Benefits and Drawbacks of Body Armor

Firearms are one of the most dangerous threats that law enforcement officers face in the United States today.

While it is true that in the past three decades alone, ballistic-resistant soft body armor has saved the lives of more than 3,000 police officers, terrorists and killers are becoming more adept at targeting uncovered body parts, resulting in serious harm and death among law enforcement agents.

Body armor remains the single most critical safety equipment that public safety professionals need for personal protection, but it is clear that there must be rapid advancement in its functionality to counteract threats.

Unfortunately, no body armor is 100% bullet- or stab-proof. However, ballistic-resistant vests protect against a significant number of types of handgun and rifle ammunition, and other stab-resistant body armor models can help protect against knives and other sharp weapons. They are invaluable pieces of equipment for law enforcement personnel, especially in riot-like situations, drills or even day-to-day operations.

A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene details that officers who do not routinely wear body armor are 3.4 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury from a torso shot than their colleagues who routinely wear body armor. The study also reports there various factors that affect whether a law enforcement officer will wear an armored vest.

Data from a survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) established that agency policy was the second most cited reason for why officers wore body armor, with the first reason being safety concerns. This same PERF survey also found that law enforcement officers comply with their agency’s body armor policy either all (88%) or most (11%) of the time as comfort and fit remain other important factors in deciding whether to wear the protective gear.

Ill-fitting armor vests are only part of the problem in the equation, however, as researchers cite what they refer to as 'superman syndrome'. This is a phenomenon observed mostly among heavily armed and fully equipped law enforcement agents who rely on their authority too much and lack the training to react efficiently in a high-risk situation. This leads to poor decision-making and an increase risk of serious injury or even death. This is an increasingly serious problem given the vast majority of terrorists or attackers are fully prepared when staging an attack, planning it down to the smallest detail.

Chris Taylor is an expert writer for SafeGuard Armor, provider of a wide range of protective clothing for journalists, security and EMS personnel.