Tactical body armor. Just the word signifies a great deal of toughness, a sense of stopping a bullet in its tracks, or preventing the thud of a fist headed towards the sternum. It is made out of some type of material that is threaded and leaded, posing a powerful defense against instinctual forces that threaten the internal organs of another.
Tactical body armor is more for those that are in harm’s way frequently. For anyone entering a dangerous neighborhood, or a place where bullets and fists are likely to erupt, tactical body armor acts a defense against such issues. They have, in fact, saved lives.
According to government data, during the last decade there were nearly 60,000 assaults per year on police officers. Over one-third of law enforcement officer deaths over the last 10 years were caused by gunshots, making shootings the second leading cause of police officer death after motor vehicle crashes.
Governments have become enamored with tactical bullet stopping armor for this reason. According to one statistic, armor vests have saved the lives of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers over the past three decades. They protect against death; this much is certain:
The chance of dying from a gunshot wound to the torso is 3.4 times higher for officers who do not wear armor vests.
It stands to reason why. Tactical body armor is typically made out of a material that is tough, can be fitted neatly and snugly around different parts of the body, and absorbs the shock of punishing blows, like a heavy fist or a bullet. A common material made into body armor is Kevlar. Unfortunately, even that may not be enough.
FBI data shows that 66 law enforcement officers were criminally killed in the line of duty in 2016. Of the 66 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2016, 62 were assaulted with firearms. According to the FBI, 33 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed with their own weapon in the last 10 years.
Partly, it seems the issue has merged into the forefront of social consciousness is that from armor piercing bullets, which some may have said have become prevalent on the streets. Gang members put these bullets into their guns and kill cops, or so the saying goes. It is an issue that has rankled the gun control lobby for years.
The gun control lobby attempts to persuade the public and its constituents by saying politicians are going to take away guns from them but that is usually further from the truth. Many gun control activists mainly attempt to control gun purchasing decisions by removing some of the most deadly kinds of guns out there.
Many activists focused on some kind of gun control look to remove from the market certain types of assault rifles or automatic weapons. These weapons, activists say, are not for the purpose of self-defense. They are there for recreational use or to hurt someone or a group of people.
Activists will point towards the shootings in Las Vegas, Orlando, and others as indicative of a need to control guns that are used in mass shootings. They will point to the plethora of people who have died at the hands of a individual who has used an automatic gun or an assault rifle and ask that more be done.
Opponents will say that the activists want to take their guns away, that that will leave them as prey for the criminals who will not obey gun laws, that in the event of a national crisis, they will not be able to defend themselves. This point, however valid, has stuck around for years and years in the public discourse.
Policemen, of course, have a different set of challenges and concerns. They struggle in the line of fire each week, each month, each year, facing challenges of rapidly improving guns that are almost more designed for military than street use. They face armor piercing bullets, which can be called different names, including:
- Police tactical gear
- Police duty gear
- Tactical gear for law enforcement
- Tactical plate carrier
And more. The challenges they face may result in either life or death for them or the perpetrator who is committing the crime. Their adherence to tactical body armor and life is unequivocal.
