Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 01/24/2011 07/01/20 18 07/01/20 20
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
______ ____ _______
1024 - Body Armor 1 POLICY 1024 BODY ARMOR
1024.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to provide law enforcement officers with guidelines for the proper use
of body armor.
1024.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This section pertains to the following CALEA Standar ds: 41.3.5 , 41.3.6
1024.2 BODY ARMOR
Soft body armor vests are issued to all sworn personnel and to civilian personnel assigned to field
positions . Hard body armor (active shooter vests) ar e issued to all sworn personnel. Body armor
has been shown to be effective in reducing deaths and serious injuries from handgun and rifle
fire. It is the policy of the Tustin Police Department to maximize officer safety through the use of
body armor in combination with prescribed safety procedures. While body armor pro vides a
significant level of protection, it is not a substitute for the observance of officer safety procedures.
All body armor must either be departmental issued or departmental approved.
1024.2.1 USE OF SOFT BODY ARMOR
The use of body armor is ma ndatory and must be worn at all times by uniformed field police
personnel. Plain clothes officers must wear body armor anytime they are involved in an
enforcement function involving a high risk situation (i.e., serving search or arrest warrants, drug
raids and during functions or actions which are likely to involve field contacts) with the potential
for violence.
When officers are assigned to a SWAT operation, stakeout, service of felony arrest warrant(s), or,
are serving a search warrant at a location wh ere there is reason to believe a felony suspect may
be present, the wearing of body armor is mandatory.
A stakeout, for purposes of this section, is a preplanned event where time and practicality allow
officers to put on body armor in anticipation of enco untering armed or dangerous suspects or
circumstances.
1024.2.2 OUTER VEST BODY ARMOR
Hard body armor should be carried at all times by uniformed field police personnel. Plain clothes
officers should carry hard body armor any time they are involved in a n enforcement function
involving a high risk situation (i.e., serving search or arrest warrants, drug raids and during
functions or actions which are likely to involve field contacts) with the potential for violence.
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 01/24/2011 07/01/20 18 07/01/20 20
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
______ ____ _______
1024 - Body Armor 2 When officers are assigned to a SWA T operation, stakeout, service of felony arrest warrant(s), or,
are serving a search warrant at a location where there is reason to believe a felony suspect may
be present, the carrying of hard body armor is highly recommended.
A stakeout, for purposes of this section, is a preplanned event where time and practicality allow
officers to put on body armor in anticipation of encountering armed , dangerous suspects , or
dangerous circumstances.
Every attempt should be made to don hard body armor d uring any active sh ooter event. Hard
body armor should be worn in conjunction with issued soft body armor and is never a
replacement for soft body armor.
The issued hard body armor consists of a 5.11 Tactec Plate Carrier, 2 Protech ballistic armor
plates, two double AR 1 5 magazine pouches, a medical kit, and 4 enhanced AR 15 magazines.
The equipment issued with the vest shall not be removed o r substituted. No unauthorized
equipment may be added to the hard body armor unless it i s department issued police protective
gear or approved by the Range master.
All hard body armor will be issued with police Insignias front and back, cloth badge, and name
tapes. The appearance of hard body armor shall be governed in accordance with Tustin Police
Policy General Order s § 1046.4 .
The Canine Unit and GRADE are authorized to wear department approved outer vest body armor
as part of their daily uniform . Special O perations Division personnel may utilize the vests for
search warrants and special operations with approval from a supervisor .