Pubdate: Sun, 17 Mar 2002
Source: Tribune Chronicle, The (OH)
Copyright: 2002 Tribune Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.tribune-chronicle.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1436
Author: David Kerester

BODY ARMOR BECOMES POPULAR

YOUNGSTOWN - Youngstown resident George Washington was washing his car in 
his Atkinson Avenue driveway on Jan. 29 when a man pulled up to the curb in 
front of the house and began shooting at him.

Washington ran up the walkway toward his front door, but the gunman exited 
his vehicle and chased after him, firing several shots at close range.

Washington was shot once in the upper back, but was released from St. 
Elizabeth Health Center shortly after it was determined the bullet failed 
to penetrate the bulletproof jacket he was wearing.

While detectives continue their investigation of the shooting, police Capt. 
David Williams said the incident is further evidence that more and more 
body armor is being used on the streets.

Youngstown officers have seen a growing trend of bulletproof clothing being 
worn in Youngstown since the city's homicide count peaked at 60 shooting 
deaths about five years ago, Williams said.

Officers suspect that most of those wearing the expensive bulletproof vests 
are involved in drug dealing or similar illegal activities where 
territorial disputes and gang rivalries pose significant hazards.

''It is legal to buy them, unfortunately,'' said detective Jeff Orr of the 
Trumbull County Drug Task Force.

Orr said the appearance of body armor has not been as visible in Trumbull 
County, recalling only a single incident in Niles several years ago when a 
man was found wearing a vest during an undercover drug purchase conducted 
by the Task Force.

The topic alone, however, disturbs officers, Orr said.

''Officers wear them at times, but we don't like to talk about it. People 
will start aiming at our heads,'' he said.

While Ohio, like most states, permits its citizens the unrestricted 
purchase of body armor, several legislatures and the U.S. Congress continue 
to introduce bills seeking to restrict or ban its availability to the 
general public.

The movement to restrict or ban body armor sales began in earnest after a 
San Francisco policeman was killed in 1994 by a gunman wearing two layers 
of Kevlar protection. The International Association of Police Chiefs and 
many other law enforcement associations have supported legislative efforts 
to restrict sales.

California was the first state to pass legislation banning body armor sales 
to convicted felons of violent crimes. U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., 
introduced similar federal legislation, while other Congress members 
introduced two bills in 1999 seeking to ban sales to violent felons and 
prohibiting all mail-order or on-line purchases. Those bills each failed to 
materialize.

The mail-order bill would effectively curtail general public sales since 
most local distributors voluntarily limit their business to police and 
licensed security personnel, say critics.

Locally, the owners of area Army-Navy stores and police supply outlets were 
nearly unanimous in stating their opposition to selling bulletproof vests 
and similar body armor to the public.

Dennis Frenchko, owner of Outdoor Army Store Inc. in Boardman, said he 
sells such items only to law enforcement officers and quickly chases off 
others who inquire.

''I show 'em the door,'' Frenchko said.

But Mickey's Army Navy Store in Warren has periodically sold government 
surplus flak jackets and will have them in stock this week again for the 
first time in more than a year, according to employee David Keller.

The downtown Warren store also has catalogs featuring bulletproof vests and 
other protective gear that can be ordered upon request, Keller said.

Traveling gun shows are one of the other local outlets where body armor 
sales is available to the public, though they generally feature 
military-issue flak jackets, intended as protection against shrapnel- 
related injuries rather than higher-velocity gunfire, said Williams.

Body armor technology includes the high-tech development of Kevlar weaves 
that stop and distribute the impact of bullets coming from most handguns, 
to ceramic and metal plates used to deflect higher powered rifle ammunition.

Because of its restriction on movement, the plate armor is used by police 
mostly in tactical situations, while soft body armor can be worn 
comfortably almost anytime, according to manufacturer Bullet Proof ME of 
Austin, Texas.

The company, like the industry in general, opposes restrictions on sales, 
citing a wide range of civilian needs for such protection. These needs 
include residents living in high crime areas or those who have suffered 
home burglaries, security officers, taxi drivers and convenience store 
clerks (among the most hazardous occupations nationwide), employees who 
make large cash bank deposits at night, victims of stalking and other crime 
victims or witnesses, bodyguards, private investigators, ATM repairmen, 
judges and travelers to ''hot spot'' abroad, among others.
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