You can pull numerous examples of parallels from the movies to real life. In one blog, Frank Borelli even explained how a few concepts from Star Trek even made it to your duty belt. But that's not my point here. Those are items - they're physical gadgets inspired by the screen that we get to play with today. What I'm bringing up ins't exactly a communicator or holodeck ... but more of a myth: your patrol vehicle's door was bullet proof. If you think about it, Hollywood cops have been using their patrol vehicle doors as cover for years. We all know knew that it didn't work that way ... until the idea actually started to make sense.
Higher and higher caliber weapons found their way onto the streets. But driving an armored truck down Main St. doesn't provide the best public image to keep a friendly relationship with the community. And just like that, the unsung product that we all saw in so many cheesy cop cinematic scenes was created. The trick was making sure the door worked exactly as it had before and LOOKED exactly as it had before.
Angel Armor says they custom-design panels for any police vehicle you could have in your fleet. Will they take as many hits as a door in the movies? Probably not. (It's a movie after all.) Regardless, it makes sense for such a company to go this route - even if their path getting there was a bit "off beat." (It turns out the technology they base their product on had been used from deep sea to deep space. So, either on your back or in your car, it'll probably withstand the daily wear-and-tear.) They explain quite simply why they provide so many fits, "... for greater officer safety." Read more in one of their April 2015 blogs.
Can you think of any better reason?
Yeah, didn't think so. And neither did Angel Armor. They later wrote up a situation - Oceanside Chronicles style - that puts a law enforcement officer in a touchy traffic stop situation. They're asking a few questions:
- What’s your next move?
- How does your strategy change knowing your driver’s side door is equipped with Level IIIA car door armor?
- What are some training tips you can share to help fellow officers stay safe and stay protected?
Check out the situation and let 'em know your next move. You can respond in their comment section, on their Facebook page, or via Twitter with the hashtag #upyouradvantage. Be sure to tag Angel Armor.
Thank you and be safe out there.
