Does a Bulletproof Helmet Play an Important Role in a Cop’s Safety?
Once upon a time, police officers’ helmets served no other purpose than to absorb the force of an impact. Officers back in the day wore bump helmets, or bulletproof helmets, so that they wouldn’t get hit in the head with anything that fell from above. Many police on patrol do not equip themselves with ballistic or bulletproof headgear. But today’s police officers are much less likely to be seen in a hat or helmet. The tides of history indeed seem to be shifting. Despite police forces abandoning the use of bulletproof helmets and headgear, the risk of police officers being ambushed and killed remains high. There were the recent ambushes in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Eight police officers were killed in this incident. The Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando is another instance where police officers were forced to close in on a terrorist and exchange gunfire.
As a result of these and other occurrences, numerous organizations have reevaluated their plans for providing police with enhanced security. Purchasing heavy armored helmets is part of a larger trend of police and law enforcement agencies improving the gear available to patrol officers. The New York Police Department (NYPD), the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) are among the agencies that have lately stated they will be providing its officers with ballistic helmets. This type of protective gear would be ideal for police use in high-stress circumstances. The confidence and safety of law enforcement officials would likewise increase.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of departments that require their officers to wear ballistic or bulletproof helmets. Perhaps the idea that police officers should wear bulletproof helmets is not so far-fetched. Ballistic helmets aren’t just a requirement for cops anymore; public safety departments have started mandating them as well. Emergency medical services and fire departments can also participate in funding initiatives to acquire helmets for their personnel. Police officers face risks daily in their mission to keep the public safe as they rest. The least we can do is ensure they have the safety measures in place and the tools they need to do their jobs well.
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