PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 10

(iii) The current number of sworn officers that are not issued
protective body armor;

(iv) The total number and age of protective body armor units currently
in use by the local law enforcement agency;

(v) The number of protective body armor units requested for:

1.       Officers not currently assigned protective body armor; and

2.       Officers assigned protective body armor in need of
replacement due to age or wear;

(vi) Regulations of the local law enforcement agency regarding use of
protective body armor;

(vii) A copy of the local law enforcement agency's budget request for
supplies and equipment for the current and last 2 fiscal years; and

(viii) Any other information that the [Superintendent] SECRETARY
deems necessary in making awards for protective body armor.

(e)     The [Superintendent] SECRETARY, to the extent provided in the State
budget, shall grant awards for the purchase and replacement of protective body armor to
local law enforcement agencies based upon the comparative needs of each local law
enforcement agency as determined by the criteria set forth in subsection (d)(2) of this
section. No single award shall initially exceed 10 percent of the total aid budgeted in the
Fund for any fiscal year. Any funds remaining after the initial allocation of aid may be
distributed by the [Superintendent] SECRETARY on an equitable basis, as determined
by the criteria set forth in subsection (d)(2) of this section.

(f)      The aid distributed under this section shall be used as an addition to and may
not be substituted for moneys appropriated from sources other than the Fund for
acquiring or replacing protective body armor.

(g)     (1) Each local law enforcement agency must expend funds for acquiring or
replacing protective body armor from its own sources that are at least equal to the
amount of State aid awarded from the Fund.

(2) After a local law enforcement agency receives notice of a grant award
from the [Superintendent] SECRETARY, the local law enforcement agency must submit
proof of expenditures on protective body armor to the [Superintendent] SECRETARY.
After certifying the expenditures, the [Superintendent] SECRETARY may authorize the
reimbursement of one-half of the local law enforcement agency's expenditures, up to a
maximum of the grant amount.

(h) In an effort to reduce the cost of protective body armor, the
[Superintendent] SECRETARY should encourage the purchase of protective body armor
in bulk.

(i) The [Superintendent] SECRETARY shall report annually by September 1 to
the Governor and, subject to § 2-1312 of the State Government Article, to the General

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