We live in dangerous times. Times that are so dangerous, in fact, that we have to now be even more concerned about not only the safety of ourselves, but also the law enforcement safety. Finding a way to make sure that everyone in save when you they go to work, go to school, and go to church. For this to happen, however, it is important that police have the proper tactical gear to protect themselves so that they can protect us.
Police tactical gear is an increasingly important part of the budgets of many city budgets. Knowing what kinds of bulletproof body armor pieces are the most necessary can help a department know that they are doing everything they can to protect their law enforcement teams.
Every day when you turn on the news we are faced with another story of a shooter or an act of violence. Every one of these acts involves police officers. Police officers who are hired to put themselves in harm’s way to make sure that our community’s are safe. Police officers who are often facing criminals who are as well armed, if not better armed, than the officers themselves.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the increasing need for tactical gear of police officers across the country:
- since the year 1978, 87 police officers in New York City alone have been saved by body armor.
- 33% of of law enforcement officer deaths over the last 10 years were caused by gunshots. This statistic means that shootings are the second most common cause of police officer deaths, only behind motor vehicle crashes.
- 33 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed with their own weapon in the last 10 years, according to FBI statistics.
- During the last decade there were nearly 60,000 assaults a year on police officers, according to government data.
- 71% of local police departments in 2013 required officers to wear armor vests at all times, according to a survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
- 66 law enforcement officers were criminally killed in the line of duty in 2016, according to FBI data.
Law enforcement safety is an increasingly important concern in many cities across the nation as officers find themselves facing more and more dangerous situations.