Dragon Skin Removed From DOJ Approved Body Armor List
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice removed Dragon Skin body armor, which is manufactured by Pinnacle Armor Inc., from a list of approved bullet-resistant body armor models.
The DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs determined the bulletproof vest — model SOV 2000.1/MIL3AF01 — is not in compliance with National Institute of Justice voluntary testing program requirements for bullet-resistant body armor and removed the models, according to a Department of Justice report.
After reviewing evidence provided by Pinnacle Armor regarding the Dragon Skin model, the NIJ — the research, development and evaluation component of the Office of Justice Programs — determined that “the evidence submitted was insufficient to demonstrate that the body armor model will maintain its ballistic performance over its six-year declared warranty period.”
However, the DOJ encourages public safety officers that currently wear the Dragon Skin model to continue to do so until replacement body armor models are procured. Research studies demonstrate that officers are more likely to suffer fatal injury when not wearing body armor, according to the DOJ.
The DOJ strongly recommends that public safety agencies and officers verify that new bullet-resistant body armor models comply with current department requirements — the 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor — and appear on the NIJ list of approved body armor models. A list of compliant body armor models is available at www.justnet.org.
The DOJ also encourages public safety officers to follow manufacturer instructions for body armor wear and care. In particular, body armor should not be stored in the trunk of vehicles or other environments that could expose the armor to extreme heat or cold. Information about the DOJ’s Body Armor Safety Initiative can be found at http://vests.ojp.gov.