armed, do you wear a vest?

[locknid Member Find all posts View Profile Close locknid]

ths question is for anyone who is an armed guard/officer. Do you wear a bulletproof vest on duty? if so what brand is it, front/back or sides also, level of protection, stab plates, inserts, did your company provide it or did you have to buy it on your own? any particular reason you either started to wear a vest or do not wear a vest? what type of location do you work.

I do wear a vest, unknown brand, i bought it when i was ignorant about vest brands and types. It was about 300 bucks and is a level II with a level three insert on the front. It is only front and back. The vest is extrememly thick which sucks because it is literally hot as hell here in AZ in the summers and i work outside. I had to buy it myself. I work at a convience store located between three public housing projects and work for a proactive company meaning I get to stop and arrest all the dummies who shoplift right in front of me, many who have records or drugs on them so they will try anything to get away. Reason I bought one is my first two arrests ever were for illegally concealed hand-guns and I wasn't armed yet. scary stuff.

[ctbgpo Member Find all posts View Profile Close ctbgpo]

When I worked for a nuclear power plant, we were all issued level 3 soft concealable body armor, we also had a few turtoise shells that were the old ceramic vests that zipped up the side, those were uncomfortable, and weighed a ton but we still wore them, when it got really hot day shift was able to strip them off, but us midnight guys always wore em. When I workd full time for the ambulance service I bought my own 3A vest and wore it religiously.

[Mr. Security Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mr. Security]

Ct statutes forbid the wearing of body armor by civilians. Just something to keep in mind.

[ctbgpo Member Find all posts View Profile Close ctbgpo]

At C.Y it was issued to us and stayed on site. For AMR I was required to sign a waiver and have my employer fill out the paperwork that, it would be used for work and that there was a need for me to have it. As most of the company wore them the supervisors just signed the form. HPD had bigger things to worry about then a bunch of ambulance drivers wearing body armor.

[Mr. Security Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mr. Security]

At C.Y it was issued to us and stayed on site. For AMR I was required to sign a waiver and have my employer fill out the paperwork that, it would be used for work and that there was a need for me to have it. As most of the company wore them the supervisors just signed the form. HPD had bigger things to worry about then a bunch of ambulance drivers wearing body armor.

That's usually how it is with most minor statutes. Since LE has enforcement discretion, they usually won't make a stink about it unless you tick them off.

[locknid Member Find all posts View Profile Close locknid]

Ct statutes forbid the wearing of body armor by civilians. Just something to keep in mind.

wow thats interesting, never heard of anything like that before. Only thing I was ever aware of is that convicted felons are not allowed to wear body armor. In certain areas here in AZ the LE will actually tell you your stupid if you carry and don't wear a vest, I had the pleasure of listening to that one night when I didn't wear it because I was running late. I was more concerned about wearing it though when I didn't have my gun because I worked some scary places with just a baton and pepper spray. I like life so I bought one quick

[PAofficer Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PAofficer]

I always wear a vest when working armed. Also where it on th eambulance depending what statiopn I am at. On my second vest both were Point Blank. First one was front back only no side protection, second one ihas sides. I think the level of both is 2A. The older one still resided in my truck at all times. Better than nothing if things go bad. I also have a military style flak vest that was issued to us several years ago when are rea had a number of bomb threats an than a few chemical type bombs. They never got around to giving us any type of helmets or other protective gear for bomb searches.

Thanks

PAofficer

[Special Investigator Member Find all posts View Profile Close Special Investigator]

In the 'shooting gallery' I call Milwaukee, I currently use a concealable level III 'Xtreme' body armor vest by American Body Armor.


Simular version

Features include:

- Permanent shoulder straps and an internal suspension system which prevents ballistic panels from sagging in the bottom of the carrier.

- Cool Comfort Zone™ interior to wick moisture away from the body.

- Anti-microbial Olefin cover – resistant to degradation by chemicals, perspiration, mildew and weather.

- Ballistic panels inserted outside the vest – no interior seams that can cause chaffing

- Front and back shirt tails

- Trauma Plate


For more info visit: http://www.americanbodyarmor.com/

[Lawson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lawson]

For me, whether I wear a vest or not is contingent upon the rest of my outfit. If I am working with my full duty belt, a badge on my shirt or around my neck, or anything like that, A vest is sure to follow.

However, sometimes I work with just a gun, a set of cuffs in my pocket and a concealed badge, or belted badge. If that is the case I may or may not have the vest on.

[Special Investigator Member Find all posts View Profile Close Special Investigator]

Ct statutes forbid the wearing of body armor by civilians. Just something to keep in mind.

Wisconsin has the same law. Unless you are a police officer, licensed security officer or a private investigator, you are not allowed to possess any body armor unless you have special permission from law enforcement or the state.

Wisconsin makes it very hard for its citizens to protect themselves.

[Mr. Security Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mr. Security]

Wisconsin has the same law. Unless you are a police officer, licensed security officer or a private investigator, you are not allowed to possess any body armor unless you have special permission from law enforcement or the state.

Wisconsin makes it very hard for its citizens to protect themselves.

CT is concerned that LE will encounter a scenario like the infamous LA bank robbery where the machine gun bandits wore body armor. The problem with this law, like many, is that the bad guys could care less about any it and the vest is available on E-Bay/everywhere else.

The rest of us honest citizens are forced to protect ourselves through some other means. For myself, I carry a level 3A ballistic oversized clipboard when working uniformed security. I also look through the windows of any coffee/donut store before I enter wearing my uniform. (Store manager thinks I'm crazy, but hey, I'm not going to walk into a robbery with a uniform. )

[Lawson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lawson]

I carry a level 3A ballistic oversized clipboard

Wtf? Never seen 1 of those

[Mr. Security Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mr. Security]

Never seen 1 of those

Search on-line. It is a common item.

[Arff312 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Arff312]

I wear a second chance level II vest. The vest has a hard trauma plate in the front. I make a point of it to have a vest that at least defeats the weapon i carry on duty.

[wackenhut hickey Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackenhut hickey]

My opinion is if your working armed you should also be wearing a vest. I am currently working armed and I wear mine everyday. Even if I don't think I need it I still wear you never know when you will need it.
For instance my company does security for an research center here in WA it is a very secure place and you never see anybody all that is out there is deer and beaver. One night one of our guards was doing a walk through of the deer pen and was attacked by a buck. When the buck attacked him the first thing it did was rip his duty belt off so all our guy could do was wrestle with it. Afterwards he went to the ER and the doc's told him the only reason he might have survived that attatck was the vest.

But this is all personal opion everybody here is a big boy and can do what they want.