Local law enforcement support the drive to donate body armor to help the Ukrainian people fight off Russian invaders but the equipment is not readily available to hand over, spokespersons said this week.
Last week, Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, launched an effort to collect body armor and ballistic helmets to be sent to assist the Ukrainian people. The push resulted in more than 25 local law enforcement agencies donating 1,000 ballistic helmets and nearly 840 complete sets of surplus body armor, according to a news release from Polis’s office.
Boulder County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Haverfield said via email that the department is supportive of the weapons donation initiative. “... But unfortunately we are waiting for replacement equipment to arrive before the older equipment, which is scheduled to go out of rotation, is available for donation,” Haverfield said.
Longmont Public Safety is evaluating city policy to allow donations of equipment and gauging the availability of vests, said spokeswoman Robin Ericson.
“In the true spirit of Colorado, I am proud that Colorado law enforcement stepped up to support the brave people of Ukraine,” Polis said in the news release. “We are doing everything we can to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom, and this surplus body armor is urgently needed to help save lives, stop Putin’s ruthless aggression, and save Ukraine,” Polis said.
The U.S. State Department has partnered with GoFundMe.org to address the humanitarian needs of the people affected by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the news release states.
