Bill to fund bulletproof vests for law enforcement approved

The program that reimburses state, counties and local jurisdictions for up to 50 percent of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers was included this week will get funded via a House appropriations bill.

The U.S. House approved the Bulletproof Vest Partnership program into the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019 (H.R. 3055). The bill was introduced by Reps. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Peter King (R-NY), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).
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“On Long Island, our local law enforcement has been faced with the rise of the heroin and opioid abuse crisis, as well as transnational gangs, such as MS-13,” Zeldin said. “We must make sure law enforcement is provided with the equipment they need to protect themselves and the laws in place that help safeguard our neighborhoods. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership program is a critical component of ensuring these brave men and women have the resources they need to safely and effectively do their jobs, and fully funding this vital program is a big win for the many communities across Suffolk County who rely on it.”

In Zeldin’s district in Suffolk County on the east end of Long Island, the following towns received funding as part of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership program: the Town of Southampton ($15,325), Town of East Hampton ($6,000), Village of Westhampton Beach ($4,120), Town of Shelter Island ($3,000), Village of Tuckahoe ($2,337.50), and Village of Sag Harbor ($823).