Saint Paul Police Offer Closer Look at Life-Saving Body Armor

A bulletproof vest saved Saint Paul Police Officer Dan King this week, the department gave a use a closer look at the live-saving tools.

According to Sgt. Paul Paulos of the Saint Paul Police Department, all 588 of the department's officers have standard vests, like the one that saved Officer King. Sgt. Paulos also adds that SWAT Officers and K-9 Officers have tactical armor in addition to the standard vests.

But the precious protection comes at a price. The standard vests run vests run approximately $1,300 each, while tactical armor tops $3,000.

Still, the department feels the vests are a necessary investment. According to Officer Derrick Herling, gun range master for the Saint Paul Police Department "it could mean the difference between coming home after work and not coming home after work if you're not wearing your body armor."

Donations from groups like the Saint Paul Police Foundation help the department pay for the vests. But federal funding is another major source. According to the Department of Justice, Minnesota received approximately $432,000 in grants for more 1,441 vests in 137 jurisdictions during the 2012 fiscal year.

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