Just so you all have accurate information, the above statement is not true and has not been true for about 6 years. While not publicized very well outside of law enforcement, there was an officer killed while wearing his vest. A second officer suffered serious injuries the same way. Both officers had bullets penetrate their vest. Both vests were in warranty and rated to stop the ammunition the officers were shot with.seamusTX wrote:http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvcopk.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;When properly wearing the appropriate body armor, not one law enforcement officer has ever been killed by a handgun bullet penetrating their vest.
Both officers were wearing vests made with Zylon, a relatively new material that was thought to be superior to kevlar (less weight and more flexible for the same resistance). The problem was the material deteriorated with use much quicker than kevlar and this was the way the problem was discovered. Zylon was then disqualified by the NIJ for ballistic vest use. The resulting lawsuits put Second Chance Armor (the company that started it all and the largest in the business at the time) out of business. Several other companies were nearly shut down also and only mergers or takeovers saved them.
And the new standard for body armor was developed and released recently to prevent this from happening again. Click here to read the latest standard for vests. The report is dated Jul 08, but it is just making the rounds of the law enforcement community. There is some question if it is an improvement because the vests are better, but heavier and stiffer, making them less likely to be worn.