NCJ Number
14962
Date Published
1973
Length
35 pages
Annotation
SUMMARIZES DATA USED TO DETERMINE LEVEL OF PROTECTION, COMFORT TO WEARER, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FLEXIBLE PROTECTIVE POLICE GARMENTS.
Abstract
DATA COMPLIED 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 INCLUDED. 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. DETERMINATION OF THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION WAS CARRIED OUT ON THE BASIS OF AN EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE WEAPONS THREAT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE MOST PREVALENT THREAT IS THE HANDGUN. A SURVEY OF WOUNDS AND SEVERITY OF WOUNDS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF FATAL WOUNDS OCCUR IN THE TORSO AREA, THE AREA THAT WOULD BE PROTECTED BY THESE PROPOSED GARMENTS. DATA ON THE DISTRUBUTION OF TEMPERATURE/ RELATIVE HUMIDITY COMFORT-INDEX VALUES, AND ON CURRENT WEARABILITY SPECIFICATIONS FOR POLICE UNIFORMS SUGGEST THAT PROTECTIVE GARMENTS MUST BE CAPABLE OF SUSTAINED WEAR FOR AT LEAST 80 PERCENT OF THE DUTY TOUR IN TEMPERATURES OF 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND 50 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY. STATISTICS USED IN THE DETERMINATION OF PHYSICAL MOBILITY AND COMFORT/APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE INCLUDED. FOR DISCUSSION OF OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICE PROTECTIVE GARMENTS, SEE NCJ-14963 AND NCJ-14972.