Gov. Ralph DLG Torres met up with officials of the Department of Public Safety and Office of the Attorney General yesterday to take ownership of new bulletproof vests that will be distributed to officers as soon as today, Oct. 13.<\/p>\n
The new vests were purchased with the help of the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the gun ban was lifted, we\u2019ve been thinking about the safety of the officers. And we had a long [discussion] with the governor to expedite the purchase of bulletproof vests. So with their support, Homeland Security was very generous in supporting our law enforcement,\u201d said DPS Commissioner Robert Guerrero.<\/p>\n
The new vests are a slimmer form of body armor. Being a level two GH armor, it can withstand the shot of almost very handgun. It is also lighter than most vests to combat the heat of the islands and allow officers to move more freely.<\/p>\n
Torres said, \u201cYou guys [officers] are always out, so you need to make sure to use it because \u2026if something happens, it [vest] will be there to protect everyone\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s another step that the governor has taken to provide protection for our officers on duty,\u201d Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
Collectively, there are about 160 officers on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, with every officer obligated to be equipped with a vest. Each of them is worth about $700 a set. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe vests have two parts: The carrier, which is the black thing on the surface, and the plate, which is inside. The plate itself is actually flexible, so it bends to the shape of the person\u2019s body, so that\u2019s why it took awhile for the vests to be purchased, Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
One-hundred-and-seventy vests were purchased for a total of almost $100,000. They were funded federally through Homeland Security. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur officers are out there doing what they are supposed to be doing. This is just a way to get them protected from anybody with a handgun. Our biggest concern right now is the use of illegal handguns.\u201d Guerrero added. <\/p>\n
When asked if the withdrawal of the banning of firearms caused them more concern pertaining to gun safety, the commissioner said, \u201cPermit-wise, we\u2019re looking at about six applicants and that\u2019s about it. I\u2019m not concerned so much as people having handguns because they are accounted for. It\u2019s the ones not accounted for that law enforcements are worried about.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the bulletproof vest, DPS also received a total of seven new cars with eight more being ordered. About two or three will be sent to Rota while Tinian will purchase their own. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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