BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — In law enforcement, no matter how well-trained, officers can sometimes find themselves in dangerous situations. With that in mind, Martin County Emergency Management Director Kayla May secured a grant to pay for 10 level III ballistic vests that the Martin County Sheriff’s Office received last week.

The grant came from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security’s Law Enforcement Protection Program.

“The vests are a vital part of providing safety for our officers,” May said. “The vests they had, which was a limited number, were expired or damaged.”

The director said the new vests are valued at $969 each.

Sheriff John Kirk said the vests are the highest protection level available and should last the department about five years.

Ten vests will be enough to outfit each paid deputy, the sheriff and six volunteer deputies.

“I’m glad we were able to get these vests. It gives us a sense of security in today’s crime-filled world,” said Kirk, noting that two Arkansas police officers were shot recently, “and one survived because of his vest.”

Kirk was very appreciative, as he has operated his department shorthanded for much of his two terms due to a lack of funding from the Martin County Fiscal Court. At times, his deputies wore uniforms with holes in them and drove cruisers with tires worn through to the steel belts.

“There simply is not enough support for law enforcement,” said the sheriff, again expressing his gratitude for the vests for his officers. “We should have the very best of the tools we need to work with.”