Retired law enforcement officers collect ballistic vests for Ukraine

LANCASTER — The Coos County Sheriff’s Office and all Coos County Police Departments are accepting slightly used ballistic vests for shipment to Ukraine, where they will be given to the military and first responders for their protection.

Retired State Police Troop F Commander Lt. John Scarinza of Randolph is helping coordinate the effort.

“One early morning a couple of days ago, after seeing the horrible photos of the newly dug graves of Ukrainian soldiers, the bombing of the theater in Mariupol, and over 130 empty baby carriages representing young children’s deaths, I realized that I probably had at least one perfectly serviceable vest in the back of a dark closet that had expired for use here in the United States,” Scarinza said. “When I searched, I found I had two!”

In researching how to get the vests over to the war zone, Scarinza learned that the Vermont State Police had just completed a vest drive of its own but that the drop-off deadline had just passed.

The next morning, Scarinza called Coos County Sheriff Brian Valerino of Berlin to ask for his logistical help in moving this effort forward. As he’d expected, Valerino was 100 percent supportive and offered the services of county deputies to assist in any way they could.

“I’m specifically reaching out to other retired law enforcement officers in the North Country, asking them to search the recesses of their old equipment closets, and if they find good serviceable vest(s), to please consider donating them to those who very much need them in Ukraine,” Scarinza said. “While no longer certified for use here, these vests can have a second life helping to protect Ukrainian military personnel and first responders.”

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Vests can be donated by dropping them off at the Coos County Sheriff’s Office in the courthouse in Lancaster and at any local police department, no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6.

The timeline is a little tight, for the vests will be picked up by Deputy Sheriffs and taken to the N.H. State Police Department of Safety warehouse in Concord, on Friday, April 8. There they’ll be packed up and shipped to Ukraine, thanks to the California National Guard.

Anyone who has a vest or vests to donate but cannot get to a drop-off point should telephone the Coos County Sheriff’s Office at (603) 788-5598 and a deputy will stop by at your residence and pick up your donation.

“I believe this is just one small thing we can do versus feeling completely helpless and doing nothing,” Scarinza said. “If we can get these used ballistic vests back into service in Ukraine helping to save the lives of soldiers and first responders or to prevent serious injuries, the effort certainly will have been worthwhile.”

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