James Nathan. Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: in Brief

Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2015. — 12 p.Firearms are one of the leading causes of deaths for law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the line of duty. According to data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), approximately 93% of the 511 non-federal law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the line of duty between 2004 and 2013 were killed by a firearm. Law enforcement officers who are shot in the torso are more likely to die as a result of their injury if they are not wearing a vest. Since FY1999, Congress has provided funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to help them purchase armor vests for their officers through the Matching Grant Program for Law Enforcement Armor Vests (also referred to as the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative, hereinafter “the BPV program”).Authorizations and Appropriations
The Use of Armor Vests by Law Enforcement
The Life Cycle of Armor Vests
Effectiveness of Armor Vests
Selected Issues for Congress