ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the Mayor, Police Chief and the Fire Chief with a Request for the Following:
A. ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending the City of Peoria 2019 REVISED ANNUAL BUDGET Relating to the Use of General Fund Balance to Provide Funding for the Acquisition of ARMORED SHIELDS, RIFLE PLATE VESTS, BALLISTIC SHIELDS and BALLISTIC HELMETS, in the Amount of $47,547.00;
B. APPROVE the SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE of Five (5) Level IIIA Armored Shields from BLUE RIDGE ARMOR, in the Amount of $17,375.00;
C. APPROVE the SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE of Thirty-Five (35) Rifle Plate Vests, Twenty (20) Ballistic Vests and Sixteen (16) Ballistic Helmets from FEDERAL EASTERN INTERNATIONAL, in the Amount of $30,172.00.
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BACKGROUND: Nationwide incidents involving active shooters utilizing rifles to inflict mass casualties on the civilian population continue to occur. The City of Peoria is not immune to the risk of a mass shooting or a terrorist attack. The Peoria Police Department trains for such contingencies. In light of the increasing number of mass shootings, it is clear that the Peoria Police Department and Fire Department would be better prepared and equipped to respond and engage these types of threats with the acquisition of the requested ballistic plates and ballistic shields.
The body armor worn by the Peoria Police officers does not provided any protection against rifle rounds. The thirty-five (35) sets of rifle plates includes a front plate, a back plate, and a carrier. These ballistic rifle plate sets requested from Federal Eastern International would allow the officers to quickly put these carriers over their uniform shirt and body armor. With the addition of these protective ballistic plates, the officers will be able to respond more effectively with more personal protection in these rapidly-evolving, high risk situations and improve the officer's survivability while engaging the deadly threat. The Fire Department's first responders need protectio...
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