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Ensuring the Highest Standards for Soft Body Armor

NCJ Number
125091
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 57 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1990) Pages: 29-31
Author(s)
C A Gruber; L P Brown; C D Reynolds; R L Dotson
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
There are at least six threat levels for bullet-resistant vests specified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), versus five levels in standards of the Personal Protective Armor Association (PPAA).
Abstract
Statistical analysis shows that the NIJ standards are more demanding than the PPAA standards. Key elements to be considered in establishing standards for bullet-resistant vests are velocity, number of rounds, ballistic energy, multiple requirements, wet testing, labeling/testing procedures, and wearer alternatives. Because vests are bullet-resistant and not bullet-proof, minimum standards are not good enough. The NIJ standards insure that vests will be engineered to withstand the threats on the street today. NIJ standards have been endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, State and local police departments, and officials from various Federal agencies. The authors are skeptical of Du Pont's influence over PPAA standards and vest fiber manufacturer.