What does it mean for officers and agencies?
A Police1.com Special Report
After nearly two years of testing and evaluation, the National Institute of Justice, as part of its on-going Body Armor Safety Initiative, has just released the third status report on the government analysis of body armor containing Zylon.
Download the full 42-page report
(Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities)
This most recent special NIJ report shares the results of ballistic and mechanical testing on 103 used Zylon®-containing body armors from various manufacturers that were provided by law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Executive Summary: NIJ Body Armor Initiative Status Report
(A succinct summary of the testing procedures and findings)
Worthy of note is the fact that of the 103 used armors tested, 60 of them (58%) were penetrated by at least one round during a six-shot test series. Of those not penetrated, 91% had “backface deformations” that exceeded the acceptable levels dictated by the NIJ standard for new armor. Four of the 103 units tested met all performance criteria expected under the NIJ standard for new body armor compliance.
What does this mean for officers and agencies?
- Time is of the essence
Through a special infusion of $10 million into the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program yesterday 98/25/05), which a DOJ spokesperson told Police1 “basically amounts to emergency funding,” agencies whose officers are wearing Zylon vests can apply for a portion of those funds to replace them. The application period, however, is brief, ending on September 22, 2005. After that, the government will no longer provide financial support for the purchase or replacement of vests containing any amount of Zylon®. “At this time we’re not exactly sure how the award process will go because we’re not yet sure how many applications we will be receiving,” the spokesperson told Police1. “We’re going to stretch the resources as far as we can.” She also made clear that the monies distributed in the most recent round of BVP awards announced yesterday can not be used to purchase any vest containing Zylon®.To apply, visit the Office of Justice Programs Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program.
- Make informed decisions
Do not rely on a visual inspection of a Zylon®-containing vest as a means of determining whether it will provide the ballistic protection you need. It is essential that you read this report and its related materials to ensure that you are making informed decisions in regards to your armor. - Continue wearing body armor
“Although these results do not conclusively prove that all Zylon®-containing body armor models have performance problems,” says the NIJ, “the results clearly show that used Zylon®-containing body armor may not provide the intended level of ballistic resistance.” Is that cause for concern? Certainly. But of greater concern would be the decision to wear no vest at all, as Police1, the NIJ and the DOJ have repeatedly pointed out.
At a briefing for law enforcement officials yesterday, the NIJ distributed the Zylon Q and A sheet that answers 15 common questions related to the government activities and findings related to Zylon.
