Law Enforcement Magazine.com

Smart Justice: More than One Way to Explain the Importance of Reducing Recidivism
As a society, are we willing to invest financial resources to decrease recidivism? When that question is asked in such a vague format, the public would mostly agree. It is assumed the logical step would be to spend more money for additional prison space and keep prisoners incarcerated for longer periods of time to reduce the rate of recidivism. However, when it is proposed that money should be used to educate and improve working skills of prisoners, the response most likely would be different. Have we as a culture short-sided our options to diminish the rate of recidivism?
John Cappas, a former drug kingpin in Chicago and current anti-drug activist, recently spoke to a group of students enrolled in Restorative Justice and Community Justice classes at Governors State University, on April 23, 2013. Mr. Cappas began his presentation by explaining that he was the leader of an illegal drug enterprise for approximately two years in the late 1980s in the Chicago south suburban area. He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to a 45 year prison term. While in prison, Mr. Cappas aggressively worked on his appeal, which led to the reduction of his sentence to 15 years.
Appreciating the fact that he would not be released from prison until he was in his late 60s, John Cappas started working on a plan to make himself a productive member of society upon his release from prison. Mr. Cappas used Pell grants to earn a BA in business administration with a minor in psychology from the University of Wisconsin. Still with plenty of time before his release date, Mr. Cappas earned his culinary certification and eventually became a teacher to new prison students entering the program.
Once Mr. Cappas was released from prison, he began working in the auto industry as a salesperson and then as a financial officer, achieving a respectable salary. John Cappas eventually left the auto industry and purchased a hot dog stand, putting into practice the culinary skills he acquired in prison. Once Mr. Cappas felt secure with his decision to become a business owner, he began to reflect on his criminal past. He wanted to give back to the community as an anti-drug activist to make amends for past indiscretions, or as he has stated, he wanted to do penance for his past acts.
John Cappas often speaks publicly about his past and his present, and he frequently fields tough questions, as he did during his talk with students at Governors State University. During the question and answer session of his speaking engagement, one individual stated that she does not believe it was fair that he received a free college education while most of the audience had to take out student loans to pay for theirs. Mr. Cappas said that he understood the sensitive side of the issue, and that it was not fair that honest citizens had to go in debt to pay for their college education while convicted criminals had the opportunity to earn a free college education. However, on the dispassionate side, Mr. Cappas stressed that from a taxpayer’s perspective, it is advisable to give convicted criminals the ability to acquire an education and employment skills to become productive members of society, rather than to release them with few additional skills or keep them incarcerated for long periods of time.
The individual who asked the question was not satisfied with Mr. Cappas’ answer and continued to press him on the subject of the unfairness of free education and skill training for convicted criminals. Mr. Cappas, observing that his response was not convincing her, switched to an emotional viewpoint. John Cappas expressed two personal stories he observed while in prison. First, he told of the many times he witnessed individuals who survived numerous years in prison yet showed total fear in their eyes when their discharge date was approaching, suggesting that a lack of release preparation does more harm than good. The subject of the second story came to John Cappas while watching the movie, “Executioner’s Song.” In one part of the movie, the main character murders two men in two separate robberies. Mr. Cappas asked out loud “Why did he have to do that?” The person sitting next to him yelled out that he had to do what he had to do to survive. John Cappas then posed a question to the individual pressing him on the injustice of free education for prisoners, “What if the people in the film that got shot were people you knew and the shooter was an ex-prison felon and he had the mindset that he had to do what he had to do to survive?” Mr. Cappas followed up by asking, “Would the public be better off releasing criminals into the streets with no chance of surviving other than to continue criminal activities?” The student did not have an answer.
In conclusion, it is understandable to identify with the frustration of the student asking the question about why prisoners should receive a free college education while honest, hard-working individuals have to go into debt to receive the same benefit. Nonetheless, we must ask ourselves, “As a society are we willing to invest the financial resources in education and work skill programs to reduce recidivism while prisoners are incarcerated?” It is a hard statement to sell to the public in today’s financial times. On the other hand, it is not realistic, financially or constitutionally, to keep prisoners incarcerated for extended lengths of time without opportunities for self-improvement that will reduce the rate of recidivism. Incorporating John Cappas’ emotional approach, along with the financial cost argument of investing in educational programs and work skill training in prisons to reduce the rate of recidivism can be a winning approach.

Bio: Danny Romeo has worked for the Cook County Sheriff’s office in their alternatives to incarceration programs for approximately 20 years. Currently, he is on medical disability (due to Multiple Sclerosis), and is working on his Master in Criminal Justice at Governors State University, University Park, Illinois. He can be reached at dromeo@student.govst.edu.

The Best Parts Of A Very Exciting Police Body Armor Survey

According to a statement by the American National Institute of Justice (NIJ), more than 3,000 law enforcement officers’ lives have been saved by body armor since they began testing body armor and developing performance standards for ballistic resistance in the mid seventies.

Looking at such simple statistic should really make us think twice when discussing the cost of body armour and the benefits they can bring to the wearer.

The American Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) released the truly informative findings of its National Body Armor Survey in 2009, and the replies received from nearly 80% of the 990 randomly selected law enforcement agencies throughout the United States offer am in-depth view into their practices, policies and standards regarding the provision of body armor.

A rather interesting discovery was that 59% of agencies required their officers to wear bullet or stab resistant vests, but only 45% had a written policy in place enforcing this requirement.  I think this is certainly not an ideal result.

We are all human beings. We don’t want to carry additional weight, feel less nimble and sweat more during a hot summer’s day than necessary, so there will be some officers who will decide not to wear the body armor to avoid the highlighted negative side effects. However, having said this, ultra light high performance bullet proof vests, especially developed for hot and humid environments have recently been made available, and those charged with improving the personal safety of law enforcement officers should consider them before making a final decision on where to purchase such equipment from..

There is also the risk of police officer deciding not to wear body armor due to what they incorrectly might perceive will be a low risk activity or operation, simply unable to anticipate unforeseen circumstances, which would certainly require such equipment. We all need to understand and accept the fact that we just don’t know what is around the corner sometimes, or what happens next.

41.4% of law enforcement agencies in the US use body armor rated at NIJ Level II and 35.0% use NIJ Level IIIA, which means most agencies use body armor which protect officers against at least 9mm rounds and .40 calibre bullets, as well as .44Mag and .45Mag, but not against rifle fire or armor-piercing bullets.  As any body armor offering a higher level of ballistic protection would result in being heavy, cumbersome and restrictive I would 100% agree with such operational decision.

What exact level of ballistic protection is a NIJ Level IIIA tested and certified concealable bullet resistant vest offering? Such body armour will guarantee you protection against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) rounds from close range, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6 g (240 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It will also protect you from smaller calibres as the ones stated above.

Law enforcement agencies were also asked to rate the factors they felt were most important when considering the purchase of body armor.  The responding police officers indicated clearly that it was of greatest importance to them to be issued with bullet resistant vests, which would protect them from the same rounds/weapon the officer is using.

The ballistic protection level and compliance with NIJ 0101.04 or NIJ 0101.06 standards came second and third in the list of ‘most important criteria’, followed by comfort, weight and officers’ ability to move easily while wearing the armor.

87.9% of all surveyed law enforcement agencies made it compulsory that all officers had to be individually measured by their body armor supplier or manufacturer to establish the perfect fit.

Internal agency representatives were appointed by 74.0% of all responding law enforcement agencies to take measurements. This could have happened because the supplier or manufacturer was either unable or unwilling to offer such personal, but also very time consuming service.

There is no question about it, the correct fitting of body armor is absolutely critical, understanding that officers shot in the torso area can have bullets enter under their armor or through the side panels. This is why a personal fitting service can be crucial.

Having thoroughly studied this fantastic body armor survey I must say that I was rather shocked though, when reading that 78.4% of police agencies surveyed do not have a database or automated record system for a body armor replacement schedule.

It is also shocking to read that almost 23% of agencies have no policy at all concerning replacement of body armor, completely ignoring the limited shelf life of many body armor, which is subject to the type of storage, personal care, exposure to UV light and moisture and many other influencing factors.

Many police forces around the world have now implemented a standard policy to replace all body armor after five years and I seriously applaud them for such decision and message that the personal safety of their officers is absolutely paramount..

There is no doubt in my mind, and I so hope everyone will agree, bullet proof vests will effectively help protect our law enforcement officers.

There is also no doubt, providing body armour to all law enforcement officers would provide enough benefit to justify the cost, according to a ground-breaking research project carried out by RAND Corporation study, conducted in 2010.

Analyzing police officer shootings over a four-year period, the study found that wearing body armour more than tripled the likelihood that an officer would survive a shooting to the torso and estimated that providing such equipment to all officers would save at least eight lives annually!

Robert Kaiser is the CEO of UK based body armour manufacturer PPSS Group. He is frequently invited to speak about the latest body amour developments in front of large audiences of government agencies, homeland security professionals and private security firms around the world. Robert has written articles and blogs on all aspects of body armour and is passionately campaigning for the right of prison/correctional officers and paramedics to be issued with Personal Protective Equipment.

Robert Kaiser and his team have recently developed one of the world’s most outstanding concealable high performance bullet proof vests (Model CV1), now used by undercover Law Enforcement Officers, as well as Diplomatic and Personal Protection Specialists in countries around the world.

A live demonstration video, featuring him being shot by a Glock 17 (9mm FMJ 124gr) from 9ft/3m testing his high performance bullet proof vest can be viewed on YouTube.

Robert and his team of experts can be contacted at his headquarters in the UK.  website www.ppss-group.com

Date: 18^th September 2012

Author: Robert Kaiser, CEO of PPSS Group

Proud of our History, Looking to our Future

Friday, August 31, 2012 we commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the hiring of Windsor’s first black police officer and later Canada’s first black police detective, Alton C. Parker

The Windsor Police Service and the Windsor Police Association are approaching a historic milestone. September 1, 2012 will mark the 70^th anniversary of the hiring of Alton C. Parker. Parker was the first black officer hired by the Windsor Police Service and in July of 1951 became Canada’s first black police detective. The hiring of Constable Parker under Chief Constable C. Renaud on September 1, 1942 is a milestone in both the history of the Windsor Police Service, and this community.

Constable Parker was hired weeks after the devastating Dieppe Raid. Windsor’s Essex Scottish Regiment on August 19, 1942 landed 551 men on the beach at Dieppe. After suffering withering losses, only 51 men returned to England, 27 of them wounded. The other 500 were killed, captured, or listed as missing. Most were from the Windsor area. This loss touched 3 out of 4 households within the Windsor area in some capacity. This area was mourning the loss of many of its sons on the beaches of France.

Attitudes towards blacks were different in 1942. The Tuskegee Institute in Alabama recorded the lynching of 6 blacks in the United States that year, up from 4 in 1941. Blacks in positions of authority were rare. Despite any of these facts Chief Constable Renaud hired Constable Parker, giving him the opportunity to prove himself. Being the first and only black constable, he met some resistance. Constable Parker was dedicated to his duty and his community, and eventually he was accepted by members of the service.

On July 28^th 1951 Constable Parker was appointed to the rank of Detective under Chief Constable C. Farrow. Detective Parker became Canada’s first black detective. He was confirmed as a Detective on January 1^st 1953. Detective Parker served with the Windsor Police for 28 years.

In the summer of 1969 Detective Parker and his wife Evelyn began to host Uncle Al’s Kids’ Party at Broadhead Park. Uncle Al’s Annual Kids’ Party was a summer highlight. The annual event at Broadhead Park drew 100’s of jubilant children and their families.

In 1976 Broadhead Park was renamed Alton C. Parker Park in memory of Detective Parker and his service to the Community.

Detective Parker received many honours in his lifetime. His career was distinguished and exemplary. He received numerous awards, including the Order of Canada, the Ontario Bravery Medal for Good Citizenship and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal. In 1986 Detective Parker received the Harry Jerome Award in recognition of his commitment to youth. In 1988 Detective Parker was named Person of the Year by the North American Black Historical Museum. Alton C. Parker passed away February 28, 1989.

Mike Akpata

After nineteen years of production, the reign of the Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptor came to its end. 2011 marked the end of Ford’s dominating era in law enforcement vehicle production. Loyally, we all threw our hands in the air and cried foul, even though we knew the P71 was outdated, underpowered, and overworked. Nonetheless, we loved the classic Interceptor for what is was: dependable and legendary. Now that the dust has settled, we’ve accepted the fact that the P71 has earned its long overdue retirement.

This, of course, created an immediate problem for the law enforcement industry. With the legendary P71 no longer available from the factory, on which new vehicle do we mount flashing blue lights? But Ford, once again, was way ahead of us.

The 2013 Ford Police Interceptor has been met with great expectation. There is, however, no way to avoid the fact that it’s really just a Taurus on steroids. Still though, Ford promises that this new car will run circles around the old P71. On paper, this seems to be true. The 2013 Interceptor includes upgraded brakes and suspension, external oil and transmission coolers, heavy duty wheels, performance tires, sub-frame connectors, a 220 amp alternator, and the 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost motor that produces 365 horsepower. The new Interceptor also comes standard with all-wheel drive, a first in the American law enforcement vehicle market. In addition, Ford proudly states that our nation’s officers will be much safer in the new model. Side air bags, a 75 mph rear-crash rating, and level 3 ballistic doors are all included for the 2013 model year.

Walking up to the test vehicle was much like walking up to a regular Taurus; the subtle intimidation exuded by the old P71 was nowhere to be found. Aside from the black grill and driver-side spotlight, our all-white 2013 model didn’t demand our immediate respect for the law enforcement world. Inside, however, was classic police car. The familiar rubberized floor, center console equipment mounting plate, dash-mounted truck release, and spotlight controls were are perfectly placed and ready for service.

Out on the road, the 2013 Interceptor showed off its multiple-personality engine. At cruising speeds, the variable valve timing V6 barely sipped any fuel from its tank. From a dead stop, however, the 365 horsepower EcoBoost motor moved us from 0-60 in just over 6 seconds. Economy and power are both staples in the theoretical patrol car. Now, with Ford’s new interceptor, you can have the best of both worlds. The police package tuned suspension is adequate for such a heavy vehicle, but we feel that the ride could still be stiffened further to reduce body roll and increase front-end grip. However, this current suspension setup does provide a comfortable ride under typical driving conditions.

Will the 2013 Ford Police Interceptor be an adequate replacement for the legendary P71? We say yes and no. This new model is a fresh concept in the law enforcement world. The all-wheel-drive system will undoubtedly prove valuable in regions where snow and ice are probable. The cost of maintaining and repairing an all-wheel-drive patrol car, however, will be much higher than the classic front engine/rear drive system. For the police department seeking a classic tried-and-true design, the Dodge Charger Pursuit Package will be the new best option. But for those willing to test the waters of potential progress, Ford’s new Police Interceptor may prove to be, yet again, a revolution to the law enforcement industry.

-Matt Covert

During January 2012, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling which required law enforcement personnel to obtain a search warrant prior to installing a GPS unit or similar tracking device on a vehicle.  In this case (U.S. v. Jones) the court held that “the Government’s attachment of a GPS device to a vehicle, and its use of that device to monitor the vehicle’s movements, constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment.” As such, any use of a GPS tracker without first having a judge issue a search warrant violates the constitutional rights of the driver and by extension, the rights of any passengers in the vehicle as well.

Previous case law such as Arizona v. Gant, which limited the scope of a vehicle search incident to arrest of the driver and Miranda v. Arizona, requiring all suspects to be advised of their right to remain silent and the right to counsel prior to questioning, have impacted the manner in which law enforcement operates. The decision in Jones will also affect the investigative process, perhaps most significantly in the counter-drug arena since these cases tend to utilize GPS units and tracking devices at a greater frequency that other types of investigations.

Although a search warrant authorizing the legal installation of a GPS device on a vehicle is now required per Jones, there are exceptions to this ruling, just as there are exceptions under Gant and Miranda.  Perhaps the most common exception to Jones, would be consent.  Consent to install a GPS unit on a vehicle can be given by the owner, non-owner or any other individual who demonstrates joint access or control of the vehicle.  Under the consent exception, reasonable suspicion or probable cause of criminal activity is not necessary.

Another common exception under Jones involves vehicles entering the U.S. at a port of entry along the international border. Federal agents, not state or local officials, are allowed to install a tracking device on a vehicle that just entered the U.S. from another country (Canada or Mexico) and can monitor the vehicle for 48 hours without a search warrant or reasonable suspicion. The United States Department of Justice stated that the 48 hour time frame is not based on any constitutional precedent but believes it is defensible under the Fourth Amendment. However, if monitoring of the GPS exceeds 48 hours it is suggested that case agents obtain a search warrant.

There is also a public safety exception to Jones.  If law enforcement officials can articulate a serious and imminent threat to life or the general public, and that the tracking of a vehicle is essential to guard against that threat, then it is not necessary to have a search warrant for the installation of a tracking device. Only reasonable suspicion, and not probable cause, is required under this exception.

In addition to the exceptions listed above, exigent circumstances may exist which obviate the need for a search warrant. For example, imminent destruction or loss of evidence, the imminent flight of a suspect, or a threat to the safety of officers or to a member of the public, all meet the criteria for this exception. However, probable cause and not mere suspicion must be present under the exigent circumstance exception.

There are also exceptions to the search warrant requirement for GPS devices installed on airplanes, rental cars, commercial vehicles and even for tracking vehicles abroad. These exceptions are less common than those previously mentioned but it is important to know that exceptions exist for most situations that law enforcement officials may encounter. Therefore, it is essential that investigators who anticipate using a tracking device first familiarize themselves with the exact requirements for each type of conveyance in which a GPS unit might be installed.

Because operational concerns and the specifics of each investigation will vary significantly from case to case, you should contact your respective Departmental Counsel, Deputy District Attorney or AUSA in your particular jurisdiction for additional guidance.

–Rob Von Kaenel

A prison officer, who has survived one of the most outrageous attacks on prison staff in the UK, is now recommending cut and slash resistant tops to help protect his colleagues.

Craig Wylde, who was brutally assaulted at Frankland High Security Prison on 13th March 2010, strongly believes that the severity of his injury would have been significantly reduced if he would have been issued with cut and slash resistant t-shirts.

CPPSS Cut & Slash Resistant T Shirts

raig was left with a severed artery in his left arm after the incident, and is currently taking 30 tablets per day to cope with the physical and psychological pains. Craig has also been diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

He is now very keen to campaign for an improvement of the personal safety of fellow prison and correctional officers around the world, suggesting that cut and slash resistant tops are a real option to help reduce workplace violence related cut injuries within this sector.

UK based PPSS Group are the world’s leading manufacturer of such type protective clothing.

Their CEO Robert Kaiser, his very passionate team and many prison and correctional officers from a number of countries say it without question that such type of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) makes unquestionable operational sense and would not restrict the wearer’s movement or restrict him in his duties.

“There is no doubt in my mind, concealable cut and slash resistant t-shirts, comfortably worn underneath a prison officers shirt, and not aggressive looking at all, will help reduce the risk of workplace violence related injuries within prison facilities”, claims Robert Kaiser.

He continues by saying: “What has happened to Craig Wylde has now happened.  He knows only too well that we cannot turn back the time.  However, we both feel very strongly that something must be done, otherwise we will soon look at another fatality within this sector, which could be prevented by the issuing of the right type of PPE”.

Robert Kaiser’s recent blog on this subject, titled ‘Prison officer recommends cut resistant t-shirts after surviving outrageous attack’ also features a product test video and survey link, and without doubt will start many new discussions on this subject.

PPE in general is not about eliminating the risk of workplace violence related injuries. It is all about reducing the risk within an environment where a risk has been identified.

Robert Kaiser and Craig Wylde are now both highlighting the risks prison and correctional officers are facing every day they go to work. They seem to be determined to ensure that the request by these professionals to be issued with correct PPE will not be ignored and not forgotten.

Iuka, Mississippi, USA

A northeastern Mississippi county has found a better way to build a jail, and save 30% on construction and at least 30% on long-term operating costs.
Nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians, Tishomingo County had to build a new jail facility to replace an aging and unsafe jail.
Sheriff Glen Whitlock did several years of research and found that the best solution might be in his own backyard.

Composite Building Systems, Inc., a composite structures design and fabrication company located in the village of Paden, had many years of experience in designing and building composite structures all over the world. The company had designed and built the component parts for a number of jail facilities using a composite dome structure reinforced with tough metal mesh. The metal mesh is on the inside of the composite wall and the exterior and interior walls present a smooth and clean surface that is attractive and easy to keep clean.

Sheriff Whitlock reported that “we knew we had to come up with a way to meet stringent ACA guidelines while at the same time reducing construction and operating costs and saving taxpayer money.
The system developed by Composite Building Systems appeared to meet our needs and fit perfectly with new technology now required in correctional facilities. We visited several existing jail facilities designed and constructed by the company and construction contractors.
The initial appearance of the dome-shaped jail was a negative factor to some merely because of expectations for blocky buildings, but after reviewing the interior design, construction, and operation, it quickly became apparent that the composite dome design had many advantages in addition to cost savings.”

Sheriff Whitlock continued, “the cost savings are substantial, up to 30% savings in construction and an average of 30% savings in utility bills, maintenance, and upkeep. The thoughtful design provides greater efficiency and safety for both my staff and inmates.
To top it off, an unexpected benefit of composite dome construction is the mitigation of wind, earthquake, and fire hazards. This is the safest place to be in case of a tornado, earthquake, or fire.”

Composite Building Systems President David Deaton II attended the ribbon cutting and emphasized that “composite dome construction has inherent advantages over conventional construction.
In addition to the cost savings in construction, maintenance, and utility costs, construction time is faster and disaster resistance is an added benefit. Most of our structures are rated as tornado shelters in addition to their design functions.

“Detention facilities are not the only composite structures we manufacture,” Mr. Deaton continued, “but, right now, governments are seeking ways to do more with less money, and our system is unbeatable for cost savings, durability, efficiency, and safety.”
Plant Manager Eddy Goss said that “we are constantly improving and innovating.
Our dome composite structures are located all over the globe and have withstood the test of time. One of our structures was the only structure to survive a hurricane on the Florida Gulf Coast.
We believe we are the wave of the future not only in a better way to build but also in saving money for governments, companies, and homeowners.”

Mountain Secure Systems picks up additional orders from City of Denver to expand wireless network

Longmont, Colorado – Mountain Secure Systems (MSS), a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) and leading supplier of rugged electronics and outdoor wireless network solutions to commercial, military and municipal industries, announced today that it will provide additional Summit™ Series wireless network radios to the City of Denver’s Public Works Traffic Operations. The new orders call for 35 new Summit Series radios to expand coverage for a video surveillance network, aimed at improving traffic control at various intersections throughout the city. Last December, MSS provided 50 Summit Series wireless network radios for this very same video surveillance system.

Made in the USA, Summit radios provide coverage for point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and wireless mesh networks in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz unlicensed frequency bands, as well as the licensed 4.9 GHz public safety band. Product options include FIPS 140-2 validation, which provides highly secure, end-to-end encryption, as well as 802.11n MIMO technology, which offers connection speeds up to 150 Mbps. The Summit’s rugged hardware is built to outlast the harshest environments, which is perfect for virtually any outdoor video, voice or data application. Summit’s intuitive software makes it easy to install, configure and manage an entire network from any location with Internet access. In addition, Summit radios come with an industry-leading two-year warranty, as well as the flexibility to be configured in numerous manners and/or customized to meet a client’s specific requirements.

“Mountain Secure Systems is proud to continue doing business with the City of Denver,” said Ken Dickson, General Manager of Mountain Secure Systems. “Our Summit Series wireless network radios simplify the process of expanding coverage for video surveillance networks.”

MSS is also a proud provider of wireless network radios to the Chicago Police Department, which operates one of the largest dedicated broadband wireless video surveillance networks in the United States. To date, over 1,100 MSS wireless network radios have been deployed for the Chicago PD.

To learn more about MSS, visit www.MountainSecureSystems.com.

PPSS Body Armour’s CEO being shot, successfully testing new bullet proof vests.

“In the world of executive protection it is of great importance to see how quickly you could become fully operational again after being shot from close range”, Robert Kaiser says after personally being shot, testing their new covert bullet proof vests.

A high definition video has now been made available on YouTube, highlighting the CEO of PPSS Body Armour being shot from approx 9 feet or 3 meters. View here

The shot was fired from a Glock 19 handgun, using 9x19mm FMJ 124gr ammunition.

Robert Kaiser is one of the very first men in this industry who has decided to ‘put his money where his mouth is’.

“I have seen many body armour companies making astonishing claims, so I decided to offer real physical evidence using live ammunition” he says.

Robert explained in great depth and personally ensured this video was not produced to create any type of tough guy image, and it should also not be seen a disregard to human life.

Having viewed the video, it is fair to say that all reasonable and necessary precautions have been taken prior to the production. One of the country’s leading trauma nurse was present, paramedics were on stand by and an IV was prepared in order to infuse essential drugs in case something did go wrong.

PPSS Body Armour have now launched this ultra light and extremely thin NIJ Level IIIA+ bullet proof vest in order to offer executive and diplomatic security professionals the best possible concealable protection.

With a weight of only 1.65kg, a thickness of just 6.5mm and protective area of 0.28sqm, this new outstanding bullet proof vest certainly means business.

Made out of a high performance ballistic material, this new bullet proof vest also offers additional protection from Tokarev Ball 7.62 x 25mm and Makarov 9 x 18mm.

Waterproof and breathable Cordura® 180 and groundbreaking temperature controlling Outlast® space technology make this great body armour an ideal choice especially in hot and humid conditions.

A specially developed 0.85mm trauma liner provides extremely effective blunt trauma protection.

Please contact PPSS Group directly www.ppss-group.com