ANGOLA – The Steuben County Sheriff’s Department was approved to apply for the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) by the Steuben County Commissioners on Monday.

The BVP grant is a 50 percent reimbursement federal grant through the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sheriff Rodney Robinson was approved by the commissioners to use their current funds to replace expired vests and to apply for the annual grant for 2024.

Bulletproof vests expire after 5 years. The vest pricing starts out at $1,200 each.

Each vest is made to the specific measurements of the officer and will remain only with the officer it was designed to fit.