DeWine Requests Full Funding for Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program

DEWINE REQUESTS FULL FUNDING FOR BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM

U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), along with 17 of his colleagues sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science requesting the Subcommittee grant the full $50 million of funding authorized for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program for fiscal year 2007.

"Every day our police officers put themselves in harm's way in order to protect our children and families and the least we can do is help provide them with the bulletproof vests they need to do their job," said Senator DeWine. "I strongly urge my Senate colleagues on the Appropriations subcommittee to fully fund the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. Police officers in Ohio and across the country deserve nothing less."

The President's budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 slashes funding for this program by 67 percent. However, the Senate approved an amendment to their FY07 Budget Resolution to fully fund the program, to help save lives.

Bulletproof vests remain one of the foremost defenses for our uniformed officers, but law enforcement agencies nationwide are struggling over how to find the funds necessary to replace defective vests that are less than five years old with ones that will actually stop bullets and save lives. In fiscal year 2005, 221 Ohio jurisdictions requested a total of 5, 244 vests from the Bulletproof Vests Partnership. Vests costs between $500 and $1000 each, depending on the style, and officers are often forced to use their own money to pay for new vests unless the federal government offers more help through programs like the Bulletproof Vest Partnership.

http://dewine.senate.gov/