FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BJA

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2002 202/307-0703

POLICE BUY OVER 185,000 BULLETPROOF VESTS WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FUNDING

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Over 5,100 law enforcement and corrections agencies across the nation will obtain partial funding for bulletproof vests this fiscal year through the Justice Department?s Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program.? The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Justice Department?s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), is distributing $23.5 million to jurisdictions nationwide to provide for up to half the cost of bullet-resistant and stab-resistant vests.

?The past year has been terribly bittersweet for the law enforcement community, ? said Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, Deborah J. Daniels. ?Our officers and their families have sacrificed so much, but never have they performed better or made our nation prouder.? Their safety is of the utmost importance,? continued Daniels.? ?I'm pleased that the Justice Department can provide these individuals with needed resources to help ensure their safety.?

The Department?s program will help state, county and local law enforcement and corrections agencies purchase over 185,000 vests this year.? Since the program began three years ago, Justice Department funding has assisted with the purchase of over 700,000 vests.

Under the initiative, each jurisdiction may purchase one vest per officer per year, and all vests must meet or exceed standards developed by the National Institute of Justice.? The BVP program provides up to 50 percent of the cost of a each jurisdiction's bulletproof vest purchases.

Additional information on BJA as well as other programs and activities of the Office of Justice Programs can be found at the OJP Web site, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.? For additional information about the bulletproof vest initiative, media should contact Sheila Jerusalem at 202-307-0703 or visit the bulletproof vests Web site at http://vests.ojp.gov/.

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