When it comes to fighting actively against crime, police officers are by definition at the front lines. They are the people who run towards the sound of the guns, while the rest of us are sensible enough to run away. But while cops may have heroic instincts, they do not have superhero immunity to bullets. That means they need a police bulletproof vest to at least give them a chance to survive a gun battle.
And the law enforcement bullet proof vest has done that. Since bulletproof vests began to be more popular in the 1980’s, these vests have been credited with averting the deaths of more than 3,000 people. According to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), police officers who don’t usually wear body armor are 14 times more likely to have a fatal injury than cops who do. Still, there are still some issues, and many police officers still do not wear them routinely. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund says that a US police officer dies in the line of duty every 53 hours, and some of those deaths could have been averted had the officer in question been wearing a law enforcement vest.
There are quite a few brands of police bulletproof vest for sale which conform to the standards set forth by the NIJ (National Institute of Justice). But a powerful argument can be made about the BulletSafe as the best bullet proof vest for police.
Price
In July of 2013, BulletSafe made headlines in the industry with the launch of their Level IIIA Bulletproof Vest. What made the BulletSafe vest stand out was the price. It was a tested, American-designed police bullet proof vest for sale for a measly $299. Its competitors charged much more for their vests, with the prices ranging from $600 to $3,000 each.
With those extravagant prices, it’s not surprising that not all police departments were able to afford to protect their police officers adequately. A May 19, 2014 news report shed light on Carbon County Sheriff’s Office in Price, Utah, where police officers were found wearing worn out or outdated vests.
Vests are not made to last forever. Usually they have a 5-year expiration date. Threads may break and exposure to sunlight, moisture, and improper storage can contribute to the degradation of the vests. That’s why BulletSafe vests have a manufacture date on the interior label of the vest, along with a stamp denoting that it has been inspected and approved.
After the 5-year expiration date, the vest may or may not work. A 10-year old vest may work properly, but a 7-year old vest may not. In the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, officers were found wearing expired SWAT vests and patrol vests. Some were even more than 10 years old.
Vests must be replaced every five years, and as a result Police Departments are making do without replacements simply because they don’t have enough of a budget to afford them. That’s how BulletSafe can help police department and also helps save lives.
Sometimes the vests come out of the uniform stipends that police departments provide for their officers. But many police officers say that the money provided is not enough. According to Deputy Jonathan Mangum, “I don’t have enough money to buy a new cover for (his vest).” But with the BulletSafe, it may be more likely that officers can finally afford to get one. What we can’t afford is risking the life of police officers when that risk can be reduced considerably.
The Risks that Police Officers Take
According to John Firman, director of research for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, bulletproof vests should be worn by police officers every day. But not all do. A 2009 DOJ study found that only 59% of police departments require them, even if the vests are available.
Most of us see cops wearing vests when they know that there is a special danger involved. In TV news and cop shows, officers wear vests when they’re about tom apprehend a dangerous criminal. Whenever there’s a hostage situation or suspects behind a barricade, police officers are vested. It is also an automatic part of the SWAT team’s uniform. Sometimes they may even don vests that protect the wearer from rifle fire. BulletSafe fits here as well, as its vest can be upgraded. Normally it can stop a .44 Magnum round (standard NIJ level 3A protection), but it can be upgraded to class 4 by adding ballistic plates made from a ceramic of alumina and high strength polyethylene.
But the normal 3A vest should be used for all times, because quite a few criminals see cops as special targets. There are some parts of the city where some neighborhoods may have an inordinate number of gangs operating. A police officer who stops a speeding car may find themselves facing a panicked driver with a firearm. Detectives who knock on doors looking for witnesses may instead encounter the suspect they are looking for, or perhaps a person who thinks they are being arrested. These things have happened before, and they can happen again.
Comfort
Some officers don’t like to wear armor because they hate the discomfort. This was especially true of the earlier bulletproof vests, which were ill-fitting, bulky, and heavy. But today’s bulletproof vests are much improved in this regard, and BulletSafe epitomizes that improvement. Its vests come in 5 sizes from small, to extra-extra-large. And they are also very light, at just 5 pounds. The next level of protection weighs more than double at 12 pounds. With the BulletSafe vest, you get the best combination of comfort and protection.
Of course, it won’t be totally comfortable. But at the very least your discomfort only rises slightly while your protection increases by 14 times. That fact, as well as the very affordable price, should give you a measure of comfort as well.