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www.officer.com AUGUST 2017 LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY 31 varying levels to guard against multiple grades of ammunition. Level IIA is suitable for protection against bullets such as 9mm. Level II and IIIA offer more protection. Level III and IV pro- tection comes from hard plates able to withstand ammunition such as .30-06 caliber rifle bullets. Officer Chris Menck of the Fredericksburg (Va.) Police Department says the 4PV vest is an overall great prod- uct. "It wraps the body," he says. "The floating side panels offer a more practical design for side protection than tradition- al body armor." Menck says the vest is slightly bulky initially but easy to adjust to once broken in. "The VELCRO straps are extremely secure and don't seem to lose grip after years of usage." The Switch vest by Propper is able to accommodate scenarios for those involved in K9 units, sniper, or regular duty and offers levels of armor for each situation. This vest is low-profile and may be worn in many ways including under a business suit shirt or underneath a standard uniform. For added protec- tion, the Switch vest allows room for soft body armor panels on the side as well. Lightweight and customized One of the key factors that makes a type of body armor successful is the freedom it gives the officer while still offering ultimate protection. Corporal Sarah Collins of the Lubbock (Texas) Police Department says the lighter and more flexible the body armor is, the easier it is to bend and move espe- cially in regard to inner worn vests. "All armor, if properly worn, is constrict- ing and hot," says Collins. "However, the outer armor allows the officer to have a chance to cool off at times by unzipping the vest without having to undress." Collins says the outer vests 800-GUNHIDE 631-841-6300 Dept #LE87 431 Bayview Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701 desantisholster.com MSRP Style 111 29 99 $ Doubles as Pocket Holster Tuckable™ 360 Adjusts to any position TUCKABLE IWB CONVERTIBLE TO POCKET HOLSTER Pocket-Tuk ™ DeSantis didn't invent concealment, we just perfected it! Circle 34 on Reader Service Card Vests that are specifically made and cut for male or female officers result in an overall better fit.