CJPA disburses funds for armor vests

By MARIAN A. MARAYA

Staff Reporter

The Criminal Justice Planning Agency has been granted by the U.S. Dept. of Justice some $145,444 in total funds for the purchase of bulletproof vests to be distributed among law enforcement agencies in the CNMI.

The award under the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is tailored to protect the lives of law enforcement officers by helping states and units of local and tribal governments equip authorities with armor vests.

The grant represents the total funding sought by CJPA for Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000 from the federal government.

“We have asked for a waiver on the 50 percent local matching funds. So we have received 100 percent subsidy,” said CJPA Executive Director Harry Blanco.

The agency received $38,000 for FY 99 and $107,444 for the current fiscal year.

The Board of Parole and the Office of Adult Probation have already received their share of the grant, according to Mr. Blanco.

Other government agencies such as the Marshall Division (Judicial), AGO Investigation Unit, Division of Immigration Enforcement Unit, Airport Police, Department of Public Safety Tinian, DPS Rota, DPS Saipan, and Division of Customs Enforcement Branch are in the process of procuring the armor equipment.

“We have already awarded them the money and they will go online to purchase the equipment directly from the vendors,” said Mr. Blanco.

The entire application and payment process occurs over the Internet. Applicants view a variety of choices on vest models that meet the National Institute of Justice standards for armor vests and link to vest vendors.

Agencies that have yet to receive the grant are the Division of Fish and Wildlife, Division of Corrections, Juvenile Corrections Unit, Juvenile Detention Unit, and the Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco Control Division.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance under the U.S. Dept. of Justice has the authority to endow $25 million per year for three years to eligible jurisdictions in efforts to provide protection to law enforcers.

The Bulletproof Vest Partnership comprises the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Office of Justice Programs, the National Institute of Justice, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

During the program’s initial year, $23 million was earmarked to more than 3,500 state, local, and tribal governments to purchase more than 92,000 vests for their officers.