More Law Enforcement Officers Want Bullet-Proof Vests

Corporal Allen Moseley will never forget July 17th. That's the day heand dozens of officers in three counties were hunting for the man whokilled Sharpsburg Police Chief Wayne Hathaway. His best friends thatday were his firearm, fellow officers and the bulletproof vest underhis shirt.

"You get to thinking about it, you know," explains Cpl. Moseley. "This man's already shot one officer. He's desperate. He's at the end of hisrope. So, you don't know if he's going to ambush you, or if you're goingto come across him."

Moseley was wearing his vest that day, but a few officers did not. A billmaking its way through the U.S. House of Representatives would spend$25 million dollars to buy one for every department in America. Local lawenforcement officials are cheering the move.

"With all the officers having bulletproof vests," explains EdgecombeCounty Sheriff, James Knight, "I think that is a good way to show thatwe're out here and that we're behind you, and the things that you need,we're going to provide for you."

The justice department says that since bulletproof vests were invented, they've saved the lives of two-thousand officers. Local leaders,especially in smaller departments, say they want equal access to that protection because any officer could find danger around most any corner.

Bulletproof vests are made out of Kevlar. It's a tough plastic polymerthat pound for pound is stronger than steel.

The vests layer the Kevlar fabric in crisscrossing directions so that thebullet's energy is transfered away from the impact point. Good vests costbetween $400 and $800 dollars, and can stop point-blank shots from 357 magnums, 10 millimeters, and even a 12 gauge buckshot.