NCJ Number
105537
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 56 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1987) Pages: 10-13
Date Published
1987
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Through the National Institute of Justice's Technology Assessment Program (TAP), scientists and engineers at the National Bureau of Standards and specialists at the TAP Information Center develop standards for police equipment, test products analyze test data, prepare test reports, and disseminate the results.
Abstract
The TAP Advisory Council, which consists of Federal, State, and local law enforcement professionals, defines issues and sets priorities. In 1986, council priorities included the continued evaluation of body armor and the examination of less-than-lethal weapons and communications equipment. The development of an equipment standard involves the identification of performance requirements and a laboratory evaluation. For equipment testing, TAP certifies independent laboratories to conduct all the testing. The staffs of TAP, the National Institute of Justice, and the Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory oversee the testing, analyze the resuits, and determine the appropriate medium for presenting the findings to the criminal justice community. The TAP Information Center disseminates the results through equipment performance reports, articles in criminal justice periodicals, and conference presentations. Involving manufacturers and others in the standard-setting and testing processes helps to upgrade police equipment.