New helmets are on the Christmas season wish list for some local police departments in Delaware.
New Castle County police are asking a state panel that has given millions of dollars to local police agencies in recent years for $103,500. The money would be used to buy 250 ballistic helmets with face shields for uniformed patrol officers.
Delaware State Police, meanwhile, are asking the Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund oversight group for $12,804 to buy 100 riot helmets. Officials say that funding would go toward closing a 300-helmet deficit.
Overall, the SLEAF panel has been asked to consider funding requests totaling more than $687,000 at its meeting Tuesday in Dover.
But available funds, which come from property forfeited to the government in criminal cases, total less than $400,000.
