Three local police departments received a total of more than $10,000 to cover some of the costs of bullet proof vests.

Announced Wednesday by Congressman Joe Courtney, money to the Groton City, Norwich and Stonington police departments comes from a Bulletproof Vest Partnership program run by the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant covers 50 percent of the cost of vests the departments have purchased.

“This funding is a significant boost not just to our towns’ bottom lines, but also to the men and women of our police force and eastern Connecticut in general,” Courtney said in a release. “Ensuring that our first responders have the best equipment keeps them safe in the line of duty and helps them keep the rest of us safe in the process. This program encourages police departments to take action proactively, and repays them for their initiative in response.”

Groton City was awarded $1,612 for three vests; Norwich received $7,257 for 25 vests; and Stonington acquired $1,950 for six vests. The three departments were among nine eastern Connecticut towns that earned a total of almost $47,000 in reimbursements for bulletproof vests.