NEW ROADS - Law enforcement officers in Pointe Coupee Parish are better protected in the field. They are now wearing body armor that can handle rifle-level gunfire. Sheriff Bud Torres says it’s putting his deputies at ease.

“This is the maximum bullet-proof protection as a police officer,” said Torres.

Before, only their SWAT team had this type of protection.

“The basic patrolmen, resource officers inside the school and general detectives did not have the heavy-duty body armor,” said Torres.

That is until the Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation gave Sheriff Torres 28 stand-alone vests. The foundation has been providing protection to Baton Rouge police agencies for years. The shooting death of three law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge two years ago sparked this further.

“It's a good shot in the arm so to speak for morale for the guys to know that there is people concerned about their welfare, and seeing to it that they have the equipment that they need,” said Torres.

Sheriff Torres says he would not be able to afford this equipment otherwise. While he hopes it's never needed, he says he'll take all the protection for that chance that it is.

“Even though we are in the suburbs, we are outside the major metropolitan area, the threat is still here. The threat is still real,” he said.

The Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation also provided the Walker Police Department 10 vests last year. They're able to do this through donations.

On Saturday, a buffet-style dinner and auction will be held at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Proceeds will go toward CALEF.