Crime Control - U.S., Several States Allege Protective Vests Are Failing After 2 Years Or Less

Sep 29, 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice and multiple states launch investigations into protective-vest manufacturers over alleged malfunctions. The issue centers on Zylon, a synthetic fiber reported to weaken earlier than promised, leading to bullet penetration cases that injure officers. States have filed suits to stop sales, challenged federal certification, and demanded replacements or refunds. Some agencies are moving back to prior armor while measuring officers for new protective gear.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

IN THIS ISSUE

ACROSS THE STATES

IN THE COURTS

CALIFORNIA HEIRS'SUITCITES PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Crime Control # U.S.,Several States Allege ProtectiveVests Are Failing After 2 Years Or Less ## IN THIS ISSUE Calif.Officer's Heirs Claim VestMaker Had Prior Knowledge………2Denver Eyes Better System ForTracking Gang Crimes…………………2Computer Database Identifies StolenCars,Films Border Crossing.……3Connecticut Task Force DragnetSweeps Fugitives From Street….3Iowa Prosecutors Outline ProgramTo Fight Meth Processors…………4COPS Offers New ProgramFor Post-Graduate Training.………4 ## IN THE COURTS 8th Circuit Says Prosecutor's ClosingArguments Are Constitutional……4Florida Blocks Judges From DismissalOf Juror For Sentencing Views ....5Georgia Decides Indigents HaveConstitutional Right To Defense ...5Iowa Rules Drug Possession RequiresBoth Knowledge And Control……5 Colorado ……………………………………5Georgia ……… ……………5Kansas ……………………… …….Massachusetts……………………6Minnesota.…………………………6New Jersey………………………6New York.…………………………………6Pennsylvania…………………………7Vermont……………………………7Wisconsin…………………………………7Wyoming…………………………7 November 14,2003Vol.37,No.45 The Justice Department and sev- eral states have begun investigations of manufacturers of protective vests for alleged malfunctions. The vests are woven with a syn-thetic fiber known as Zylon,whichhas been shown to weaken earlierthan expected. ## ACROSS THE STATES Attorney General John Ashcroftand Arkansas Attorney General MikeBeebe in separate statements summa-rized their concerns. The move comes as Massachu-setts has filed suit to stop the sale ofsynthetic Zylon-based vests.And theFraternal Order or Police wants thefederal government to stop certifyingthe material for body armor use. Arizona,Maine and Pennsylvaniaare also investigating the body armorand a police widow and son filed suitin California over an allegedly defec-tive vest. The armor in question,used bymany police departments nation-wide,is made of the synthetic fiberZylon,which the Justice Departmentsays weakens earlier than advertised. It cites several such cases,includ-ing one in Pittsburgh in June in whichan undercover suburban officer wasinjured when a bullet penetrated hisvest. ory S.Emerson filed suit in Vista Su-perior Court on behalf of the widow and son of an Oceanside police offi-cer shot to death because his vestfailed to protect him(see sidebar). Such vests,sold under the namesUltima and Ultimax,are no longer of-fered.They were advertised as lighterand more durable than competingbrands. The president of the FOP saidvest manufacturer Central Lake,Michigan-based Second ChanceBody Armor admits Zylon can lose20 percent of its strength in only twoyears. Sen.Patrick Leahy of Vermont,the ranking Democrat on the SenateJudiciary Committee,and Sen.BenNighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.joined the calls for a federal inquiry. The senators sponsored legisla-tion in 1998 and 2000 that allowedpolice agencies to buy bulletproofvests through a Justice Departmentgrant program. James Strillacci,president of theConnecticut Police Chiefs Associa-tion,summed up the emotions ofmost law-enforcement officers."T’mcounting on this thing to save my lifeWill it or won't it?” Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said more than And Los Angeles attorney Greg- 100 police officers in his state may bewearing defective vests. Although Second Chance now of-fers free vest pads as reinforcement,or new vests at discounted prices,Blumenthal rejected the bid. Instead,he wants the company toreplace the $800 vests without cost topolice agencies. "We're prepared to take immedi-ate legal action to enforce that obliga-tion,"he added. Second Chance President PaulBanducci apologized for any incon-venience caused by the deterioratingvests,but said offering repair kits “isthe right thing to do.” The company blames the problemon the fiber,which it does not make.Toyobo,the Japanese manufacturer,acknowledged the fiber weakens afterexposure to heat and humidity. Second Chance added that Zylonmight degrade even under normalstorage conditions. Ar

FAQs

What are investigators focusing on in the protective-vest failures?

Investigations focus on manufacturers of protective vests that allegedly malfunction due to premature weakening of the Zylon synthetic fiber used in the armor.

What is Zylon, and why is it controversial?

Zylon is the synthetic fiber woven into many vests. It has been shown to weaken earlier than advertised, reducing armor effectiveness over time and under storage conditions.

What legal and policy actions are states taking?

Several states have filed suits to stop sales of Zylon-based vests, sought federal action regarding certification, and pushed for free replacements or refunds after vest failures.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Nguyễn Văn Học