Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast raises funds for Chicago police officers in Beverly

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast will celebrate its tenth event on Chicago's South Side.

The event opened its doors on Sunday at 8 a.m. and will close at noon at Saint John Fisher School in Beverly.

Over the past ten years, the event has raised more than $600,000 to help purchase nearly 13,000 bulletproof vests for officers through the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

When officers graduate from the academy, they are given a complimentary first bulletproof vest. However, the vest expires after five years, after that it's up to each officer to purchase their own.

"Every single day, our officers go out to protect the city and they come into contact with some of the most violent people you can imagine," Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling.

Hundreds packed into St. John Fisher on South Washtenaw for the breakfast.

"People are so appreciative of what the men and women of the Chicago Police Department do," Nineteenth Ward Alderman Matt O'Shea said. "They look at this as an opportunity to give back."

To learn more about the effort, click here.