NEW CASTLE, Del. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Chris Coons is joining law enforcement officials in Delaware to discuss the critical need for funding a program to provide armored vests for police officers.
Coons is a co-founder of the Senate's Law Enforcement Caucus. He was to join New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, Wilmington Police Department Inspector Cecilia Ashe and members of the New Castle County police departments Tuesday.
They plan to discuss the importance of $22 million in recent appropriations funding for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership. The partnership is a competitive federal grant program that helps law enforcement agencies purchase bulletproof vests for officers working in the field.
Currently, New Castle County Police Department has a grant request for 200 bulletproof vests.
The Wilmington Police Department received 68 bulletproof vests from the program last year.
