Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Protective Equipment for Law Enforcement

Attacks or accidents involving chemicals, biological agents, or radiation likely are the most dangerous a law enforcement officer could ever face. The protective equipment the officer relies upon in such incidents must meet the highest standards. The law enforcement community asked the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop a standard specifically for CBRN protective equipment used by law enforcement officers. The standard will focus on protective ensembles, which are designed to provide full-body protection against exposure to CBRN hazards. NIJ has been working particularly closely with the National Fire Protection Association and the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense to leverage related efforts where possible in order to expedite release of the new NIJ standard. When completed, the standard will be published by NIJ and available on the JUSTNET web site. For additional information regarding the standard, please visit www.justnet.org/testing/cbrn.html.