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Police invest in new shields to combat rise in police killings

CLEVELAND, Ohio — We’re only four weeks into the new year, and according to Officer Marty Eberhart with the Barberton Police Department, police killings are already at an all-time high.

“There have been 25 police killings so far and it’s only January,” said Eberhart.

“When they interview people who have killed law enforcement, they say they know we have body armor, so they are going for our face and our neck, “said Eberhart.

To protect officers and minimize the risk of potentially fatal injuries, Barberton police used money from their budget to buy Vector Shields.

They are small shields that slide onto a police officer’s arm, allowing them to protect their face, neck, and spine.

Each shield was about $1,200 and the department purchased 10, so that each Barberton police car would be outfitted with one.

They are hoping to get four more shields, so that they can have some for the school resource officers.

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