NASHUA POLICE
DEPARTMENT Date: 21 October 2019
intradepartmental Communication
To: Dan Kooken, Purchasing Manager
From: Karen A. Smith, Business Manager
Subject: Special Reaction Team Tactical Ballistic Vests
The Nashua Police Department is requesting the purchase of fifteen replacement
tactical ballistic vests to be purchased from Ridgeline Outfitters, LLC, Dalton, NH in the
amount of $26,670. Funding for this purchase will be from the Department of Justice
Equitable Sharing Forfeiture account. Ridgeline Outfitters is the authorized distributor
for the manufacturer Velocity Systems of Dulles, VA.
The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit current inventory of tactical ballistic
vests is in need of replacement due fo the expiration of the warranty period on the
ballistic panels and materials. Once a bulletproof vest expiration date passes, the vest
manufacturers will no longer guarantee that the vests will stop the bullets and ballistic
threats, therefore, the vests need to be replaced.
We have conducted research into what is available in the tactical ballistic vest
market that would meet or supersede the capabilities and attributes of our current
model vest.
Vendor Name Address Manufacturer Amount
Ridgeline Outfitters Dalton, NH Velocity Systems | $26,670
Atlantic Tactical New Cumberland, PA_| Safariland $35,505
Lawmen Supply Company | Pennsauken, NJ Pointblank $45,195
We narrowed the vest down to the above listed manufacturers then test and evaluation
was conducted on the products by the SWAT team. The team unanimously decided to
stay with the Velocity Systems vest made by Ridgeline Outfitters for a variety of
reasons. The three main reasons cited were as follows:
1. The ballistic panels on the Velocity vest are constructed out of an aramid
material which makes the vest more flexible and pliable than competitor vests
constructed out of larninate materials.
2. The Velocity Systems vest offers unique design features that make the
vest easily tailored to the different types of special reaction calls for service.
The quick detach system allows for a standard pouch suite located on the
front of the vest to be quickly removed and to be replaced with specialty gear
pouches specific to the mission.
