FBI DONATES 30 BODY ARMOR KITS TO WASILLA POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH NATIONAL LEGACY PROGRAM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The FBI has donated 30 body armor kits to the Wasilla Police Department through a nationwide program that transfers surplus but still-serviceable protective equipment to qualifying local, state and tribal law-enforcement agencies.

Representatives from the FBI Anchorage Field Office delivered and formally presented the equipment to the department on July 23, 2026. The donation was completed through the FBI’s Legacy Body Armor Program, an initiative administered by the bureau’s Defensive Systems Unit.

Wasilla is the second Alaska law-enforcement agency to receive body armor through the program during 2026. The King Cove Department of Public Safety received an earlier donation in April.

“In this concentrated effort to positively impact police departments in Alaska and throughout the country, this program not only alleviates the financial burden for access to the best protective equipment, but also strengthens vital public safety partnerships,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Whether it’s operational, technical, analytical, or access to protective equipment for enhanced officer safety, the FBI is dedicated to supporting our law enforcement partners in Alaska.”

“The Wasilla Police Department is grateful for programs like this, which help supplement our officers’ equipment and advance our commitment to officer safety,” Wasilla Police Chief William Rapson said.

The Legacy Body Armor Program was created to redirect eligible FBI equipment to law-enforcement agencies that may not have sufficient funding to purchase protective armor for every officer. Equipment transferred through the program has completed its intended FBI service cycle but remains suitable for authorized law-enforcement use.

The program does not permit the unrestricted transfer of discarded or unverified armor. Federal law requires donated equipment to remain in serviceable condition, qualify as surplus federal property and meet or exceed applicable ballistic-resistance requirements established by the National Institute of Justice.

The legal authority comes from the James Guelff and Chris McCurley Body Armor Act of 2002, which allows federal departments and agencies to donate qualifying body armor directly to state and local law-enforcement organizations.

The law was named in memory of two officers killed in separate armed confrontations. San Francisco Police Officer James Guelff was killed in 1994 while responding to an armed man carrying multiple weapons. Deputy Chris McCurley of the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama was killed during a 1997 shooting. The legislation created a means for serviceable federal armor to continue protecting officers rather than being destroyed solely because it had been declared surplus by the original agency.

The FBI Defensive Systems Unit manages the life cycle of the bureau’s ammunition, weapons systems and ballistic protective equipment. Its responsibilities include procurement assistance, logistics, operational support and the eventual disposition of equipment used by FBI personnel.

Under the Legacy Body Armor Program, FBI field offices identify law-enforcement organizations within their areas of responsibility that could benefit from available equipment. A field office can then nominate an agency and coordinate with the Defensive Systems Unit to evaluate the request.

If an agency is selected, the process includes collecting measurements and determining whether the available armor can be properly assigned to the intended officers. Correct sizing remains an important part of protective performance because body armor must provide appropriate torso coverage without unnecessarily restricting movement or interfering with an officer’s equipment.

Availability is not guaranteed. Donations depend on the amount, type, condition and sizing of surplus armor available through the FBI at a given time. Requests are reviewed based on demonstrated need and the ability of the program to fulfill them.

The Legacy Body Armor Program began with a limited test involving three states and 25 law-enforcement organizations. Participating agencies included police departments, sheriff’s offices, college police departments, task forces and tactical teams. By October 1, 2023, equipment donated to those initial agencies had an estimated value of nearly $700,000, according to the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.

The equipment distributed during that phase included soft body armor, plate carriers and hard-armor plate sets. The specific composition and ballistic protection level of the 30 kits transferred to Wasilla were not detailed in the Anchorage announcement.

The National Institute of Justice has maintained voluntary performance standards for law-enforcement body armor since 1972. Its compliance-testing program evaluates armor models to determine whether they meet minimum requirements for ballistic performance, workmanship and labeling.

The current NIJ Standard 0101.07 specifies minimum performance requirements and testing methods for torso-worn armor intended to protect law-enforcement officers against handgun and rifle ammunition. A separate specification, NIJ Standard 0123.00, defines ballistic protection levels and the ammunition threats used during testing.

The updated classifications use HG designations for handgun protection and RF designations for rifle protection. NIJ HG1 and HG2 replaced the former Level II and Level IIIA terminology. NIJ RF1 and RF3 correspond to the former Level III and Level IV classifications, while RF2 provides an additional intermediate rifle-protection category.

NIJ has advised agencies that armor certified under the preceding 0101.06 standard can remain in use during the transition. The agency expects to maintain the older standard’s Compliant Products List through at least the end of 2029. Armor should still be inspected, maintained and replaced according to its condition, warranty, agency policy and manufacturer instructions. NIJ’s current standard establishes performance requirements but does not make any vest capable of defeating every possible firearm or ammunition threat.

Reusing eligible equipment can reduce two separate costs. Recipient departments gain protective equipment without bearing its full purchase price, and the FBI can avoid unnecessary destruction expenses for armor that remains serviceable and legally transferable.

The program also gives the FBI and participating departments another point of operational coordination. Those partnerships can support broader cooperation involving investigations, intelligence sharing, technical assistance, training and responses to public-safety emergencies across Alaska.

Law-enforcement agencies in Alaska interested in the Legacy Body Armor Program can contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441 or anchorage@fbi.gov. Depending on available surplus equipment and identified need, the field office may nominate qualifying agencies and coordinate measurements, selection and fulfillment with the Defensive Systems Unit.

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