By John Dempsey, WLS News

(CHICAGO) The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation says it has received enough money in donations to buy five thousand new bulletproof vests for Chicago Police Officers.    Foundation Executive Director, Former Chicago Police Superintendent Phil Cline, told “The Big John Howell Show” on WLS, that donations to www.getbehindthevest.org, have helped the group towards it’s goal.   Cline told WLS, “We’re doing great.  Our initial goal was to get eight thousand vests over the next three years.   We’ve already given out five thousand new vests to Chicago Police Officers.   So we’re over halfway to our goal but we still need help though.   We still need people to help us with donations”.

On Monday at the 25th District Police station at 5555 W. Grand, officers from Chicago’s Area North Districts were given new bulletproof vests purchased with funds donated to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s “Get Behind The Vest” campaign.

Chicago Police are required to spend their own money when the vest they are initially issued wears out.  Get Behind The Vest is a $4 million fundraising campaign to help purchase 8,000 replacement bulletproof vests for Chicago police officers. CPMF is asking for support from corporate and individual donors. Donations will cover 80 percent of the cost of a new vest for officers and 75 percent of the cost for supervisors.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation was established in 2004.   It is a not-for- profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to the families of police officers killed or injured in the line of duty.

To date, the Foundation has  donated more than $6.2 million to family members of Chicago police officers in need of assistance.

@ 2015 WLS News