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How much do you know about police injuries and fatalities? Unless you are on the force, you probably do not know much about the real dangers police officers face every day that they walk into their jobs. Unlike some professions when people go into the office, sit at a desk all day, and enjoy peace and quiet while they are working, police officers face potential injury and death each day that they show up on the job. That is one reason why it is so important that body armor for police exists along with a variety of body armor clothing options in order to ensure law enforcement safety each and every day.

Interested in learning more about how brave police officers throughout the United States are for facing potential danger every single day? Keep reading for more information about the realities of being a law enforcement officer in America.

4 Facts About the Dangers Law Enforcement Officers Face Every Day

When citizens see law enforcement officers wearing tactical gear or other types of body armor plates, it may spark fear. However, body armor for police is necessary in order to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers throughout the country. Without different types of body armor, these police officers would be subject to injuries or fatalities each day that they fight crime in the United States. Here are four facts about the dangers they face when they are on the job.

1. Gunshot wounds

Law enforcement officers are trained on how to use their guns if they ever need to defend or protect themselves against someone else. However, sometimes law enforcement officers have to face off against someone with a gun. In these instances, police officers risk their own safety and lives in order to take down a criminal. Due to this, there are many police officers who are injured or who lose their lives because of gun violence in the United States.

In fact, in the last 10 years, 30% of police officers who have died on the job were killed by gunshot wounds. All-in-all, gunshot wounds are the second leading causing of death for police officers. If a police officer is shot in the torso, the rate that they will die is 3.4 times higher if the police officer is not wearing the proper body armor for police. It is imperative that they wear armor vests and other tactical gear in order to help prevent any fatalities.

2. Killed with own weapon

Police officers have to be trained with their weapons. However, this does not always prevent injuries or fatalities. Some criminals are able to get the weapon away from police officers. At times, they even use the weapon against the police officer. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has found that, in the past 10 years, around 33 law enforcement officers have lost their lives due to criminals killing the police officers with their own weapons.

One way this can be prevented is if police officers wear the proper body armor. While body armor cannot protect all parts of the body, it can help in some instances. It is always encouraged that police officers protect themselves as best as they can.

3. Body armor regulations

More than 71% of local police departments throughout the United States believe in the power of body armor for police. That is why they require that their law enforcement officers wear the proper armor vests and other body armor every day they are on the job. Without such protection, more and more police officers could be injured or suffer a fatality due to an accident while serving on the job.

4. Dependability of body armor

Even when police officers are equipped with the best body armor, sometimes it is not enough to save their lives. Sometimes, ammunition from a gun can be so strong and powerful that it goes through body armor and injuries the law enforcement officer.

How do you feel about body armor for police and other tactical gear? Should police officers stay as protected as possible while on the line of duty? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Police officers are expected to serve and protect while risking it all in the line of duty. Shooting reactive targets on the practice range is a far cry from the on-duty experiences that law enforcement faces on a daily basis. Over the past ten years there have been close to 60,000 physical assaults on members of the police, according to data from government sources. Last year, more than 65 police officers died as a result of criminal actions, and 62 of those were killed by a gunshot. The need for adequate protection for all police officers couldn?t be clearer.

Body armor clothing can play a significant role in saving the lives of those who have sworn to protect the public. In fact, over a 30 year span, more than 3,000 police lives have been spared as a result of bulletproof body armor and other forms of protective clothing. Shootings are the second leading cause of death for law enforcement officer, after car accidents, with gunshots making up more than 33% of all police officer deaths in the last decade.

In New York City alone body armor clothing has been responsible for saving the lives of 87 law enforcement officers in the period since 1978. Those who do not wear ballistic body armor are 3.4 times more likely to die from a gunshot wound than those who do wear police duty gear. No body armor is 100% effective against all types of ammunition, but most types of body armor can offer protection against certain bullet types, while other types offer resistance against other weapons such as knives. Although as much as 71% of all local police departments required that such body armor clothing is worn as of 2013 statistics, there are still many that don?t.

Ensuring that all police officers are afforded the opportunity to use this saving gear is vital to the continued effectiveness of the police force, yet falling police budgets make it difficult for all departments to do so. Law enforcement safety should be a priority to safeguard police so that they can continue to do their job. By lobbying local departments and government, the public can play a role in ensuring that police officers have the tools needed to do their jobs effectively and safely.