Councilman: NYC Should Be Required To Update Bulletproof Vests For Cops
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new bill introduced to City Council on Monday would require the city to provide new bulletproof vests for New York police officers.
Councilman Mark Levine, who sponsors the bill, said the city's $7 million purchase of 13, 000 bulletproof vests for local law enforcement in 2014 doesn't ensure the purchase of replacement vests in the future, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.
"We want some particularly stringent standards in there so that vests which don't fit well, vests which have been damaged some way are also replaced," Levine said.
The move comes after a published report said some officers were paying for updated vests our of their own pockets.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said he was unaware of that practice and that 19,000 vests have been replaced using the money set aside for the initiative by Mayor Bill de Blasio last year.
"We supply vests for normal wear and tear," Bratton said. "The vests are inspected when they go to the range twice a year."
Bratton said most vests are replaced every five years in compliance with the manufacturer's warranty.