How can CHIEF assist you today?
See current specials  |   Get news and promos with CHIEF Email Updates
Go to the CHIEF Homepage  |   Call for personal service at (888) 588-8569

Archived editions of CHIEF newsletters and emails are for information only. Sale prices no longer apply. Products may have changed or be unavailable.

Brotherhood of the Badge Project Makes a Difference in the Lives of Thousands of Iraqi Police Officers

Project Partners with CHIEF to Provide 2,000 New Ballistic Vests and Safety Equipment

Fresno, CA (July 24, 2006) – Iraq's police officers will be better protected on their day-to-day duties, thanks to a new nationwide initiative called the Brotherhood of the Badge project. Created to provide much-needed police equipment and vests to Iraqi police officers currently in training, the Brotherhood of the Badge wants to help Iraq establish a stable, modern police force, to help American troops finish the job in Iraq and come home.

Mike Harris, co-founder of Brotherhood of the Badge, recognizes a problem when he sees one, and he saw a tremendous one: A need to equip the Iraqi police that are being trained by our military, with safety equipment.

"When these Iraqi police complete their training the only safety equipment they get is a Glock handgun – with no holster or any other police gear," says Harris. "To me, that was appalling. I care about the safety of these new officers because there is a common bond among us that all officers share: we want to survive our daily patrol. Without gear, chances of survival are significantly diminished."

He adds, "The quicker we can get the local police in Iraq to do their job – and do their job well – the quicker our troops will come home."

With this in mind, Harris went into action. He contacted Operation Soldier Board Member, and fellow Police Officer, Brian Burry. Together, they formed a plan, and started soliciting for safety equipment. Protective vests, flashlights, holsters, and almost anything else a police department was about to discard was received. The Brotherhood of The Badge Project was born.

Since 2004, the Brotherhood of the Badge project has been instrumental in providing equipment and training support, as a show of patriotism and police fraternity between officers in the U.S. and Iraq. To date, the Brotherhood of The Badge Project has shipped over 10,000 vests to Iraq.

"This project has been a very rewarding experience," says Brian Burry. "These Iraqi police are proud to be police, want freedom and really need our support. This new safety equipment instills incredible confidence in these officers and has proven to save several lives already. Our project is making a difference."

The Brotherhood of the Badge team recently partnered with CHIEF, a leading supplier of high-quality products created to meet the changing needs of the Public Safety and Surveying industries, to provide a special procurement of 2,000 brand-new ballistic vests to Iraqi police officers currently in training.

As a partner of the program, CHIEF is donating in excess of $200,000 worth of public-safety equipment for the Iraqi police. This includes day-to-day gear such as flashlights, duty gear, apparel and boots. CHIEF sees this project as a unique opportunity to show its support for national and international police and military operations to achieve a stable, democratic and independent government in Iraq.

"CHIEF is honored to be part of the Brotherhood of the Badge's ongoing support of the training and equipment needs of the Iraqi police," said Jeff Tousa, President of CHIEF. "We were eager to get involved to help get the troops home quickly and safely and to support the Brotherhood of the Badge team for their amazing efforts. Their passion and patriotism is truly inspiring."

At the end of July, the Brotherhood of the Badge team will be traveling to Dyala and the Salah Ad Din Province of Iraq to deliver a major load of gear, including thousands of new vests and additional donated safety equipment and apparel. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recognizes the importance of the Brotherhood of the Badge project and, as a result, will be presenting the California State Flag to the Brotherhood of the Badge team so that they may carry and deliver the flag to Iraqi dignitaries on this important trip.

"The response we've received from local police departments, corporations, and even Governor Schwarzenegger, has been incredibly motivating," says Harris. "We hope we can continue the momentum and propel this project to a level where we can establish national drop-off centers and coordinate our efforts with law enforcement agencies everywhere."

About Operation Soldier & Brotherhood of the Badge

Operation Soldier was founded in early October 2004, with a goal to organize the biggest care package drive the United States Military had ever seen. In addition to the Brotherhood of the Badge, Operation Soldier's efforts include Patriot Down, which aids the families of soldiers critically wounded in combat.

Operation Soldier's objectives are quite simple: To support the brave men and women of the United States Military and their families as much as possible, while they selflessly serve abroad, fighting the war on terrorism.

For more information about Operation Soldier and Brotherhood of the Badge, visit Operation Soldier's website: http://www.operationsoldier.com/

About CHIEF

Since 1977, CHIEF has served the Public Safety and Surveying industries with high-quality supplies spanning hundreds of the most respected manufacturers in the industry. In 1998, CHIEF expanded its catalog to the Internet. Between professional sales staff and CHIEFsupply.com, CHIEF continues to add the latest products, develop new services for public safety professionals, and aid the general public in personal protection and home and family safety.

For more information, visit CHIEF's website: http://www.CHIEFsupply.com/

###