Delaware to Receive $79,682 to Equip Law Enforcement Officials with Armor Vests

WASHINGTON, DC – The Delaware Congressional Delegation today announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will allocate a total of $79,682.37 to 19 jurisdictions in the State of Delaware to purchase 657 bulletproof vests for law enforcement officers. The funding comes through the Fiscal Year 2002 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. “Being a police officer is dangerous work. We need to give our law enforcement personnel the resources they need to fight crime,” said Biden. “This federal funding to buy bulletproof vests means that 657 police officers across Delaware will be safer as they do their job of protecting the public.” “These vests will help protect our police officers as they protect us. One goal of this program is to ensure that, at the end of their shifts, law enforcement officers return home safely to their families,” Carper said. “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of our communities each and every day. The least we can do is help protect them in the line of duty,” said Castle, who was an original cosponsor of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998, which established this program. “The FBI estimates that the risk of fatality to law enforcement officers while not wearing an armor vest is 14 times higher than for officers wearing an armor vest. Hopefully this funding will save lives.” The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act authorizes $25 million a year for the program, which is administered through the Department of Justice’s Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. It provides priority funding for jurisdictions with populations less than 100,000. Funding for this year will support over 190,000 vests throughout the nation. Listed below are the 19 jurisdictions in Delaware, which will receive funding to purchase vests under The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program: JURISDICTION FEDERAL FUNDING VESTS Bethany Beach $555.00 (2) Bridgeville $1,992.00 (4) Camden $2,490.00 (5) Cheswold $499.00 (1) Clayton $1,492.50 (3) Delaware $10,997.57 (447) Delaware River & Bay Authority $6,750.00 (25) Dover $2,750.00 (10) Georgetown $996.00 (2) Harrington $1,301.90 (4) Milford $4,908.75 (15) Millsboro $3,189.00 (12) Milton $976.43 (3) Newark $2,832.08 (9) Ocean View $1,492.50 (3) Rehoboth Beach $993.00 (4) Seaford $1,292.40 (4) Smyrna $4,006.74 (9) Wilmington $30,167.50 (95)