ONE OF A SERIES OF SEVEN REPORTS RESULTING FROM THE LEAA POLICE EQUIPMENT SURVEY OF 1972, THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE ANSWERS OF 440 POLICE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING BODY ARMOR AND CONFISCATED WEAPONS. THESE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO A DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON PREFERENCE FOR HIDDEN OR VISIBLE BODY ARMOR, USE OF OTHER BALLISTIC PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, ROUTINE OPERATIONS WHERE BODY ARMOR WOULD BE MOST USEFUL, CURRENT PROBLEMS AND FAILURES WITH PRESENT EQUIPMENT, NEEDS FOR STANDARDS FOR THE TESTING AND ASSESSMENT OF PENETRATION CAPABILITIES OF BODY ARMOR; AND DISPOSITION OF CONFISCATED WEAPONS. THE FIRST PART OF THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE SECOND PART PRESENTS A QUESTION BY QUESTION DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS. FOR EACH QUESTION, DATA ARE PRESENTED BY DEPARTMENT TYPE (CITIES WITH VARIOUS SIZED FORCES), COUNTY, STATE AND LEAA GEOGRAPHIC REGION. NUMBEROUS CHARTS, TABLES AND GRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE DISCUSSION. (SNI ABSTRACT) FOR OTHER VOLUMES, SEE NCJ-13985, 15152, 15247, 15211, 15210 AND 13986.