Brown says grants are an ‘important investment’

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, announced this week that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $22.5 million in grant funding for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership.

The program, through the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, provides funding for local and state law enforcement to acquire bulletproof vests for officers. The grant funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2018 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill, which the committee approved by a 30-1 vote.

The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Brown’s office said he led the bipartisan effort to secure full funding for the program with support from state and national law enforcement organizations.

“While the rest of us run away from danger, law enforcement runs toward it,” Brown said in a news release. “Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line each day to protect us, and this funding is an important investment that will help protect those who work every day to keep Ohio communities safe.”

The funding will be administered by OJP to local law enforcement agencies in order to purchase bulletproof vests for officers. According to OJP, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership has helped more than 13,000 jurisdictions purchase more than one million vests.

Brown worked with several Ohio and national law enforcement organizations including, the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association, National Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, National Tactical Officers Association, National Association of Police Organizations, Major Cities Chief’s Association, Major County Sheriffs’ Association, Sergeants’ Benevolent Association and the National Narcotics Officers’ Association.

The Senate Appropriations Committee also approved more than $400 million in funding for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which Brown helped secure. The Byrne JAG program provides grant funding for local law enforcement agencies to fund various programs including, drug treatment and enforcement programs, crime prevention and education programs, and crime victim and witness programs.

The funding is administered through DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.