OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS OF PROTECTIVE GARMENTS FOR POLICE

• NCJ Number: 28483
• Author(s): S H ROTH; R S CARPER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 48 pages
• Contract Number(s): F19628-73-C-0001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Mitre Corporation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF A STUDY UNDERTAKEN TO ESTABLISH THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION, PHYSICAL MOBILITY, SERVICEABILITY COMFORT, AND APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTIVE GARMENTS.

Abstract

DATA COMPILED BY THE FBI AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE ON ASSAULTS UPON POLICE OFFICERS WHICH RESULTED IN FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY ARE PRESENTED. RECENT DATA ON ASSAULTS UPON POLICE OFFICERS, OBTAINED FROM THE ATLANTA, CHICAGO, AND DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ARE ALSO PRESENTED. THE RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH KEY PERSONNEL IN THE ABOVE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND WITH PERSONNEL IN THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT FIREARMS SECTION ARE SUMMARIZED. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE MAJOR WEAPONS THREAT IS THE .38 CALIBER, .32 CALIBER, .25 CALIBER, AND .22 CALIBER HANDGUN. THE DATA INDICATE THAT A MINIMUM OF 67 PERCENT OF ALL OF THE WEAPONS USED AGAINST POLICE ARE HANDGUNS OF THESE TYPES. A SURVEY OF WOUNDS AND SEVERITY OF WOUNDS INDICATES THAT 57 PERCENT OF FATAL WOUNDS ARE TO THE TORSO, THE AREA OF THE BODY THAT WOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE PROPOSED GARMENTS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT PROTECTIVE GARMENTS CAPABLE OF AFFORDING PROTECTION AGAINST THE .38 CALIBER HANDGUN OR LESSER TYPE WEAPONS COULD PROVIDE A REDUCTION OF 38 PERCENT IN THE NUMBER OF POLICE FATALITIES. PROTECTIVE GARMENTS CAPABLE OF STOPPING A .45 CALIBER HANDGUN ASSAULT COULD EFFECT A 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF POLICE FATALITIES. THIS FIGURE ASSUMES CONTINUED USE OF RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE AMMUNITION AND FIREARMS AGAINST THE POLICE. DATA ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF TEMPERATURE/RELATIVE HUMIDITY COMFORTINDEX VALUES, AND ON CURRENT WEARABILITY SPECIFICATIONS FOR POLICE UNIFORMS SUGGEST THAT PROTECTIVE GARMENTS MUST BE CAPABLE OF 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND 50 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY. THE USE OF AIR-CONDITIONED VEHICLES WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IF POLICE OFFICERS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAR PROTECTIVE GARMENTS CONTINUOUSLY IN EXCESS OF 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND 60 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY. IN ADDITION: THERE MUST BE NOTHING TO INDICATE TO THE OBSERVER THAT THE POLICE OFFICER IS WEARING A PROTECTIVE GARMENT; THERE MUST BE MINIMAL RESTRICTION OF MOBILITY AND MANEUVERABILITY; AND THERE MUST BE WEARABILITY FACTORS EQUAL TO THOSE OF CONVENTIONAL CLOTHING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)