Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge police officers now have a little more protection with new bulletproof vests added to their gear.

At Tuesday night’s Breckenridge City Commission meeting, Police Chief Larry Mahan and Lt. Bacel Cantrell showed the commissioners the new bulletproof vests the police department obtained with grant funds from the State of Texas. The department obtained $15,000 in grants to pay for the vests.

“It’s a standard Kevlar bulletproof vest,” Cantrell said, holding up one of the vests for the commissioners to see. “We got them with an outer carrier and an inner carrier. This is an outer carrier, wears over our uniform. With some leftover money from that grant, we were able to get some pouches and MOLLE kits that go on top of this vest to move off stuff from our hips.”

Each vest has two removable steel plates capable of stopping rifle rounds. The steel plates weigh between 7 and 8 pounds each. The vest by itself, without the plates inserted, weighs about 14 pounds.

The panels containing the steel plates are designed to be removed or added on quickly, depending on the situation the officers are in, Cantrell said.

“Even without the plate, it’s still a bulletproof vest. It still provides protection,” Mahan said. “The bottom line is, we’re providing protection for our guys, as much as we can, for $15,000, that the City couldn’t afford, that came through the governor’s office. I think it’s money well spent.”

Story by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge Police Chief Larry Mahan shows one of the department’s new bulletproof vests to City Commissioner Tom Cyprian at the Breckenridge City Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 5. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Breckenridge City Commissioner Rob Durham looks on as Lt. Bacel Cantrell tells the City Commissioners about the new protective vests the local officers now have. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)