DeWitt County Sheriff applies for body armor grant

DeWitt County Commissioners authorized DeWitt County Sheriff Carl Bowen to apply for the Operation Lone Star Grant to fund body armor for deputies in DeWitt County.

“Operation Lone Star is an operation that was implemented by Governor Abbott in response to the failure of the federal government to secure the southern border,” Bowen said. “This grant is available to all the Texas Law Enforcement Agencies to utilize that in ways that will enhance border security operations. That’s how that grant has come to be.”

“What we have applied for was money to purchase body armor for our deputies. This is an upgraded and more versatile and robust type of body armor than we currently have.”

Bowen said the deputies are put in dangerous situations when it comes to dealing with border patrol.

“A lot of times these coyotes are armed and we have reports from around the state where they have fired upon officers,” Bowen said. “We’re taking a more aggressive measure to see if we could curtail that.”

This will improve the safety of these officers and there are specific benefits of this upgrade according to Bowen.

“This particular body armor incorporates two things,” Bowen said. “Currently, our officers do not have rifle rated body armor. It is becoming recommended throughout the state that we equip them with some form of body armor. What we did through our searches is we found a body armor that incorporates a rifle rated shield into the body armor. It is two pounds lighter than the body armor they’re currently carrying that’s not rifle rated. It’s a weight issue. This body armor also has the ability to quickly attach and detach certain packages that they would need like ammunitions or handcuffs. Things that they can put on the vest that will come off and are interchangeable. It allows them to customize and equip the vest with the things that they need at that time.”

With this grant, the department is asking the state for a little over $50,000.

“This funding is a non-matching funding,” Bowen said. “With some grants, you put up half and the state will put up half. However, with this, it is 100% from the state without the county having to fund the portion of that grant. I approach a grant in the same fashion I would with our regular budget. It’s our responsibility to be mindful of how that money is spent and use it in the purpose that is in the best interest of the folks that we serve.”

Body armor is essential for all officers according to Bowen.

“We have a mandatory policy where our officers wear body armor,” Bowen said. “But from 30 years of experience with body armor, it is relevant to what you do from the minute you put on your uniform to the minute you take it off because anything can happen. The last thing we want is to have any of our men and women in a danger of being killed when there is a measure that we can do to prevent it.”