Modern Day Tactical Riot Gear: Equipping Law Enforcement for Effective Crowd Control

 

In an era marked by social unrest and protests, law enforcement agencies face the challenge of maintaining public order while ensuring the safety of both officers and civilians. One critical aspect of managing such situations is the utilization of modern tactical riot gear. This article explores the key features and advancements in riot gear technology that enhance the capabilities of law enforcement in handling riots and civil disturbances.

1. Protective Helmets: A cornerstone of riot gear, protective helmets offer essential head protection for law enforcement officers. Modern helmets are designed to withstand impact and provide ballistic resistance, safeguarding officers against projectiles, thrown objects, and blunt force trauma. Integrated face shields or visors offer additional protection against chemical irritants and projectiles while maintaining clear visibility.

2. Riot Shields: Riot shields serve as a crucial defensive tool for officers, providing a barrier between them and potential threats. Advanced riot shields are made from durable materials, such as polycarbonate or ballistic-grade materials, which offer high impact resistance. Some shields feature transparent sections for improved visibility, allowing officers to assess the situation while staying protected.

3. Body Armor: In riot situations, law enforcement officers require reliable body armor to shield them from potential attacks. Modern body armor systems incorporate lightweight yet robust materials, such as Kevlar or ballistic plates, to protect vital organs from projectiles and blunt force trauma. The armor is designed to be flexible, allowing officers to maintain mobility during confrontations.

4. Protective Clothing: Law enforcement personnel involved in riot control often wear specialized protective clothing to shield themselves from various hazards. This includes flame-resistant and tear-resistant uniforms designed to withstand harsh conditions and protect against incendiary devices. Additionally, reinforced gloves and footwear provide added protection against physical assaults and environmental hazards.

5. Non-Lethal Weapons: To maintain control during riots, law enforcement agencies rely on non-lethal weapons for crowd dispersal and control. These can include tear gas launchers, rubber bullet guns, pepper spray, and stun grenades. These tools help disperse crowds and deter individuals from engaging in violent behavior, minimizing the need for more aggressive force.

6. Communication and Surveillance Systems: Effective communication and real-time situational awareness are critical in managing riots. Modern riot gear often incorporates advanced communication systems, such as integrated radios or earpiece systems, enabling seamless coordination among officers. Additionally, surveillance equipment, including body-worn cameras and drones, provides valuable video footage for investigations and accountability purposes.

7. Training and Tactics: While having advanced riot gear is essential, proper training and tactical knowledge are equally crucial. Law enforcement agencies invest in comprehensive training programs that equip officers with the skills to effectively handle riots, de-escalate tense situations, and minimize the use of force when possible. Training emphasizes crowd management techniques, communication strategies, and the appropriate use of riot gear to ensure a balanced response.

Conclusion: As societal dynamics evolve, law enforcement agencies continuously adapt their strategies and equipment to maintain public safety and respond to civil disturbances effectively. Modern tactical riot gear plays a pivotal role in equipping officers with the necessary protection and tools to manage riots while minimizing risks to themselves and the public. By integrating cutting-edge technology, robust materials, and comprehensive training, law enforcement agencies can maintain order and protect communities during challenging times.

Point Blank Pays U.S. $1 Million for the Sale of Defective Zylon Bulletproof Vests

WASHINGTON - Debtor companies Point Blank Solutions Inc. (formerly DHB Industries Inc.), Point Blank Body Armor Inc. and Protective Apparel Corporation of America Inc. (collectively, “Point Blank”) have paid the United States $1 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly manufacturing and selling defective Zylon bulletproof vests, the Justice Department announced today.   The payment was made to the United States at the closing of the sale of the bankrupt companies’ assets.

The United States alleged that the Pompano Beach, Fla.,and Jacksboro, Tenn., companies manufactured and sold Zylon bulletproof vests despite possessing information showing that the Zylon materials degraded quickly over time and were not suitable for ballistic use.   The Point Blank vests were purchased by the federal government, and by various state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that were partially reimbursed by the United States under the Justice Department’s Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.

 “Companies that manufacture and sell defective bulletproof vests to the government not only cheat the taxpayers, they put the lives of our men and women in law enforcement at risk,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who were aware of the problems with Zylon vests, yet continued to sell them anyway.”

This settlement is part of a larger investigation of the body armor industry’s use of Zylon in body armor.   The United States has settled with nine other participants in the Zylon body armor industry for more than $61 million.   Additionally, the United States has pending lawsuits against Toyobo Co., the manufacturer of the Zylon fiber, and Honeywell Inc., Second Chance Body Armor Inc. and First Choice Armor Inc., which were involved in the production or sale of Zylon body armor.   As part of today’s agreement, Point Blank has pledged cooperation with the United States’ ongoing efforts.

Assistant Attorney General West acknowledged the contributions of the many government agencies assisting the ongoing investigation of those who participated in manufacture and sale of Zylon vests, including the Justice Department’s Civil Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; the General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; the Department of the Treasury’s Inspector General for Tax Administration; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; the Department of Energy, Office of the Inspector General; the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of the Inspector General; and the Defense Contracting Audit Agency.

Manchester Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Purchasing and Possessing Body Armor

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WAHEED ISLAM, also known as “Walter Missouri, Jr.,” 43, of Seaman Circle, Manchester, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for illegally purchasing and possessing body armor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, WAHEED ISLAM placed an order with an overseas company for a bullet-proof vest designed to withstand gunfire from a 9mm pistol. Federal agents learned of the shipment, intercepted the package, and monitored its delivery to the defendant’s Manchester residence on December 6, 2010, whereupon WAHEED ISLAM accepted delivery of the package. A short time later, agents executed a court-authorized search warrant at the residence and found the package containing the bullet-proof vest on the premises.

ISLAM has previously been convicted of multiple felony crimes of violence, including first-degree assault and first-degree robbery.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a violent felony to possess a bullet-proof vest.

On January 19, 2011, ISLAM pleaded guilty to one count of possession of body armor by a violent felon.

ISLAM has been detained since his arrest on December 6, 2010.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force; Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (“ICE-HSI”) and Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”); Connecticut State Police; Manchester Police Department; and State of Connecticut Office of Adult Probation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Henry K. Kopel and Stephen B. Reynolds.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES FINDINGS ON DRAGON SKIN BODY ARMOR

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced today that it has determined that the Pinnacle Armor, Inc. bulletproof vest model SOV 2000.1/MIL3AF01, is not in compliance with the requirements of OJP's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) voluntary compliance testing program for bullet-resistant body armor. Effective immediately, this body armor model will be removed from the NIJ list of bullet-resistant body armor models that satisfy its requirements. Pinnacle Armor, Inc. is the maker of "dragon skin" body armor.

NIJ, OJP's research, development, and evaluation component, has reviewed evidence provided by the body armor manufacturer and has determined that the evidence is insufficient to demonstrate that the body armor model will maintain its ballistic performance over its six-year declared warranty period.

Notwithstanding NIJ's determination, DOJ encourages public safety officers to wear their Pinnacle Body Armor, Inc. body armor, model SOV 2000.1/MIL3AF01 until replacement because research has shown that officers are more likely to suffer a fatal injury when not wearing body armor.

In addition, DOJ strongly recommends that public safety agencies and officers who purchase new bullet-resistant body armor verify, prior to purchase, that the body armor model appears on NIJ's list of models that comply with its most current requirements, the 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor. A list of these models is available at www.justnet.org. DOJ also encourages public safety officers to follow body armor manufacturer "wear and care" instructions, and not to store armor in the trunk of their vehicle or other environments in which armor might be exposed to extreme heat or cold.

Information about the DOJ Body Armor Safety Initiative can be found at http://vests.ojp.gov

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Regina B. Schofield, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART) Office.

ApNano Materials Establishes Nano Armor Subsidiary to Produce Ultra-Strong Bullet-Proof Products

July 30, 2007. ApNano Materials, Inc.(www.apnano.com), a provider of nanotechnology-based products, today announced the establishment of a subsidiary of ApNano Materials that will develop and manufacture the company's new NanoArmor™ line of nanotechnology-based bullet-proof products. The new subsidiary will start with products that enhance the performance of personal safety items such as bullet proof vests and helmets, and will continue with protection products for vehicles and aircraft.

"The company has already started negotiations with investors," said Aharon Feuerstein, ApNano Materials' Chairman and CFO. "In addition, NanoArmor potential products have already attracted huge interest from military, law enforcement and homeland security organizations and agencies in various countries."

The Nano Armor products will be based on ApNano’s proprietary nanospheres and nanotubes, which are excellent shock absorbing materials and among the most impact resistant substances known in the world today. These revolutionary nanoparticles of inorganic compounds provide exceptional shock absorbing capabilities. ApNano's nanomaterials have up to twice the strength of today’s best impact resistant protective armor materials such as boron carbide and silicon carbide used in hard armor plates, and is 4-5 times stronger than steel.

The Nano Armor products will be made of tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanoparticles, currently manufactured by ApNano Materials, under the trade name NanoArmor™. In addition, the subsidiary will develop multi-walled titanium-based nanoparticles which will enable it to produce over 50% lighter weight armor products.

NanoArmor will provide multi-hit protection as well as enhanced ballistic and blast resistance. It will enable the development of special trauma layers behind the armor, reducing the level of blunt force trauma injuries.

ApNano's nanospheres were tested by a research group headed by Dr. Yan Qiu Zhu of the School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, at the University of Nottingham, England. The material was subjected to severe shocks generated by firing shots at it at impact velocities of up to 1.5 km/second. The nanospheres withstood the shock pressures generated by the impacts of up to 250 tons per square centimeter. The nanospheres are so strong that after the impact the samples remained essentially identical compared to the starting material. In contrast, similarly structured hollow spheres of carbon, fail under much lower pressures of less than one tenth of those that the nanospheres can survive. Apnano's nanospheres are termed inorganic fullerene-like nanostructures, or IF for short. Fullerenes are soccer ball-like clusters of atoms, named after R. Buckminster Fuller, architect of the geodesic dome that he designed for the 1967 Montreal World Exhibition.

ApNano's nanotubes were also found as ultra-strong impact resistant material. "The unique nanotubes of ApNano Materials are up to 4-5 times stronger than steel and about 6 times stronger than Kevlar, a popular material today for bullet proof vests," said Professor Reshef Tenne, The Drake Family Chair in Nanotechnology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, and the Director of Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science, who co-discovered the unique nanoparticles.

"Laboratory experiments conducted by Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Harold Kroto and his colleagues have demonstrated that ApNano’s nanotubes are strong enough to withstand a pressure of 21 GPa (Gigapascal) – the equivalent of 210 tons per square centimeter,” said Dr. Menachem Genut, President and CEO of ApNano Materials. Dr. Genut was a research fellow in the original research group which discovered the IF nanoparticles at the Weizmann Institute and first to synthesize the new materials.

Recently ApNano Materials opened a new 1,000 square meter manufacturing facility in Israel. The facility houses a semi-industrial reactor with a production capacity of tons of the company's nanomaterial. The new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility meets international guidelines for health, safety and manufacturing of nanomaterials.

ApNano has already launched another product, NanoLub®, the world's first commercial nanotechnology-based solid lubricant. “NanoLub has been shown in numerous independent tests worldwide to reduce friction and wear significantly better than conventional lubricants, especially under extreme conditions such as very high loads,” said Dr. Niles Fleischer, Vice President of Business Development and Vice President of Product Development of ApNano Materials.

About ApNano Materials
ApNano Materials (www.apnano.com ), is a private nanotechnology company founded in 2002 by Dr. Menachem Genut, President and CEO and Mr. Aharon Feuerstein, Chairman and CFO. ApNano Materials was incorporated in the US and is headquartered in New York, USA. Its fully-owned Israeli subsidiary - NanoMaterials, Ltd., is located in the high tech science park adjacent to the Weizmann Institute campus in Nes Ziona, Israel. The company was granted an exclusive license by Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd, the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, to manufacture, commercialize and sell a new class of nanomaterials based on inorganic compounds that were discovered at the Institute. The shareholders of ApNano Materials, besides the founders, are Newton Technology VC Fund, Yeda Research and Development Co. LTD. (the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science), AYYT LTD. (the commercial arm of HIT, Israel), and private European investors.

NanoLub and NanoArmor, green, environmentally friendly materials, are trademarks of ApNano Materials, Inc.

Don't play Russian Roulette with your body armor. . .or your life

By Steve Russ
RUSS Innovations, Inc.

When a bullet strikes body armor, it is caught in a web of very strong fibers. These fibers absorb and disperse the impact energy that is transmitted to the vest from the bullet, causing the bullet to deform, or "mushroom." Additional energy is absorbed by each successive layer of material in the vest, until the bullet has been stopped.

A major problem in law enforcement and corrections/military communities is the deterioration of body armor’s ballistic-resistant capabilities due to improper care and maintenance. In most cases, this problem is not caused by the manufactures of body armor, but is, in fact, caused by the men and women who wear this life saving device, or by their respective department heads/commanders who allow negligent — and potentially life-threatening — care and storage to continue.

The five most common ways to improperly care for your body armor could be fatal mistakes:

1. Using a wire hanger with the ends bent up.
2. Using a wood hanger, which is stronger than, but just as destructive as a wire hanger.
3. Using a clamping slacks hanger — when it clamps down on the ballistic panels, it crushes the ballistic fibers of the vest and allows no air to circulate inside the vest panels.
4. Tossing the body armor into the bottom of a locker — this not only creates permanent folds and creases, but also prevents ventilation and prohibits the body armor from completely drying.
5. Tossing the body armor in the trunk of your vehicle — very destructive because of the high temperatures and humidity in this enclosed area.

Manufacturers suggest that when not in use, body armor should be laid flat, dried on one side and flipped over and dried on the other. This was the only method that prevented damage to the body armor and allowed the ballistic fibers to completely dry. But a new device makes this task easier than ever.

The Flak Vest Hanger™ is ideal because the user can hang the body armor, which saves space and allows it to dry twice as fast as lying flat. The Flak Vest Hanger™ is fully adjustable for all sizes and fits both male and female armor. It addresses each and every improper method that causes damage, and is backed by a twenty-five year warranty.

Body armor manufacturers provide the user with instructions on how to care for their body armor. However, very few end-users or administrators take the time to read this important information. Upon interviewing thousands of officers and administrators around the country, I have found that less then 10 percent have read the care and use instructions.

The percentage is even lower when it comes to people’s understanding of the warranty, in terms of what it means for the body armor’s durability and effectiveness. Several high-ranking officials in federal, state and local governments have even gone as far as to say they didn’t care how the body armor was maintained since their agency could not be sued.

In other words, it wasn’t "their problem" if the men and women who wore it won’t take care if it. In my opinion, this says very little for their knowledge on the warranties of the body armor and it says even less for these department heads on the value that they place on the lives of the men and women who serve under them.

Today, most men and women and their department heads who wear body armor believe that their body armor will stop a projectile, as long as it was designed to stop a specifically rated caliber. This is a life-threatening misconception shared by those whose very lives depend on it. Improper care and maintenance may have caused deterioration to the ballistic fibers and, as a result, decreased the ballistic threat level that it once met. Just because it was designed to stop a certain round when it was made, doesn’t guarantee that it will continue to do so if it is not properly treated and maintained.

At one time, several manufactures of body armor provided a ten-year warranty with newly purchased vests. Today, only a couple manufacturers provide more than a five-year warranty. This is not because the ballistic material only lasts five years — in fact, it can — but because, once the body armor is out of the control of the manufactures, it is solely up to the police officers and their department to ensure the proper care and maintenance of the unit, and this can’t be vouched for.

One of the most frequently asked questions the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) receives is "how long does body armor last?" Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer. Every piece of armor will eventually need to be replaced. Body armor is not a one-time buy.

For example, if a department changes its service weapons or ammunition, the armor worn by its officers must be shown to protect against the new weapons systems. If an agency determines that the ammunition threats that they face have increased, upgrading to a higher level of protection may be appropriate. An individual’s body weight may change over time, and armor that no longer fits or is uncomfortable is likely not to be worn.

Since no two pieces of armor are exposed to identical wear or care, each must be evaluated individually. Age alone does not cause body armor’s ballistic resistance to deteriorate. The care and maintenance of a garment, or the lack thereof, have been shown to have a greater impact on the length of service life. Armor that is 10 years old and has never been issued may be perfectly acceptable for use, provided that the rated level of protection is still appropriate for the typical threats faced. Conversely, 2- or 3-year-old armor that has been worn regularly and cared for improperly may not be serviceable.

Both the DuPont testing and a 1986 study by NIJ22 (Ballistic Tests of Used Body Armor) found that age alone does not degrade the ballistic properties of armor. Armor manufactured in 1975 that remained in inventory without issue exhibited ballistic-resistant properties identical to those at the time of manufacture.

No two people are built alike and no two people sweat or perspire the same amount. This is also true for how they take care of their body armor. Body armor manufacturers know this and their limited warranty is the only method that they have to somewhat insure to any degree that the ballistic materials used in the construction will perform as designed. Remember, anything won’t last if you don’t take care of it and body armor is no different.

Body armor that is improperly maintained and stored via "homemade methods" places one's life at unnecessary risk. I have always asked the question, "Would you go into a gun fight if you knew that your weapon may not work or the ammo was bad?" Each and every time I ask this question I get the same answer: "No."

I then ask, "Then why would you wear body armor that may no longer provide you with the safety level needed to perform your job if you do not have to?" Yet day after day, our loved ones wear poorly cared for body armor into battle, mistakenly thinking it will save their lives.

In short, don’t play Russian Roulette with your life by not caring for your body armor. Protect the device that protects your life so that you can come home to those who love you.

You can obtain more information on body armor by reviewing the Selection and Application Guide to Personal Body Armor NIJ Guide 100-01 (Update to NIJ Guide 100-98).

About the Author:
The author of this article Steve Russ is a retired Police Officer from the State of Michigan and has studied the deterioration of body armor for the last twenty-five years. Officer Russ provides expert testimony in several fields of law enforcement and has been working toward educating the men and women who wear body armor of these risks. RUSS Innovations, Inc.

Technical Workshop on Body Armor Standards and Testing

February 27, 2007
NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

Description
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Office of Law Enforcement Standards, is hosting a Body Armor Standards and Testing Technical Workshop on Tuesday, February 27, 2007, at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The purpose of the workshop is to discuss, and obtain comments and technical input on, draft changes being considered for the NIJ standard for ballistic-resistance of personal body armor and for NIJ's voluntary body armor compliance testing program, including its activities generally related to conformity assessment.

The technical workshop will be open to body armor industry technical representatives, official representatives from public safety agencies and organizations, the research and development and scientific communities, and other stakeholders. We plan to make certain documents related to the draft changes under consideration available for review approximately two weeks prior to the workshop.

NIJ and NIST encourage the submission of written comments and technical input on draft changes being considered, along with their justification. Comments and technical input regarding the draft standard and the revised compliance testing program should be submitted no later than COB Friday, March 16, 2007, in order to ensure full consideration. Responses must include the company or agency name, address, point of contact name, e-mail address, and telephone number. Any proprietary or company confidential information provided in the response must be clearly marked on every applicable page of the response provided. Comments may be sent to:

NLECTC-National
c/o: Revised Compliance Testing Program Comments
2277 Research Blvd., M/S 8J
Rockville, MD 20850

Responses may also be emailed to asknlectc@nlectc.org (MS Word or Adobe Acrobat [PDF] format only; please put "Revised Compliance Testing Program Comments" in the Subject line of the email), or may be faxed (summary only, please) to 301-519-5149.

Registration
Those persons planning to attend this workshop must pre-register on-line at www.justnet.org/nijnist by February 16, 2007 (non-U.S. citizens) or February 21, 2007 (U.S. citizens). Only pre-registered participants will be permitted entrance to the conference. All attendees, who are U.S. citizens, will be required to show a government/state issued identification (such as a driver's license) to gain access to the NIST campus. All non-U.S. citizens will be required to show their passport.

NIST Security Regulations also require all non-U.S. citizens to complete and submit the following form (NIST-1260). Please complete this form, print a copy, and fax to 301-519-5149. Due to processing requirements, all non-U.S. citizens must submit their registration forms and documentation no later than COB, Friday, February 16, 2007.

Directions to the NIST Gaithersburg, MD facility are available on the NIST web site at www.nist.gov/public_affairs/visitor/visitor.htm. Should you have questions about your registration, please call 301-519-5145.

Article sponsored by police personnel and military personnel who have become authors by writing books; and, criminal justice online leadership.