Greenwood Lake police receive $5,700 for bulletproof vests

Greenwood Lake - The Village of Greenwood Lake Police Department will receive $5,714.48 from the federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. The grants cover up to 50 percent of the cost for local police departments to purchase or replace their bulletproof vests. The funding was announced through the press office of U.S. Rep. Sue Kelly, R-Katonah. “I’m glad that the safety of our officers is a primary concern of the government when it comes to funding,” Greenwood Lake Police Chief Paul Baresel said in a press release. Congress and the Justice Department added an additional $10 million in funding to the program last year to make an extra round of grants available for local police departments to replace Zylon-based vests. Some recent tests have indicated that Zylon-based vests may not be providing the intended level of ballistic resistance for police officers. Greenwood Lake also received $1,667.48 in federal funds through the program last fall. The cost of body armor varies; a quick check on the Internet shows prices ranging from about $400 to $1,200.