Continuing his efforts to provide West Virginia law enforcement officers with the updated protection they need, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, has renewed his call for full funding of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program, which helps state and local law enforcement purchase protective gear.

"If we are serious about securing America, we have to secure those who stand as our first line of defense here at home," Rahall said.

Since 1999, law enforcement officers in more than 12,000 jurisdictions nationwide have been provided with more than 450,000 vests. In FY 2006, the BVP program awarded more than $88,0000 to West Virginia officers, including $11,200 to those in Fayette County; $4,727 to officers in the City of Beckley; $3,899 for the police force in Oak Hill; and $347 for Pocahontas County officers.

"Our local police forces in West Virginia have been well-served by this program and the protection it assures our men and women on the beat. It makes no sense that this program has been subjected to funding cuts under the current Administration, and that has got to change," Rahall said.

Despite the proven value of the BVP program in ensuring the distribution of lifesaving bulletproof vests to law enforcement officers in communities nationwide, the program has been subject to budget cuts under the Bush Administration. In recent years, the Bureau of Justice, which administers the grants, has received requests from small jurisdictions for more than double the funds appropriated.

The usual demand for help to purchase vests has been compounded in recent years by concerns from the law enforcement community over the effectiveness of body armor after a Pennsylvania police officer was shot and critically wounded when his relatively new Zylon-based body armor vest failed to stop a bullet. In August 2005, the Justice Department announced test results that indicated such Zylon-containing body armor vests do not provide the intended level of ballistic resistance. Unfortunately, an estimated 200,000 Zylon-based vests have already been purchased nationwide -- many with BVP funds -- and now need to be replaced.

"The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program has directly benefited every state in the United States," Rahall said. "It is a critical component for protecting our law enforcement officers, who, in turn, protect us. I urge my colleagues to provide the needed monies for this essential program in the Justice Department funding bill for fiscal 2008."