(July 21, 2016) With the fiscal 2017 budget only weeks old, the Pocomoke City Mayor and Council have already decided to approve shuffling more than $11,000 from the police department’s vehicle request to instead fund improved body armor for officers.
Police Chief William Hardin explained to the council that the city’s current vests were reaching the end of their usable life, and would expire in January 2017.
“The ones the officer chose is the Razor by Armor Express, it’s about one-third of the weight of the existing equipment,” Hardin said.
Another reason for this choice, Hardin explained, is that the rule of thumb with body armor is it needs to be able to stop a bullet from an officer’s own sidearm.
Hardin said the new vests would stop a bullet from “pretty much any handgun,” but wouldn’t hold up to more powerful weapons.
The town budgeted $2,660 for four new vests, City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot said, but Hardin wanted to increase the amount of vests to 13.
The town could make the purchase through a federal General Services Administration contract, which means the purchase could bypass the normal competitive bid process.
GSA contracts are pre-negotiated deals between the Federal Government and businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions any government can use to purchase products.
According to its website, GSA contracts are “government-wide, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, multiple award contracts,” which means any state or local government can use them to access a variety of items with no limits on delivery or quantity and are provided by multiple suppliers at the same price.
Nonetheless, Crofoot said he wanted to access “a different source” to check pricing and availability before formally accessing the GSA marketplace to purchase the new armor. He did not elaborate on the source, and said he would ensure the alternate equipment was not a downgrade from the requested items.
“We’re holding off on a number of significant capital purchases,” Crofoot said. “We’re going to earmark $11,000 from the vehicle purchase — we’re not going to buy them anyway — to get the vests and related items.”
The related items are add-ons Hardin likened to equipment used by deployed soldiers overseas. He said the additional items would be useful in situations like drug raids.
Hardin said the PCPD was pursuing a USDA grant to help finance the vehicle purchase, and would submit an application in October.
Police Chief William Hardin explained to the council that the city’s current vests were reaching the end of their usable life, and would expire in January 2017.
“The ones the officer chose is the Razor by Armor Express, it’s about one-third of the weight of the existing equipment,” Hardin said.
Another reason for this choice, Hardin explained, is that the rule of thumb with body armor is it needs to be able to stop a bullet from an officer’s own sidearm.
Hardin said the new vests would stop a bullet from “pretty much any handgun,” but wouldn’t hold up to more powerful weapons.
The town budgeted $2,660 for four new vests, City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot said, but Hardin wanted to increase the amount of vests to 13.
The town could make the purchase through a federal General Services Administration contract, which means the purchase could bypass the normal competitive bid process.
GSA contracts are pre-negotiated deals between the Federal Government and businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions any government can use to purchase products.
According to its website, GSA contracts are “government-wide, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, multiple award contracts,” which means any state or local government can use them to access a variety of items with no limits on delivery or quantity and are provided by multiple suppliers at the same price.
Nonetheless, Crofoot said he wanted to access “a different source” to check pricing and availability before formally accessing the GSA marketplace to purchase the new armor. He did not elaborate on the source, and said he would ensure the alternate equipment was not a downgrade from the requested items.
“We’re holding off on a number of significant capital purchases,” Crofoot said. “We’re going to earmark $11,000 from the vehicle purchase — we’re not going to buy them anyway — to get the vests and related items.”
The related items are add-ons Hardin likened to equipment used by deployed soldiers overseas. He said the additional items would be useful in situations like drug raids.
Hardin said the PCPD was pursuing a USDA grant to help finance the vehicle purchase, and would submit an application in October.