Corrections officers in Sussex County found themselves having to pay for some of their own safety equipment last weekend -- specifically, latex safety gloves.
In apparent violation of New Jersey Health Department regulations, the gloves were installed in a candy and snack vending machine, costing a dollar for two pairs.
"It's one of those stories, your mouth opens -- 'oh, my God, who thought of this?'" said New Jersey state PBA President Patrick Colligan.
The regulation says that correctional facilities must provide the rubber gloves at no cost when there is the chance an officer might get an infection such as Hepatitis or HIV when dealing with inmates.
Sheriff Michael Strada told NBC 4 New York he wasn't aware of the charge until Monday, and that he immediately handled it as internal matter to resolve it, without saying if they were removed from the vending machine.
However, he did say free gloves are available to his officers throughout the jail.
Colligan, the union president, said the cost of gloves is negligible compared to the medical bills of an officer coming down with a disease.
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"What's next, are we charging for bullets, are we charging for guns?" said Colligan.
