Policy Text
Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Policies and Procedures
TITLE: Body Armor NO: K-401
APPROVED: Donny Youngblood, Sheriff-Coroner
EFFECTIVE: REVIEWED: REVISED: UPDATED:
June 4, 2018 05/29/2025 05/29/2025 05/29/2025
POLICY
It is the policy of the Kern County Sheriff's Office to maximize officer safety through the use of
body armor in combination with prescribed safety procedures. While body armor provides a
significant level of protection, it is not a substitute for the observance of officer safety procedures.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to provide law enforcement officers with guidelines for the proper
use of body armor.
USE OF SOFT BODY ARMOR
The Sheriff's Office encourages all on-duty deputy sheriffs, detentions deputy sheriffs, community
service technicians (CST), and park rangers to wear soft body armor at all times. Their use in some
instances is required. Body armor must be either agency-issued or agency-approved.