Dearborn Police Receive Grants for Bulletproof Vests, Training

The Dearborn Police Department has been awarded a grant that will equip officers with new bulletproof vests.

The grant, provided by the Office of Justice Programs Bulletproof Vest Partnership, reimburses the department for half the cost of each vest it purchases. The total grant is for $17,952, with a 50 percent local match required.

Dearborn Chief Ronald Haddad said the department provides a new ballistic vest to every officer in a five-year cycle.

The police department also applied for and received a $23,063 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. There is no local match required. The grant will be used for training and other needs as deemed necessary by the police chief. Previous grants were used for non-budgeted overtime and equipment.

In an effort to help with the DPD's community policing program, the department was awarded a $1,000 grant from Target. The grant will be used to purchase promotional materials and equipment needed for community policing crime prevention meetings. The meetings will take place at different locations throughout the city beginning this year. No dates have been released.