**U.S. Department of Justice**

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5625in"
height="0.5520833333333334in"}Office of Justice Programs

*Bureau of Justice Assistance*

**Bulletproof Vest Partnership**

**Program FACT SHEET**

History

The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest
Partnership Grant Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-181) and reauthorized by
the BVP Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-517), is a unique U.S. Department of
Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and
local law enforcement.

Since 1999, over 11,500 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP
Program, with \$118 million in federal funds committed to support the
purchase of an estimated 450,000 vests. The Office of Justice Programs'
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the BVP Program.

**Eligibility**

Eligible jurisdictions include general purpose units of local government
such as cities, counties, parishes, and municipalities; federally
recognized Indian Tribes; the 50 states; the District of Columbia;
American Samoa; Guam; the Northern Mariana Islands; Puerto Rico; and the
U.S. Virgin Islands.

Eligible law enforcement officers for BVP Program purposes include
police officers; sheriff deputies; correctional officers; parole and
probation agents; prosecutors; and judicial officials.

**Funding**

BVP funds up to 50 percent of the cost of each vest purchased or
replaced by law enforcement applicants. Only vest models that comply
with the requirements of the Office of Justice Programs' National
Institute of Justice (NIJ) may be purchased with BVP Program funds.

The BVP Act of 1998 requires that at least half of all appropriated
funds support applications from jurisdictions with populations under
100,000 people. When the BVP Program was reauthorized for an additional
three years (FY 2002 -- 2004), a new allocation principle required
funding the full 50 percent of requested vest needs for applications
from jurisdictions under 100,000, with any remaining funds available for
applications from jurisdictions over 100,000 people.

**Vest Selection**

In November 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced a Body Armor
Safety Initiative in response to the failure of a bullet-resistant vest
worn by a police officer in Pennsylvania. NIJ was directed to initiate
an examination of Zylon^®^-based bullet-resistant vests (both new and
used) and to review the existing program by which bullet-resistant vests
are tested to determine if the program needs modification.

Having completed its latest phase of ballistic and mechanical properties
testing, NIJ has determined that used Zylon^®^ - containing vests may
not provide the intended level of ballistic resistance. In response to
this determination, NIJ has issued a body armor standard advisory notice
concerning Zylon^®^ , and has issued new interim requirements for its
body armor compliance testing program that will become effective on
September 26, 2005. Until the effective date of the interim
requirements, jurisdictions that participate in the BVP program will be
ineligible to receive payment for new orders placed for any body armor
vest that contains Zylon^®^.

A list of vest models that comply with the NIJ interim requirements will
be maintained at: [http://www.justnet.org](http://ww.justnet.org/).

**Additional Funds for FY 2005**

Pursuant to the FY 2005 Department of Justice Appropriations Act, \$23.6
million was made available for the purchase of vests through the annual
BVP Program application process. Further to the Body Armor Safety
Initiative, to better meet the vest replacement needs of America's law
enforcement agencies this year, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will
make an additional \$10 million available immediately. This additional
funding will be available through a special BVP solicitation that will
open on August 24, 2005 and close on September 22, 2005.

**How to Apply**

The entire BVP application and payment process occurs online at
[https://vests.ojp.gov](http://vests.ojp.gov/).

**Related Links**

[FY 2005 BVP Payments]{.underline}

[Bulletproof Vest Partnership]{.underline}

**Contact**

Linda Hammond-Deckard, Program Manager

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs

U.S. Department of Justice

810 Seventh Street NW

Washington, DC 20531

1-877-758-3787

<Linda.Hammond-Deckard@usdoj.gov>