By Ben Rayner
Published on 9/28/2006
Branford - The Branford Police Union, in conjunction with the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) recently purchased 26 bulletproof vests for the officers of the Branford Police Department. The two groups have been raising funds to provide the vests, which the town's budget does not cover.
According to Lieutenant Thomas Fowler, president of the PBA, the new vests are hugely important to officers on the street who respond to calls that are never routine, no matter what the situation may be.
“They are worth their weight in gold,” said Fowler. “The vests are very important to the department.”
Fowler pointed to the recent incident involving an East Haven and Connecticut State Police officers in which a trooper's vest is credited with saving his life during a shootout with two robbery suspects on I-95. Several officers were injured in the incident, but all of them survived.
“Just look at what happened there in East Haven. That trooper was hit in his vest--they save lives,” said Fowler.
Bulletproof vests have steadily improved in both performance and quality, according to experts. Side panels now protect wearers with more coverage and new designs make them more practical for law enforcement personnel.
“They are much more comfortable to wear, especially in the summer,” said Fowler. “The technology really has improved—materials are lighter, and the vests are much less cumbersome.”
The PBA and the police union raised more than $9,200 to pay for the 26 vests. Manufacturers recommend replacing vests every five years and many of the department's vests were in need of an update.
“We want to let people know what we spend the money on when they donate,” said Fowler. “People who donate do so for projects just like this. Their generosity made this possible, and we want to thank everyone who gave to the effort. The Police Union and Sgt. O' Malley did an outstanding job. We worked together on this and are thankful that our department remains safe.”
According to the FBI and the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial Fund, 155 American police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2005: Car accidents claimed 63 lives and 59 police officers were fatally shot by criminals. Fifty-six thousand police officers are assaulted every year, resulting in more than 16,000 injuries.