Law enforcement in general has embraced wearing body armor. But the fact remains: Traditional vests can be uncomfortable, hot and restrictive. That’s why more and more departments are turning to external carriers.
“There’s no debate about it, if you could put on armor like a T-shirt, everyone would wear it,” says Jeff Chudwin, former chief of police for the Village of Olympia Fields (Ill.) and president of the Illinois Tactical Officers Association. “The problem with [traditional] armor is that it’s heavy, it can be hot in warm weather, and it can be uncomfortable. In recent years there have been great attempts to improve armor’s flexibility and comfort.”
The biggest change has been the option of wearing armor in an external carrier.
The Low-Down
Simply put, external carriers are fabric vests that carry traditional, under-uniform ballistic body armor. The traditional vest with plates is inserted into the outer vest or carrier. “It fits into the carrier we manufacture. We’re not disrupting the design or construction of the armor,” explains Bill Levitt, president of Mocean, which manufactures uniforms for police, security, EMT and mountain bike patrol.
Levitt recalls that “the concept originated out of Chicago. External carriers were approved by Chicago Police Department (CPD) 10 or 12 years ago, and they used a local wholesale distributor that started making them. The carriers were designed to accommodate existing body armor.” He adds that even at that time “they were already designed to look like a uniform shirt, and so—from distance anyway—the armor was still concealed, in a way.”
Eight years ago, when that distributor stopped making external carriers, Mocean was approached by another wholesale distributor about continuing the manufacture. Agreeing to it, Mocean then became the source for external carriers for CPD and many surrounding departments.
“The carriers were a typical upper Midwest product—people there were familiar with them and a lot of departments wore them—and it slowly started a groundswell,” says Levitt. “The carriers gradually spread out to the east, the south, the northeast and west.”
More Comfort Equals More Safety
The major difference between traditional body armor and exterior carriers is comfort. “It’s a hot weather issue,” explains Chudwin. “This gets the vest off of your skin. It allows heat to vent off. It’s also easier to get in and out of.”
While comfort may sound insignificant compared to safety or effectiveness, it’s nonetheless a game-changer. With external carriers, more officers are more likely to wear external carriers consistently. When it comes to body armor and police work, increased use translates into increased safety and effectiveness. As Below 100 instructors frequently say, “Armor works but only if you wear it!”
“If you have a mandatory [body armor] policy, you’re going to wear it” whether or not you’re issued an exterior carrier, Chudwin points out. However, he adds: “I’d say that given a choice, 90% of law enforcement would choose outside vests.”
One strict rule must be followed when considering external carriers: don’t mess with the armor panels or you’ll reduce the effectiveness of your vest and you might open yourself up to liability and void warranties. “The only time [an external carrier] will go out of warranty is if an officer removes the armor panels and then re-inserts them,” says Levitt. “In a case like that, the panels might start sliding around inside the carrier. It’s important to leave the panels alone.”
He adds that, as with traditional body armor, it’s crucial that officers be professionally fitted for external carriers. If it doesn’t fit, he says, it might not work.
A Style for Every Need
Some decision-makers are opposed to external carriers because they don’t look “professional.” Some feel external carriers give officers a military or tactical appearance. However, available styles have come a long way in the last several years. Today, there’s a wide range of external carriers available from multiple manufacturers, all of which can blend into a uniform well, without making officers look like a SWAT team.
“Today’s external carriers can look very good—they look like uniform shirts,” says Chudwin. “Plus, some of them have added gear pouches so you can carry more on your person. There are pockets on some vests for additional ammo, flashlights, radio, and smaller pockets as well. The ability to carry more [in pockets]—that’s a bonus.”
Levitt says that body armor manufacturers are now in the business of making external carriers, along with uniform manufacturers.
“They make carriers with a Class A [uniform] look, a Class B look, and a more tactical look,” he says. “We’re going one step further: In April we’re releasing a vest with a two-tone shirt look for bike patrols, Segways, ATVs and private security.”
Conclusion
Bottom line: External carriers are as effective as traditional body armor, but the advantages that they offer might mean that they get worn more—and that could make the difference between life and death.
