(36th DISTRICT) – Assembly member Gary S. Schaer today praised the announcement of state grant awards that will allow several police departments in Bergen and Passaic counties to purchase or replace body armor vests for their officers.
The police departments in Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Rutherford, Wallington and Wood-Ridge in Bergen County, and the Passaic Police Department, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and Passaic County Sheriff’s Office received a combined $88,492 in body armor grants.
“Police officers have one of the most dangerous jobs. We task them with our safety and should supply them with nothing less than the best protective gear available,” said Schaer. “With budget crunches limiting resources for many law enforcement agencies, these funds will help our police departments equip officers with the most capable, life-saving body protection.”
The $88,492 is part of nearly $3.6 million being distributed to more than 500 New Jersey law enforcement agencies by the state Division of Criminal Justice. The funds are being provided to state, county and local law enforcement and corrections agencies from the state’s Body Armor Replacement Fund, which was established by legislation in 1998 and is funded through a $1 surcharge on traffic tickets and forfeitures of bail.
Since the inception of the Body Armor Replacement Fund Program, the Division of Criminal Justice – Grants & Program Development Section has provided nearly $50 million to the New Jersey statewide law enforcement community to purchase thousands of new vests.