TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Police Chief George Kral is making a push to provide ballistic shields for his officers following the death of TPD officer Brandon Stalker last week.
The effort has got the backing of the father of another officer who was killed in the line of duty last year.
No matter what the price tag is, Tony Dia, officer Anthony Dia's father, believes TPD officers need access to some type of ballistic equipment, whether it be helmets or shields.
"Either having it in the cars at all times or checking it out like they check out their guns and rifles during every shift," Dia said.
During a press conference last week, regarding the death of officer Stalker, Kral said he was going to look into purchasing ballistic shields for each of the department's police cars.
Stalker was located in the inner security perimeter behind a police vehicle about 100 feet away from the gunman, Christopher Harris. Kral said Stalker was shot in the head while he was peeking out from behind the vehicle in an attempt to see what was going on.
Harris had come out of the home firing from the guns he had in each hand when he was shot and killed by SWAT.
Dia said the chief is putting a price together for what the department needs and he'll support whatever type of equipment the Kral recommends.
The Ofc. Anthony Dia Foundation has a fundraiser dinner on Feb. 20 where they will be auctioning off high-ticket items and holding raffles to raise funds for the equipment in 60 days.
"If we can't raise enough money, I'll go to the city of Toledo and if the city of Toledo doesn't want to give me money for the department, then I'll go to the governor's office and I'll wait there," Dia said. "And if he doesn't want to give me enough money, then I'll fly to Washington D.C. and wait there until somebody gives me some money. We should have their six now and not when it's too late."
WTOL 11 reached out to Toledo City Council members about helping to fund this effort and have not received a response.