DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM OVER 4,000 OFFICERS IN 15 U.S. CITIES WITH POPULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 100,000 PEOPLE. A NONPARAMETRIC EQUIVALENT OF THE PARAMETRIC REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE PROCEDURE WAS EMPLOYED TO EVALUATE DATA. THE MAJORITY OF OFFICERS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY PERFORMED THEIR DUTIES IN A MIXED RESIDENTIAL-COMMERCIAL LOCALITY. MOST WERE BETWEEN 25 AND 29 YEARS OF AGE, AND THE TYPICAL RESPONDENT WAS MARRIED, MALE, WHITE, AND A PATROLMAN. OFFICERS WERE DIVIDED INTO PARTICIPANT AND NONPARTICIPANT GROUPS FOR PURPOSES OF THE STUDY TO ASCERTAIN IF PARTICIPANTS BEHAVED DIFFERENTIALLY OVER TIME. THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE IN THE ANALYSIS OF DATA WAS THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS REPORTED BY OFFICERS IN BOTH GROUPS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THE WEARING OF A PROTECTIVE GARMENT INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS EXPERIENCED BY OFFICERS. IF ANYTHING, THE DATA SHOWED A SLIGHT DECREASE IN OFFICER AGGRESSION AS A RESULT OF WEARING PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. THE MAJOR SUBSTANTIVE CONCLUSION IS THAT IF AN OFFICER IS NOT ALLOWED PROTECTIVE CLOTHING OUT OF FEAR THAT SUCH CLOTHING WILL INCREASE OFFICER AGGRESSION, THE OFFICER'S LIFE IS BEING ENDANGERED NEEDLESSLY. (DEP)