Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/65600
FOCUS SUMMARY External carriers are definitely the trend in body armor, offering great improvements in heat-related comfort, while providing the same level of ballistic protection as concealable armor. Only the carrier changes – the same armor panels are used. MORE INFORMATION See article for specific URLs. Uniforms & Accessories EXTERNAL VEST CARRIERS The New Trend in Officer Safety By Kevin Davis Uniformed Shirt Style Carrier (Back) Photos courtesy of Kevin Davis. The simple truth is that wearing body armor saves lives. Since it was started in 1987, the IACP/Dupont™ Survivors' Club® Kevlar® has recorded over 3,100 officers who have been saved by wearing body armor. Modern body armor was popularized, if not invented, by Richard Davis who started the Second Chance Body Armor Company in the 1970s. Second Chance is now a part of the Safariland group of companies. Sec- ond Chance made external ballistic carriers incorporated in windbreaker-type jackets primarily for plainclothes officers and raid type carriers for tactical team members. However, the company's mainstay was concealable body armor worn under the uniform shirt. Davis even suggested that agencies re- frain from talking about concealable vests since this might encourage suspects to shoot for an officer's unprotected head. The 30 LAW and ORDER I May 2012 May 20 jig is up, however, with TV shows – reality and otherwise – as well as movies clearly showing officers wearing concealable as well as external (visible) armor. The uniformed officer wearing conceal- able armor has had to deal with all the 5.11 TACTICAL www.511Tactical.com