Corpus Christi (KIII News) — The Kingsville Police Department received nearly $43,000 in grant money to be used to buy some state-of-the-art protective gear.
It used to be only the SWAT team that wore hefty vests, but now patrol officers in Kingsville will have similar protection. The new vests will be able to withstand gunshots from an assault rifle.
"We want to be prepared," Kingsville Police Chief Ricardo Torres said.
Governor Greg Abbott signed a Senate bill into law last year after the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers. The bill created a grant program to assist agencies in purchasing the gear.
"It's another tool in their toolkit, and we were able to get some of the best equipment that we can for our personnel so they can respond to those incidents," Torres said.
The gear is lighter than the SWAT vests but provides the same protection. Criminal Investigator Daniel Gonzalez said it is easier to put on in case of emergency.
"Higher level of armor for our patrol officers, for everyone in our department, not only patrol," Gonzalez said. "Detectives and any other special agent that we have."
Gonzales said the vest provides more than protection.
"Definitely a peace of mind having this, this level of armor, because before it was soft body armor similar to what I'm wearing now, and this is only rated for pistols," Gonzalez said.
Officials agree -- having updated equipment protects against the ever-evolving threats in today's society, like mass shootings.
"If something would occur to one of my officers, I'm the one that's going to have to go tell their families, and I want to make sure they have the best equipment they can have," Torres said.
"It's not here to look pretty. It's here to protect us from a high threat situation," Gonzalez said.
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