NCJ Number
177838
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 51 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 1999 Pages: 36-37
Date Published
1999
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act of 1998.
Abstract
The purpose of the act is to help State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies provide officers with armor vests. It authorized $25,000,000 for the program, to be administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The Act requires participants to provide at least 50 percent of the cost of each vest. Indian tribal governments may use Federal funds to provide the match, but all other jurisdictions must use non-Federal funding. At least half of the funds will be awarded to units of local government with fewer than 100,000 residents. Among the factors BJA may consider when selecting applicants for awards are jurisdictions displaying the greatest need for armored vests based on the percentage of law enforcement officers in the agency who do not have access to vests; jurisdictions that have or will institute a mandatory wear policy; jurisdictions with a violent crime rate at or above the national average; and jurisdictions that have not received local law enforcement block grant program funding.