A bill from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Katie Britt (R-AL) to get next generation body armor – better suited to its wearers – to the Department of Homeland Security’s(DHS) law enforcement personnel advanced swiftly out of committee last week.
The senators introduced the DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor Act (S. 4305) earlier this month, based on ballistic testing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2022. In that analysis, the FBI found that body armor typically used by DHS officers can deflect bullets off the chest armor piece and directly into the throat – something to which female officers and some male officers would be most vulnerable. Correcting course, this bill would require all DHS agencies to provide their personnel with appropriately fitting improved ballistic body armor.
“The brave men and women who are risking their lives to keep us safe deserve to have protective body armor that fits correctly to keep them safe,” Peters, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee where this bill advanced, said. My bill will ensure that all officers, regardless of gender or body type, will have access to the most advanced and effective safety equipment. We must update these outdated policies to ensure federal law enforcement officers are safe, and I’m proud my committee approved this important bill as we honor the officers who risk their lives to protect our communities during National Police Week.”
The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.