Congressman John Campbell

Courtney announces $46,589 in grant funding for eastern CT police departments to offset cost of bulletproof vests

October 17, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today announced that nine eastern Connecticut towns secured $46,589 from the U.S. Department of Justice to offset the cost of bulletproof vests. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998, reimburses police departments for 50 percent of the cost of vets that have been purchased. In eastern Connecticut, the following towns secured:

1. Town                     $ Amount            Vests
2. Clinton                  2,000                     5           
3. Enfield                  21,924                   58                         
4. Glastonbury       4,260                     12                        
5. Groton                 1,612                     3                  
6. Madison              4,125                     10              
7. Norwich               7,257                     25            
8. Stonington          1,950                     6             
9. Suffield                1,711                     5            
10. Vernon                 1,750                     4                             
    
    “This funding is a significant boost not just to our Towns’ bottom lines, but also to the men and women of our police force and eastern Connecticut in general,” said Congressman Courtney. “Ensuring that our first responders have the best equipment keeps them safe in the line of duty and helps them keep the rest of us safe in the process. This program encourages police departments to take action proactively, and repays them for their initiative in response.”
    
    Since 1999, over 13,000 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP Program, with $277 million in federal funds committed to support the purchase of an estimated 800,000 vests. The Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the BVP Program.

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