U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Vests Save Lives: A Reminder of the Importance of Wearing Soft Body Armor

NCJ Number
224612
Journal
THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 75 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2008 Pages: 128,131,133
Author(s)
Adrienne Quigley
Date Published
October 2008
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After discussing the importance of officers wearing body armor for protection based on documented cases in which officers’ lives were saved by their body armor, this article provides information on recent changes in armor classifications and the U.S. Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) revised standard for body armor.
Abstract
There are thousands of documented cases in which body armor saved the lives of officers shot during the performance of their duties. A few of the cases are presented in this article. Even though body armor has proven effective in saving officers from death and serious injury, as of 2001, it was estimated that 25 percent of State and local law enforcement officers were not issued body armor. Since body armor was first introduced to law enforcement officers, the goal of manufacturers has been to increase ballistic protection while also increasing comfort when wearing the vest. The use of state-of-the art materials has led to the creation of redesigned soft body armor that is lighter, more flexible, and more breathable than its predecessors. In addition, continued efforts have been made to produce outer technical vests. These vests, worn on the outside of the uniform, provide increased coverage while also allowing for better weight distribution to the shoulders, putting less stress on the lower back and hips. Law enforcement executives take the lead in helping to protect officers by instituting routine, regular inspections of body armor. Supervisors should ensure that body armor is worn and maintained through routine observation and documented inspections. Ballistic vests should be thoroughly examined annually for fit, cleanliness, damage, and wear. When making new body-armor purchases, administrators should be informed on the latest armor classifications and standard for performance. 5 notes