Donations of tactical vests and shields to 22 police departments in Cambria County

Each of 22 police departments in Cambria County were able to get at least one tactical vest and a shield for their department on Wednesday.

Officials say the gear was about $15,000, and that many of the smaller departments would not have been able to get the equipment otherwise.

That money comes from an idea by Cambria County judge Norm Krumenacker, who said he was seeing many times where guns were being taken in criminal cases and later destroyed, with many being functional firearms.

Krumenacker said after research he decided they were able to sell guns that are legal and working well, and the many guns were later auctioned off. He said profits from that were split between the tactical gear given to departments and the sheriff's office to allow them to buy more high-powered firearms to better protect the courthouse.

Officials said the vests can protect officers against a very high caliber firearm, a .308 caliber included.

“A .308 takes a white-tail right off its feet. They use them to hunt elk in Colorado,” Krumenacker said. “This is quality and that's deserving of our first responders. It really is.”

The 1889 foundation, and its president Susan Mann, also helping in the process of getting the gear.

“These are individuals that are working so hard to keep our community safe,” Mann said. “To know that that have another tool in their toolbelt to be able to keep themselves safe and get themselves home to their families is amazing.”

Summerhill Township Police Chief Paul Bonfanti said the donations will help officers in a potential high-danger situation.

“You rush into something, you don't really know what you're rushing in to, but you still have to go in,” Bonfanti said. “Just gives us a little more confidence that hopefully you'll walk back out.”