After the brave police officer in New York City stopped the driver who plowed through a bike path in front of a school, discussions about body armor begin again. As the nation deals with the latest terror attack on American soil, these discussions about keeping officers safe is very important. From tactical body armor for officers in large cities to other important discussions about the importance of law enforcement safety, the nation is again ready to make sure that police safety is a top priority.
From the smallest police forces in tiny towns across the country to large police forces in the biggest cities, police safety is always important, but it moves to the top of political discussions after an attack like the one last week in New York City.
Are the Officers in Your Police Force as Safe as They Should Be?
As local departments across the nation begin to consider their budgets for the next year, it should come as no surprise that many police departments are looking for upgrades in the police duty gear that officers wear. Consider some of these statistics that serve as serious reminders about why the safety of those who protect us should remain a top priority:

• Since the year 1978, 87 police officers in New York City alone have been saved by body armor.
• More than 33% of law enforcement officer deaths over the last 10 years were caused by gunshots. This makes shootings the second leading cause of police officer death, second only to crashes in motor vehicles.
• 62 of the 66 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the year 2016 were assaulted with firearms.
• Over the past three decades, armor vests have saved the lives of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers.
• 66 law enforcement officers were criminally killed in the line of duty in the year 2016, according to FBI data.
• 71% of local police departments in the year 2013 required officers to wear armor vests at all times, according to a survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

From reactive targets that allow officers to get the best kinds of field shooting practice to the latest body armor to protect officers while they are on duty, conversations about these topics begin again after a shooting like the one in Las Vegas or an attack like the one in NYC.