Community Corner
Orland Park Police Donate Extra Bulletproof Vests To Ukraine
Officials said they are joining the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to donate ballistic vests to Ukrainian civilians under attack.
ORLAND PARK, IL — The village of Orland Park joined the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Friday to donate extra ballistic vests to Ukrainian citizens, officials from the village said.
The movement started when retired Mokena police chief Steven Vaccaro asked other officers to donate due to his family's connection to the country, which is currently under attack by Russia.
A spokeswoman for the city said the vests were no longer needed by the Orland Park Police Department but did not immediately respond to questions on how many vests were sent.
Find out what's happening in Orland Parkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"We are happy to do whatever we can to help with this urgent request," said Orland Park Police Chief Joe Mitchell in a press release.
All vests were sent to Wroclaw, Poland and will be transported from there to Ukrainian civilians who may need protection from sniper fire, officials said.
Find out what's happening in Orland Parkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A spokeswoman also said the village is organizing a donation drive soon, so residents can send aid to Ukrainian women and children who sought refuge in Poland. More information on dates, times and suggested donations will be coming soon.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
