FOP will donate 9 bulletproof vests to Columbus Tech

To help save lives of first responders and reduce injuries, the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police will donate nine bulletproof vests to the Columbus Tech Police Department.

Randy Robertson, vice president of the Georgia FOP and president of the local organization, said the ballistic vests will be presented to Police Chief Tom Barnes and the department with nine sworn officers at 3 p.m. Thursday as part of the FOP’s “Operation Protect Our Protector.” The organization has donated vests to law-enforcement agencies across the state with a special emphasis on small departments that can’t afford to buy them.

“Officer safety is a very important issue to all of us in law enforcement and the ballistic vest has been proven to save lives and reduce injuries,” Robertson said. “Every officer should wear a ballistic vest every day.”

Barnes said the new equipment is going to be great for officer safety on the campus along Manchester Expressway and River Road. “That is first and foremost,” the chief said. “That is what keeps me up at night, officer safety on the campus.”

The vests will allow the sworn officers to do their jobs and have a bit of peace of mind with the “top-notch” equipment, Barnes said.

Robertson said each vest costs about $400 each and was custom fitted for every officer in the department.

Over the years, Robertson said similar programs to equip police officers have included departments at Columbus State University and Young Harris College. “We have been doing this for years,” he said.

Columbus Tech has operated a police force since June 2012. It was spurred by the growth in training at the new Robert L. Wright Health Sciences Center and an enrollment of some 4,500 students. Officers are armed with .40-caliber and .45-caliber semi-automatic Glock pistols and patrol the campus along Manchester Expressway and River Road with three vehicles.

Officers are usually called about parking and to help sick or injured students.

The Georgia FOP represents 4,000 law-enforcement members across the state. It is part of the nation’s largest law-enforcement organization with more than 318,000 members nationwide.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 5:05 PM with the headline "FOP will donate 9 bulletproof vests to Columbus Tech."