Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office Purchases New Body Armor

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Those who serve and protect the Muskingum County Community at the Sheriff’s Office have recently received new equipment that will increase safety while on the job. The Sheriff’s Office recently purchased new ballistic vests through grant dollars provided through various organizations. Fifty new vests were purchased from Point Blank for about $1,200 each. Sheriff Matt Lutz says vests are required to be replaced every five years to maintain the integrity of the protection provided to officers. 

“We recently—at the end of the year—took delivery of our new ballistic vests that we buy for the guys out on the street. These vests are guaranteed by the factory for about five years. So, every five years we have a turnaround and need to replace them to keep our guys into good body armor. So, Point Blank is who we went to—there were a couple grants that we were able to achieve.”  

While the new technology tends to be expensive, authorities say ballistic vests have been improved substantially over the past few decades. 

 “I think the biggest part of the technology is the weight of the vests–they’re so much lighter now; they let you breathe better, and they’re less restrictive. I think that’s probably the biggest thing. Obviously, the vests hold up really well; they are always increasing the protection levels that they provide for the deputies. But, I think–you know we’ve come so far in my 30 years.”

The Bureau of Workers Compensation provided the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office with $6,800 for the project; while the Justice Department has committed to provide $28,200 through the Bulletproof Vest Partnership. The total cost of the project was $63,386.