CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi police officers who are part of the Bomb Squad will soon be getting some new protective gear.
City Council approved Tuesday the purchase of two new bomb suits. They will be paid for by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.
Police said the equipment is needed because their current suits are more than 10 years old. They are normally replaced after five years.
The Corpus Christi Police Department has a four-person Bomb Squad, and they said they have been having to piece together their protective gear to stay safe.
"The quality of the Kevlar goes down, especially with the humidity we work in normally. The older it gets, the less protection you're going to get from the suit," Sgt. Matt Weischwill said. "This is basically a full-body flack jacket and it costs around $35,000 per suit. We're asking for two."
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