The National Association of Police Organizations and a Sanibel police lieutenant have filed a class action lawsuit against Armor Holdings Inc., alleging the company sold defective body armor.
Also named in the suit was Japanese manufacturer Toyobo Co. Ltd., which made material used in the product.
The suit claims that the $775 body armor did not perform as advertised. The petition currently seeks compensatory damages in the amount of $77.5 million.
“If counsels’ suspicions are confirmed the complaint will be amended to seek punitive damages in the amount of treble compensatory damages,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Michael G. Crow.
Armor officials said Thursday they had not received a copy of the complaint but defended their product.
“All bullet-resistant vests manufactured by Armor holdings are extensively tested, meet all certification requirements promulgated by the National Institute of Justice, and adhere to all applicable standards,” the company said in a release. “We have no knowledge that any of our products have ever failed to perform at the levels required by their certifications. Armor Holdings stands fully behind all of its products and warranties.”