NCJ Number
211021
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 94,96,101
Date Published
August 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article traces the evolution of personal protective equipment (PPE) for police officers in the face of new threats to officer safety.
Abstract
In the early days of coal mining, yellow canaries in cages were dropped into mine shafts to test for toxic gases. If the canary died, the mine was considered too dangerous to enter. What keeps police officers from becoming "blue canaries" is their PPE, which greatly reduces their risk of being killed or injured when performing their duty to protect the public. The selection of PPE appropriate for contemporary policing requires that police officials know how to evaluate, select, purchase, and use new PPE tools and equipment; be familiar with government standards and regulations that govern the use of PPE equipment; know how government agencies test PPE against various hazards an officer may encounter; know where and how to obtain Federal funding for PPE in coordination with other agencies and State Government; and implement fit-testing procedures, medical evaluations, inventory control, training, a replacement cycle process, and recordkeeping system. This article reviews the history of PPEs use in law enforcement, notes the current challenges in developing PPE suitable for projected terrorist events and the investigation of toxic methamphetamine labs, and documents the expanding role of PPE.