Discounts, Matching Funds May Be Available to Replace Defective Body ArmorSaturday, May 1, 2004
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A few months ago, our office opened an investigation into possible safety risks arising from the use of Zylon in the manufacture of bullet-proof vests. We had reports of one death and one injury involving police officers who wore vests manufactured by Second Chance Body Armor Inc., a Michigan company. Although, no injuries or deaths have been reported in Texas, our investigation was opened out of concern for the safety of Texas officers. Texas law enforcement personnel and their families rely on body armor every day to protect themselves while they protect us. I don't have to tell you how important the quality and reliability of that equipment is. Zylon fiber, manufactured by the Japanese company Toyobo, has come into high demand for vest-making because of its much lighter weight compared to conventional bullet-proofing material such as Kevlar. Several U.S. manufacturers use Zylon in their body armor products. Second Chance uses the brand names Ultima and Ultimax for its Zylon vests. In September, after the two reported vest failures, Second Chance notified its customers that Zylon may deteriorate prematurely, possibly rendering the vests too weak to sustain the ballistic impact they were initially certified to withstand. We are investigating Second Chance and other manufacturers of vests containing Zylon. These include Protective Products, Inc., and Armor Holdings, Inc., both of Florida, and First Choice Arms and Equipment Inc. of Massachusetts. The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) and the National Institute of Justice are currently testing new and used body armor in an effort to identify the reason for the apparent deterioration of Zylon-based materials when exposed to heat, moisture and light. Meanwhile, officers who have access only to Zylon-based vests should continue using those vests until replacements are obtained. Although there may be problems with Zylon-based vests, using them is unquestionably superior to not using a vest at all. It may interest you to know that funds from USDOJ's Bulletproof Vest Partnership can be used to purchase replacements for Zylon vests. Price discounts on replacement vests offered by some manufacturers can be used to satisfy federal matching fund requirements. In some cases, the vests may be replaced at little or no cost to the law enforcement agency. To learn more about this program, departments should go to the USDOJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/ or call toll-free at 1-877-758-3787. The next funding application period will be in Spring 2005. Please be aware that some law enforcement agencies have previously received grants but have not reported matching funds to USDOJ. Those prior grant funds may still be available. To see if your agency has a grant pending, contact USDOJ through the Web site or toll-free number listed above. The Department of Justice also asks that all incidents of vest failure be reported to that agency. If your law enforcement agency has commissioned or performed vest testing, USDOJ would like copies of the test results. Also see the USDOJ Web site for information about the preliminary test report issued on March 11, 2004.
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