Summer Heat & Your Vest

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

It's that time of year again: the time when you are dripping sweat under your vest, saturating your t-shirt, delighted that your patrol vehicle has good air-conditioning and apologetic to your spouse for having to do laundry so often. Yep: it's summer, it's hot and you put on an added layer of insulation eveyr day. You'd better - it might save your life. The ballistic body armor that we all wear comes from many manufacturers, is made offering differing levels of protection, and often has many carrier options that allow you to choose the most comfortable way to put it on and wear it through your shift. Even for all the options, makes and models that are available, I've still seen more officers than I care to NOT wearing a vest while in uniform. Really? In case you haven't been paying attention, 2010 saw more officers killed in the line of duty than in the previous few years. 2011 started out ugly with a higher number of officer deaths - several resulting from gunfire and ambushes - and officers still resist wearing their vest each and every time they put on the uniform? No, I really don't care what your duty assignment is. If you wear a uniform, you should have a vest on. If you go out into the public wearing a gun and a badge to perform your law enforcement duties, you should have a vest on. Even in plain clothes? Sometimes... yes. Obviously there are some undercover assignments where it's not practical, but then neither is hanging a badge around your neck or on your belt. If you're not hiding the fact that you're on on-duty officer, wear your vest. During these hot summer months, as odd as it may sound, you may want to wear your vest in an external carrier - provided you can still look professional in your uniform. Why an external carrier rather than a concealed carrier? We all see officers wearing the blue or black quilted external vest carriers during winter months, but in the summer? I'd recommend a different carrier to be sure, but the ability - when you go into a secured air-conditioned area - to take off that vest and put it back on easily may come in handy. But no matter whether you wear it concealed, externally, or what... the most important thing is that you maintain it in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and that you religiously wear it. Put up with the sweat; enjoy the air-conditioning; appreciate your spouse's efforts to keep your vest carrier and t-shirts from stinking; but wear your vest. If you're a supervisor or command staff, set the example and do all within your power (using good leadership skills of course) to insure that those under your command are wearing theirs. We've already lost too many officers this year alone. Let's not add to that number by being lazy in this one officer survival necessity.

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