THE NEED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO HAVE ADEQUATE ADEQUATE PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR HAS BECOME PARTICULARLY EVIDENT DURING THE PAST DECADE WHICH HAS BEEN PUNCTUATED BY FREQUENT INCIDENTS OF CIVIL DISTURBANCE AND RELATED POLICE INJURIES. THIS DOCUMENT, ONE OF A SERIES DEVELOPED BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS LABORATORY, ESTABLISHES PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND METHODS OF TESTING HELMETS TO BE WORN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DURING CIVIL DISTURBANCES, RIOTS OR OTHER SITUATIONS THAT POSE A THREAT OF INJURY FROM BLOWS TO THE HEAD. THE TESTS AND STANDARDS WHICH ARE INCLUDED MEASURE SUCH THINGS AS PERIPHERAL VISION, IMPACT ATTENUATION, PENETRATION RESISTANCE, RETENTION, PROJECTIONS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE SHELL, OPENINGS, AND LABELING. THE TEST METHODS AND TECHNICAL DATA CONTAINED IN THIS STANDARD MAKE IT HIGHLY SUITED FOR USE BY PROCUREMENT AGENTS IN DETERMINING FIRSTHAND WHETHER A PARTICULAR RIOT HELMET MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY, AS WELL AS IN DESCRIBING PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR PROSPECTIVE VENDORS. DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING THE TEST METHODS ARE PROVIDED. THE CLASS OF RIOT HELMETS COVERED BY THIS STANDARD ARE NOT GENERALLY DESIGNED TO OFFER PROTECTION AGAINST GUNFIRE, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR FACE SHIELDS ARE NOT INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)