The safety of police officers around the country is a concern of many communities. As a growing number of protestors state their positions at rallies around the country, for instance, body armor clothing is more and more important. When the nation watches the evening news and sees protestors who are carrying their handguns, it should come as no surprise that bulletproof vests for police officers and other kinds of body armor clothing are getting more and more attention from the budgets of communities of all sizes.
Body Armor Plates Provide Significant Amounts of Protection
The topic of police safety is a growing concern in many parts of the country. From having the right police tactical gear to making sure that officers have ample practice time for target practice, communities are making sure that they are increasing budgets to be able to afford the necessary equipment to keep public officials safe:
- During the last decade there were nearly 60,000 assaults a year on police officers, according to government data.
- 62 of the 66 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2016 were assaulted with firearms.
- Since the year 1978, 87 police officers in New York City alone have been saved by body armor.
- The lives of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers over the past three decades were saved by armor vests.
- 20% of the officers who died from a gunshot wound to the torso while wearing body armor died as a result of the fact that they were shot with ammunition that was so powerful that their body armor?s capability to stop it.
- 71% of local police departments in the year 2013 required officers to wear armor vests at all times, according to a survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
- 33 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed with their own weapon in the last 10 years, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
- 33% of law enforcement officer deaths during the last 10 years were caused by gunshots. This statistic is an indication that shootings are the second leading cause of police officer deaths, only behind motor vehicle crashes.
Few days go by when the news does not feature a story about protestors and police officers. For this reason, a growing number of local and national agencies are looking for way to increase their budgets so they are ready to purchase the latest available body armor clothing and protective gear.
