Austin police rolling out new ballistic vests

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department and the police union will be handing out new, heavier ballistic vests to officers Monday.
The Austin Police Association president made the plea for the more expensive ballistic vests last summer after the attack on police officers in Dallas. An officer would only don the ballistic vests during a critical incident such as an active shooter. Most officers would store the extra 20 pounds of gear in their patrol vehicle.
“In the past, this has