Suited for safety: Nearly 2,000 Ky. law enforcement officers have body armor

Attorney General Russell Coleman announced a major milestone Wednesday in outfitting each of Kentucky's law enforcement officers with life-saving body armor during a gathering with law enforcement leaders, lawmakers and prosecutors at the Northern Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial in Covington.

To date, nearly 2,000 of Kentucky’s officers, deputies and troopers have been fitted or equipped with body armor through the program. Before Coleman took office, one in five of Kentucky's officers were wearing an expired vest or had no vest at all. 

In 2024, the General Assembly dedicated $15 million to the Attorney General's Office to create the Body Armor Grant Program. Coleman launched the program July 15, 2024, and plans to expand it to include shields, helmets and other protective equipment in the future.

“We look forward to working with more Kentucky law enforcement agencies to protect the men and women who protect our families,” Coleman said. “Through this program, created by strong leaders in the General Assembly, we’re providing more than a piece of equipment. This body armor represents peace of mind for these officers, their departments, and the families who wait up for their loved ones to come home at the end of each shift.”   

The Northern Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial in Covington bears the names of 39 fallen heroes, including the brother of Campbell County Sheriff Mike Jansen, who was killed in the line of duty in 1984.

“I am honored to see the Commonwealth of Kentucky, under Attorney General Russell Coleman’s leadership, taking decisive action to secure funding for the safety of our dedicated officers. They deserve to serve knowing that they can return home safely to their loved ones after each shift,” said Jansen, whose department was one of nearly two dozen in northern Kentucky approved for soft body armor.

Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery, whose department also benefitted, noted, “Programs like this one from the Attorney General’s Office not only enhance officer safety across the commonwealth but it also enables departments like ours to expand other community services and outreach programs.”