Police to apply for bulletproof-vest reimbursement; IT replacement up to $35,000 proposed using ARPA funds

Chief Dan Seymour told commissioners the police department will apply for a recurring federal program that reimburses up to 50% of the cost of officer ballistic vests on a biennial basis. He said the department expects about 18 vests will be eligible for replacement during the next grant cycle and that the grant reimburses purchases on a reimbursement basis over two fiscal years.

Why it matters: The grant reduces the city’s net cost for required safety equipment and typically targets communities with populations under 100,000, which the chief said favors Red Bank.

IT replacement request Staff also requested authorization to enter an agreement with RJ Young to replace up to 20 computers that are at or near end-of-life and not capable of upgrading to Windows 11. The quote was approximately $28,000; staff requested authority up to $35,000 to cover price fluctuations and to allow purchase without returning to the commission. Finance staff said ARPA funds would be used for the purchase; staff pointed out some purchases might fall into the next fiscal year depending on timing.

Procurement and disposal Staff said surplus machines will have hard drives removed and be destroyed or recycled in accordance with data‑security practices; some component recycling options are under discussion.

Quotes Chief Dan Seymour described the vest program: “This is a grant we apply for every 2 years, that we get,” and said the department purchases vests and then applies for reimbursement. On computers, IT/staff noted the Windows 11 support timeline and that older machines would stop receiving security updates this fall.

Ending Both procurements were presented for authorization to apply or to contract; no final vote outcomes are recorded in the session transcript.