By Empriss Campbell

When most people think of police equipment they think of a gun, but another important item is a bulletproof vest and they don’t come cheap.

A bulletproof vest costs more than $500 and it needs to be replaced every five to seven years due to heat, moisture, storage and daily use.  Some Chicago police officers are patrolling the streets in expired bulletproof vests due to the high price tag.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s, Get Behind the Vest program, is on a mission to make sure every police officer in the city has an up-to-date bulletproof vest.