury.

“I have thought about this for weeks, and due to my law enforcement background, I have a clear perspective on things that will save lives. There are things that we can do as a community to make sure that our children are protected, and that this never happens here,” Jensen wrote on a public Facebook post. “The most important thing is proper equipment and training.”

Jensen said although not all active shooters use rifles, the average officer on the street is still not equipped with armor that will protect against rifle rounds.

“Most of them wear level three soft body armor, which is designed to defeat pistol caliber rounds only. It offers no protection for the head. Body armor that is designed to stop rifle rounds is very heavy and not practical to wear on a daily basis,” his Facebook post reads.

Jensen, who has spent a total of 23 years working in law enforcement and 17 in Hood County, began his hunt for armor that was practical, cost-effective and would protect against rifle rounds in the event of an active shooter situation.

He came upon the RTS personal mini shield, which is available on rtstactical.com for $549.99.

Made out of steel armor, the mini shields can stop an onslaught of high velocity rounds without breaking, and will not crack if dropped or deform from long exposure to heat, according to rtstactical.com. The mini shield is less than .25 inches in thickness and encapsulated in a Polyurea coating ensuring long-term durable use.

The mini shield is equipped with a heavy-duty handle and a quick-release strapping system, which will enhance mobility while carrying the shield. It’s also fitted with an oversize trauma pad system designed to absorb the impact of incoming rounds, according to rtstactical.com.

The mini shields are available in three sizes: small, medium and large. The small shield is 12 by 18 inches and 11 pounds, the medium shield is 14 by 24 inches and 16.9 pounds and the large shield is 16 by 30 inches and 23.3 pounds.

Jensen purchased a medium shield and recently donated it to the Hood County Sheriff’s department.

“They're already wearing level three soft body armor, so it really doubles that protection,” he said. “If somebody did have such a powerful rifle, if they did make it through the shield, the odds of it making it through the shield and then through the body armor is not very good.”

Jensen has now started his own public campaign and has made it his goal to equip every officer in Hood County with their own shield.

“They need them,” he said. “I mean, (an active shooter situation) may never happen here, but there's a lot of situations that do. I mean, I've been on situations here where we had a domestic violence and there was a weapon in the house so having (the RTS mini shield) is gonna be a tremendous edge for any one of the guys that has to deal with anything like that.”

Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds said he has been worried about his staff not having the right protective equipment for years.

“The shields that we buy, they're only rated up to pistol rounds. I think I have four of those but you never have enough when you need them, especially if you're going in on a barricaded suspect in a house or something,” Deeds said. “We've never had to deal with anything like what went on in Uvalde, but with these people across the country with these school shootings, they’ve got rifles. Whether it's an AR-15 or a hunting rifle, the speed of a round has a whole lot of extra horsepower behind it to fire that round and to have a shield like this to not be able to penetrate that shield is fantastic. It's unbelievable. That's a big weight off my shoulders knowing that that deputy is carrying that and that he is going to be protected.”

Shields will be purchased as donations come in and will be handed out as soon as they arrive, which takes about a week once ordered.

Donations can be dropped off at the Hood County Sheriff’s Office, Willie & Dick’s Grill, Black’s Pawn Shop, Dave’s Jewelry and CC & Company Salon & Spa.

Individuals can donate to Jensen’s Venmo, @William-Jensen-28 or Cash App, $wppd411. Checks can be made payable to “The Shield Fund Program.”

“This is fantastic that he is working on this for us,” Deeds said in a text message. “It takes a lot of money to get the equipment we need and with stuff that has happened in the country, Texas and even Hood County, I have to keep my deputies safe to be able to keep the citizens safe.”

Jensen added, “This is something that we all can do. It will make a difference. It’s a small price to pay to save lives. Ask yourself this question: If you had to bust through a door with a guy on the other side holding a rifle, would you want to be without this protection?”