Lafayette Director of Public Safety Tommy Freeman.LaFAYETTE, Ga. -- The last 25 years have been "fortunate" ones for the LaFayette Police Department, says its assistant public safety director.
"I think we've had one officer-related shooting since 1986," Bengie Clift said. He credited "good citizens and having trained guys that don't get themselves out of bounds on a call or a traffic stop."
That good fortune, however, hasn't brought about complacency, he said. Safety remains a priority, and the department's officers are being fitted with nine new bulletproof vests, part of about $30,000 in upgrades, Clift said.
"The ballistic vest, other than training and experience, is probably the biggest safeguard a road patrolman has," he said. "There's no substitute for being safe and doing the right thing, but the ballistic vest is part of our everyday job. It's almost like carrying a firearm."
The new vests are replacements for ones whose useful lifespans expire this year.
"The ballistics capabilities of the vests may degenerate after five years because of sweat, heat or whatever else that the vest is exposed to," Public Safety Director Tommy Freeman said.
Police said the vests cost about $600 each, but the city will be reimbursed through a grant from the Georgia Municipal Association, a nonprofit state organization that represents municipal governments.
In addition to the vests, the department is getting a new police pursuit car, a replacement for one that's ready for retirement. The price tag for the car is about $27,000, officials said.
"Right now, I've got patrol vehicles that are seven years old," Freeman said. "And, you know, they just wear out eventually."
He said police cars used for patrolling neighborhoods and protecting citizens must be dependable.
"Anything we use is a lifesaving tool," Clift said. "And if it's not kept [up] and running at 100 percent, then it makes our job a little bit more dangerous."
Timothy Bradfield covers Walker County. Contact him at timothyb2010@gmail.com.