Virginia sheriffs asked to send old, extra law enforcement gear to Israel

RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) – Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has asked sheriffs from across the Commonwealth to contribute expired and excess gear for the purpose of sending to the Israeli military.

A release from Miyares’s office states the attorney general sent a letter Tuesday to all 123 sheriffs in Virginia, asking them if they would consider donating the law enforcement equipment while the Israeli military is engaged in a war with Hamas.

Miyares wrote that he was “shocked and grieved by the senseless terrorist attacks on Israel by the Hamas terrorist organization” and asked for the aid of sheriffs in helping the Israeli military.

Some of the items Miyares requested included surplus body armor, protective gear and tactical equipment.

“While I’m aware that some police departments are stretched for resources, there are many departments that have expired equipment that are required to be donated or discarded,” Miyares wrote. “If you have excess law enforcement protective equipment, my office will collect them and ship it to the Israel Defense Forces.”

Miyares referenced a trip he made to Israel earlier in 2023 in the letter and said he was proud to stand with the men and women of the Israel Defense Forces. Miyares’s full letter can be read below:

The U.S. State Department reported that as of Tuesday, at least 30 Americans have been killed in Israel since the surprise Hamas attack earlier in October.