Boardman police to have trunk shields

The Boardman department inspected its cruisers after last weekend’s accident that left an Austintown
officer critically injured.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Township trustees approved spending nearly $5,000 for equipment designed to protect police officers.

The board met in special session Friday and voted to buy 18 protective Kevlar shields designed for the trunks of Ford Crown Victoria police vehicles. The shields cost about $271 each and will be purchased from Donnell Ford, Boardman.

“We instituted an inspection of all of our Crown Victorias and found that 18 of them don’t have the shields in the trunk,” said Chief Patrick Berarducci.

Most of Boardman’s fleet, about 20 cars, already have the protective shields, the chief said. Those without it are primarily the older cruisers and unmarked police vehicles.

He said the department conducted the inspection after Austintown police officer Ross Linert was critically injured earlier this week after a woman was accused of striking the rear of his cruiser at high speed. The impact caused the gas tank to explode, catching the car on fire.

Adrien Foutz, 22, of Girard, is charged with aggravated vehicular assault. A breath test showed she was driving with more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in her blood.

Linert, who suffered burns on 30 percent to 40 percent of his body, remained in critical condition Friday in the burn unit of Akron Children’s Hospital.

“They’re designed to keep items from the trunk from piercing the rear wall and going into the gas tank,” Berarducci said.

He acknowledged, though, that the shields may not protect officers when a crash occurs at a high rate of speed.

It’s unfortunate, said Trustee Robyn Gallitto, that the issue came to the township’s attention because of the Austintown tragedy, but that at least the inspections revealed the problem.

“Once you know of a potential danger, you have do something about it,” she said.

Berarducci said police also are researching other products that could provide protection in crashes.