Daphne Police help armor other officers

DAPHNE, Ala. - The Daphne Police Department is participating in the Armor of God Project.

The Police Department will donate its expired bulletproof vests to agencies, in the United States or abroad, who cannot afford to purchase them for officers.

The Armor for God Project, which is run by Ten-Four Ministries, collects donated vests with expired warranties, refurbishes them and sends them to police departments that need them.

"Even though the warranty is expired, having a vest versus not having one increases the likelihood of survival. For the companies' liability, they put a warranty on the vest, but chances are probably, yes, that they will still continue to function even after that first five years," explained Tracey Bishop of the Daphne Police Department.

The Armor for God Project began in 2008. It was started by Lt. Clint Reck of the Muscle Shoal's, Alabama Police Department. He had been working in the Phillipines and realized that many of the officers there did not have bulletproof vests. Reck teamed up with his home church and sent 24 used vests to the Philippine National Police. The day after the vests arrived in the Philippines, an officer wearing one was shot point blank in the chest. It saved his life.

The Mobile Police Department is also taking part in the Armor of God Project.

Police departments usually replace their bulletproof vests every 5 years.