Avondale Estates commissioners are considering a $47,772.99 proposal to equip the city’s police department with 16 emergency-response kits. The purchase is expected to return for a vote at the commission’s September 23 meeting.
Police Chief Harry Hess presented the request during a public work session, according to Atlanta News First. The plan calls for one kit for each of the department’s 14 officers, plus two additional kits.
What the proposed kits include
At just under $3,000 per kit, the package would combine rifle-rated ballistic plates and helmets with medical and access equipment. The proposal also lists individual and advanced first-aid supplies, ballistic shields, collapsible ladders and entry tools.
City officials said the equipment would be stored in patrol vehicles so officers could reach it quickly during a high-risk call. Officers would receive training for items they do not already use routinely.
The request is a proposal, not a completed purchase. Commissioners still must authorize the spending before the department can move forward.
Why the city is considering the purchase
Officials connected the discussion to gunfire near the city’s July Fourth fireworks show at Napoleon B. Cobb Stadium. No one was injured in that incident, but city leaders said it reinforced concerns about how quickly officers could respond if a future threat developed inside Avondale Estates.
The money is already included in the city budget, according to the report. Approval on September 23 would authorize the specific purchase and allow the department to standardize equipment across its officers.
The commission agenda and meeting materials should provide the final status once the proposal reaches a vote.
