Title
Consideration of and action on the ratification of applying for and the acceptance of the Bulletproof Vest Grant.
Body
Summary:
The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is a unique United States Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and local law enforcement. The purpose of the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) program is to reimburse states, counties, federally recognized tribes, cities, and local jurisdictions up to 50% of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers. Currently, more than 1,600 vests makes and models meet the standards for grant coverage.
Since 1999, the BVP program has reimbursed more than 13,000 jurisdictions, a total of $548 million in federal funds for the purchase of over 1.4 million vests (1,400,000). BVP is a critical resource for state and local jurisdictions that saves lives. Based on data collected and recorded by the Office of Justice Programs, since FY 2015, protective vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 272-law enforcement and corrections officers. Thirty-nine of those vests were purchased, in part, with BVP funds. The Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the BVP Program.
The Police Department applied for nineteen (19) pieces of body armor next year. We expect to recover $9,975 in the 2024/2025 budget.
Fiscal/Budgetary Impact:
The total cost of purchasing nineteen vests is $19,950, with $9,975 of that being absorbed by the BVP Grant. The City of Deer Park will incur a total cost of $9,975.
Recommended Action
Ratify the Police Department’s application for this grant and approve its acceptance once awarded.