Monongahela police, MARC to raise money for bulletproof vests

By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The Monongahela Area Revitalization Corp. and the city police department will team up to raise money to outfit all officers with bulletproof vests.
Out of the department’s 22 officers, 15 do not have bulletproof vests that are compliant with current National Institute of Justice standards, Chief Kevin Harris wrote in a letter to local businesses that asks for contributions.
“Our first responders are a valued service in our communities,” said MARC President George Eckert. “Many times our first responders are overlooked for what they do for our citizens. It takes a large cash flow to keep equipment up to current standards for these organizations to function properly, not to mention the continuing education need to keep certifications updated. My hat is off to the women and men who keep these groups going.”
Harris said FBI statistics show that from 1987 through 2015, 92% of all officers who are murdered in the line of duty are killed with firearms.

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