1. Body Armor 101 for Women Law Enforcement Officers MAAWLE
Debra Stoe, National Institute of Justice
Cassy Robinson, National Institute of Standards and Technology
April 27, 2016

2. Agenda NIJ overview Baseline knowledge check
New emphasis on body armor for women
Understanding body armor
Concerns with construction and testing of female body armor
Resources
Assessing Fit, Function, Coverage and Protection

3. What is the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)?

4. NIJ Research, Development, and Evaluation arm of the Department of Justice
Dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science.
NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to reduce crime and promote justice, particularly at the state and local levels.

5. Baseline knowledge check
Source:
Go to audience participation questions
Do participants have any questions or concerns they’d like to have addressed today?

6. New emphasis on body armor for women officers
The last two decades has seen an increase in female officers
Sufficient enough to draw a response from body armor manufacturers..
Body armor designed to be worn by women is constructed differently (sometimes*) than body armor designed for wear by men
Consequently, there is a need to conduct research to determine these differences involve and if these differences provide the same level of protection, form, fit, and functionality as body armor made for males.
The objective of NIJ’s research will be to address the needs and requirements of female officers who wear body armor, such that the equipment meets their form, fit, functionality, and protection requirements.
Unless it is gender neutral

7. Understanding Body Armor and it’s Limitations
Designed to Defeat

8. Understanding Body Armor and it’s Limitations

9. Major Concerns Notches Folds Stitching Ricochet Air gaps
Design characteristics unique to Female Body Armor
Notches
Folds
Stitching
Differences that need to be addressed
Ricochet
Air gaps
Cleavage
Across chest
Back face Deformation in Breast area (Next slide)
Long term injury
How to measure
Added Stitching to
Form the Bust Cup
Bust
Cups

10. Backface Deformation

11. Current Ballistic Test Method for Female Body Armor

12. Female Body Armor, Level IIIA, 44 Mag Round
Backface Deformations (BFDs)
Current NIJ Body Armor Requirement: Max of .44mm BFD

13. Defining & Standardizing a Shape

14. Defining & Standardizing a Shape

15. Test Method Evaluation: Mounting

16. Test Method Evaluation Repeatable, Consistent, Accurate

17. Test Method Evaluation
C5 – Level II
Threat magnum
C1 – Level II
Threat magnum

19. Always check the CPL

20. Resources NIJ: Information on NIJ standards and testing efforts
ds-testing/Pages/welcome.aspx
NIJ-ASTM Portal for free standards and guides for vetted LE and Corrections Agencies
ds-testing/Pages/access-astm-standards.aspx

21. No such thing as Bullet Proof!
The Expectation of Wearers of Body Armor
No such thing as Bullet Proof!

22. Physical Scientist, National Institute of Justice
Questions for Me?.….
Contact Information
Physical Scientist, National Institute of Justice
Wk:
Website: