Federal Grant Buys Bulletproof Vests for Dobbs Ferry, Greenburgh Police Departments

Several police departments in Rockland and Westchester counties are in line to receive a total of 201 new bulletproof vests under a nearly $80,000 federal grant, announced this week by Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland).

“We must ensure local law enforcement have the resources necessary to protect themselves and our communities,” said Lowey in a statement. “This federal funding will enhance police officers’ safety when patrolling our neighborhoods. As Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to ensure law enforcement personnel have the safety equipment they need.”

The grant from the United States Department of Justice totals $79,389.24 and is part of the DOJ’s Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), an initiative designed to provide bulletproof vests to state and local law enforcement. New York’s 17th Congressional District includes parts of Westchester County and all of Rockland County.

Below is a breakdown of the funding by municipality and how many bulletproof vests the funding will purchase:

• Clarkstown: $16,090.66 for 33 vests
• Croton on Hudson: $2,892.62 for 6 vests
• Dobbs Ferry: $4,750.43 for 11 vests
• Greenburgh: $3,698.10 for 12 vests
• Harrison: $1,113.11 for 3 vests
• Mount Pleasant: $1,852.01 for 5 vests
• New Castle: $5,345.86 for 15 vests
• Piermont: $694.23 for 2 vests
• Port Chester: $3,382.73 for 10 vests
• Rye Brook: $795.78 for 2 vests
• Spring Valley: $8,860.94 for 22 vests
• Tarrytown: $5,307.19 for 15 vests
• White Plains: $18,747.11 for 50 vests
• Yorktown: $5,858.47 for 15 vests

A total of 180 jurisdictions in New York are receiving $877,586.49 to purchase 2,336 bulletproof vests.

Referring to bulletproof vests, White Plains City Police Department Chief James M. Bradley said, “In this day and age, they are still the number one way to protect your officers from serious bodily harm. We are very happy to have them.”

“Any time we receive equipment we are more than thrilled to get assistance,” said Clarkstown Police Department Lieutenant Daniel Weisberg. “The safety of our officers is the top priority. We certainly appreciate the efforts of our elected officials to secure funds for needed equipment like this.”

According to DOJ, since 1999, the BVP program has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $393 million in federal funds for the purchase of over 1 million vests (1,197,348 as of December, 2014). BVP is a critical resource for state and local jurisdictions that saves lives. Based on data collected and recorded by BJA staff, in FY 2012, protective vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement and corrections officers, in 20 different states, an increase of 13.7 percent over FY 2011. At least 14 of those life-saving vests had been purchased, in part, with BVP funds.