JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Law enforcement agencies across the country are discussing how they can better protect their officers out on the streets after three police officers were killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, five more in Dallas, and several others shot and injured over the last month.
While law enforcement agencies are figuring out new response tactics, they are also talking about gear and vests, and making sure officers have protection against not only hand guns, but semi-automatic rifles -- the same type of weapon used in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, as well as the shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge.
The Bradford County Sheriff's Office said street officers are sort of in new territory these days. Things have changed quite a bit. Because of that, they must adapt. We’re seeing more situations where officers on the street need to be protected from active shooter situations until SWAT teams get there.
“There’s a lot of different options, different manufactures out there,” Capt. Brad Smith said.
Tactical and bullet resistant vests can save lives, and that’s a must for law enforcement, especially now.
"Officers put their lives on the line," Smith said. "We know that there’s that danger out there. What we want, as a person that is responding to that, for people to understand, we want to be as safe as we can possibly be. And with this added ballistic shield, it gives us some sort of security.”
The production and manufacturing of AR-15-type semi-automatic rifles being up 200 percent since 2004 and the recent targeting of police officers in America are just a couple reasons why agencies are trying to get ahead of the threat.
The type of vests officers wear on a day-to-day basis when they are responding to calls is pretty lightweight. But if they need that added layer of protection they can grab what’s now being called the active shooter kit. They can easily keep it in the back of their trunk or in the front of their car, and it’s accessible.
“The actual ballistic shield itself can be made out of a few different things," Smith said. "You’ve got the steel plates, ceramic plates, polymer plates -- the durability is going to vary in those and that’s all considerations that administrations will take into account, on cost as opposed to the effectiveness and the life expectancy of one of these pieces.”
It’s a big difference from what members of a SWAT team or military wear. The vest is about 70 pounds and includes medical kits, water and extra ammunition. It also has plates along the shoulders and neck, but is not exactly feasible to wear for long periods of time. And those who do wear them go through extensive physical training.
Stan Reyzin, a body armor specialist who helps manufacture the active shooter response kits, said they are about $385 each, but the top of the line vests that can be comfortably worn for longer periods of time are more expensive. They are made from polymer and weigh significantly less -- only about 5 pounds for the whole thing.