Allegheny County Housing Authority police Chief Mike Vogel recently paid $1,800 for his bulletproof vest.

Through a federally funded grant program enacted by Congress in 1998, he should get a 50% reimbursement. But instead of $900, he received $450.

“The bill hasn’t been written for 20-some years. We’re still using those numbers,” Vogel said. “To some small departments, these costs can be a problem.

“These vests shouldn’t be a luxury.”

Under the current reimbursement program, police typically are reimbursed a flat fee of up to $450, which constitutes 50% of what a vest cost — back in 1998.

Now, the life-saving vests have more than doubled in price, but federal law has not kept pace.

New legislation co-drafted by U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, aims to find more money for police protection.

He worked with fellow U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-New York, to draft a bill that designates a 60% reimbursement on total cost of ballistic wear — the current cost.

The Bipartisan Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program Expansion Act would apply to local law enforcement, states and federally recognized Native American tribes.

It would allocate $60 million a year through 2030 to the program.

“One thing that I know can bring Democrats and Republicans together is supporting our cops and getting local departments the bulletproof vests they need,” Deluzio said.

In Murrysville, the municipality pays upfront to supply officers with bulletproof vests and carriers, at a cost of about $1,200 per officer, according to Finance Director Jacie Milchak.

But the reimbursement from the federal government pays only about 30% of those prices, Milchak said.

“We have gotten reimbursed, but it takes a long time,” Milchak said. “We can apply for the reimbursements once every two years, but I think (the reimbursement figures) are probably based on older numbers.”

Though Deluzio and Garbarino were working on the bill previously, it took on more importance after three York-area police officers were killed and two others seriously wounded Sept. 17 when they were ambushed by a gunman while investigating stalking complaints at a rural home.

The bill to bring reimbursements in-line with current costs gained quick support from the PA Chiefs of Police Association, the International Union of Police Associations and the Fraternal Order of Police.

A letter of support from the Chiefs of Police Association called the proposal a moral obligation.

“This proposal would be a game-changer,” said Vogel, who serves as chairman of the association’s executive board. “It’s common sense. If this gets corrected, it ensures that no department, large or small, has to choose between their budget and their officers’ safety.”

At Kiski Valley Uniform & Supply in Leechburg, which provides equipment for many local police departments, the retail cost for one of the most popular vests is a little more than $2,100, according to owner Mark Fetterman.

“We never charge retail to police departments. We try to take about 40% off, so it would be about $1,260,” Fetterman said.

Murrysville police Chief Tom Kusinsky said he employs a schedule for replacing vests to ensure they won’t have to replace them all at once.

Ligonier Valley Police Department also staggers its vest purchases to alleviate a big hit with costs. Police Chief Michael Matrunics said the department is looking to get three replacements for vests that have reached their expected five-year lifespan and will seek another early next year.

Matrunics said his department intends to apply for a federal grant but also will seek private foundation dollars to cover the $4,800 cost of the three vests.

For recent vest purchases, he said, “We have had some pretty hefty private donations.”

He said Ligonier Valley also has had success seeking vest grants as part of a group with a few area police forces.

Nationwide, 66 officers have been killed in the line of duty this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. More than half — 37 officers — were killed by hostile means, including the York-area officers gunned down last month.

Nearly 170 officers died in the line of duty last year, the site reported.

Sam Cabral, president of the International Union of Police Associations, believes bulletproof vests saved countless others. Access to the ballistic vests is essential, yet they have a limited shelf life and are costly to replace, Cabral said.

Vests are guaranteed to work for a maximum of five years.

Since 1999, more than 13,000 jurisdictions have participated in the federal grant program, with $573 million spent on more than 1.5 million body armor vests.

Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said every vest purchased through the grant program has the potential to save the life of an officer.

“You cannot put a price on that,” Yoes said.

Harrison police Chief Brian Turack said each of the township’s 12 officers is outfitted with a vest. His department has applied for the federal reimbursement multiple times since at least 2001. In that time, they’ve received nearly $13,000.

“Every bit helps, but the amount of the reimbursement has not been changed. We’re getting $450, which doesn’t even come close to half the cost of a vest,” Turack said.

Turack said he placed a recent order for a ballistic vest with a carrier that totaled $1,258. Under the newly proposed bill, the department would get back 68% more money than they have been — $754.

“That’s a big impact for budgeting purposes and cost-saving,” Turack said. “These grants are very important to local departments.”

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