WASHINGTON — Thousands of police officers visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington each year. They mourn fallen brothers and sisters, new names etched into marble walls. The list would be longer without bulletproof vests.
"Bulletproof vests are critical to saving lives of officers," said Chief Yost Zakhary of the Woodway, Texas, Police Department.
Using the Freedom of Information Act, we asked the justice department to give us which local jurisdictions applied for funds under the federal bulletproof vest partnership.
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We discovered the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office asked for a $325,000 grant in 2013 to buy vests. The justice department said no.
A spokeswoman said there's not enough money for bigger police departments. Zakhary has been lobbying Congress to increase funding now.
"I've had the privilege of traveling across this country, I've talked to officers and I've heard firsthand and they simply do not have the resources. Vests are expensive," Zakhary said.
Last May, Senate Democrats tried to inject more cash into the bulletproof vest fund.
One senator blocked them: Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. He said it's not Washington's place to pay for vests.
"The Constitution lists off the enumerated powers and there is no role for the federal government in terms of funding local police departments," Coburn said.
Jacksonville says without the federal dollars, the money had to come out of the budget. A spokeswomen told me vests are a "must-have" item and no one goes without one.
But in other cities, Zakhary said officers are simply not wearing ballistic gear.
"The officers are going without bulletproof vests and that's very troubling," he said.
He said vests have saved 3,000 officers.
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