MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - The Midland County Sheriff's Office is considering new equipment. The new rifle vests would keep their deputies even more safe while doing the day-to-day job. Sheriff Gary Painter plans to pay for the equipment using money from the state.
The vests are designed to take the impact of a bullet coming from a rifle. That's what Veterans MFG demonstrated today, when they cut the vests open, the bullet didn't make it all the way through.
Randall Cook with Veterans MFG said it takes a lot of time to put the armor together.
"We do about 8 months worth of product development, many, many, many test shoots in different gun ranges in Houston before we even started trying to sell it," said Cook.
Governor Greg Abbott recently signed Senate Bill 12. The bill funds a $25 million state-wide grant to pay for rifle resistant armor protection.
"The plate that we shot with a .338 Lapua was not actually rated for that level of firearm but it did stop it," said Cook.
The material is high quality and still lighter weight than other plates. The sheriff's department will have to pick out the gear then submit a grant application to get the money from the state.
