Look what police in Lancaster, PA are using

[Bizarro Amy]

I saw this on the local morning news. Unfortunately, they only show a small picture. Just scroll down to "Baker Batshield Protects Police."

http://fox43.trb.com/news/?track=nav

[toys2cool]

Hey those are pretty bad,but wow $3000 each? seems a bit high

[batmanmc]

del those are cool.

[Meule]

Cool

But I prefer this one

[Hulk]

Hey those are pretty bad,but wow $3000 each? seems a bit high

If your life depended on a cop coming into a dangerous situation to save your butt, you might disagree. The point of the product is to make it lightweight and portable enough that regular cops that are first on the scene have the protection to be able to do things like that if needed, instead of waiting for the riot squad or swat team to assemble.

What's the point if cops don't use them because they are unavailable to them when they need it. This thing can be easily stored in a squad car, or even worn slung on the back, ready to use at a moments notice. At 9 pounds, its not going to discourage use like a 25 pound shield does. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

And comparing the price to heavier,more awkward and far less portable shields shows this may be a bargain.

http://www.securityprousa.com/bashleiii.html

[toys2cool]

If your life depended on a cop coming into a dangerous situation to save your butt, you might disagree. The point of the product is to make it lightweight and portable enough that regular cops that are first on the scene have the protection to be able to do things like that if needed, instead of waiting for the riot squad or swat team to assemble.

What's the point if cops don't use them because they are unavailable to them when they need it. This thing can be easily stored in a squad car, or even worn slung on the back, ready to use at a moments notice. At 9 pounds, its not going to discourage use like a 25 pound shield does. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

And comparing the price to heavier,more awkward and far less portable shields shows this may be a bargain.

http://www.securityprousa.com/bashleiii.html

I guess that depends where you go to buy them,I don't think everyone sells those for that price,I just think maybe if they would'nt have that Bat design the cost would be cheaper

[Earth 2 Chris]

The safety company I work for use to make a clear, round circular ballistics shield. Looked a lot like Reb Brown's Captain America shield.

We make thermal imagers here, for fire depts. and law enforcement. Our thermal imager product manager was telling me about these shields, but I had no idea they were that "batlike". Who makes them, Wayne Industries?

Chris

[Hulk]

I guess that depends where you go to buy them,I don't think everyone sells those for that price,I just think maybe if they would'nt have that Bat design the cost would be cheaper

The Bat design isn't meant to be nostalgic, its meant to be practical. You miss the point of the whole design. If they want a less expensive, heaver, and more traditional design, I am sure they could get them. The point is that this is more likely to be used by the cop on the street. The same holds true for lighter bulletproof vests, smaller radios, portable heart defibrillator's, etc, etc. And the cost savings versus a traditional ballistic shield just isn't that great.

[jacsfc]

the design has nothing to do with the cost. the cost is factored by the materials used and the safey it provides. 3000.00 to save a life sounds like a bargain.

[toys2cool]

the design has nothing to do with the cost. the cost is factored by the materials used and the safey it provides. 3000.00 to save a life sounds like a bargain.

yeah that's true the Bat ears design were put there to stop bullets
sorry but I don't see how the Bat design makes this different from a regular square shield,I do agree $3000 to save a life is a bargain though

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

It's an interesting idea; but I don't know how effective it would be. From the breif description's mention of stitching and flexibility I'm assuming it' some sort of ballistic cloth, probably over a steel or ceramic core. Essentially it's a flakvest unfolded. Problem is; a design like that would be more of a hindrance than a help in melee. Unless I'm blocking a hall or something. For crowd control it's too small, and if it is made the same way a flakvest is, it'd provide decent protection to the front from bullets; but a vest would offer the same protection and not occupy one of my arms in the using. I don't get the scalloped design at all.

They should probably just pick up some proper battle vests. With inserts they'll stop rifle or light MG rounds, (I've seen film of a guy taking several rifle hits from across a street and he was fine) and they don't restrict movement much at all. (I can run, climb and jump normally in helmet, battlevest and tacvest, and I'm not a super strong guy.)

Don C.

[Hulk]

Instead of arguing the point, I'll let those initerested read more

http://www.bakerbatshield.com/

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I still have my doubts. According to the site; it's graded to resist 9mm rounds with 124 gr. That's a pistol round. A hunting rifle would probably penetrate that; military spec rounds DEFINITELY would. For most police that's probably "good enough;" but if I'm dealing with some well off gangs or survivalists I'd DEFINIETLY want something heavier.

Their assertation that ricochets and deflections are unlikely is suspicious too. Deflection is more a result of shape instead of material; and the rounded shape is designed to redirect energy (and the accompanying projectiles) off the sides of the shield. It's a good way to ensure the user is only standing up to a fraction of the impact, but bullet's won't "stick" to it. The raised areas along the scalops would protect anyone using the shield as cover; but the shots are probably gonna spin off those at an 80 degree angle or so; measured off the center line of the shield.

Watching it in action; I"m not a fan of the big guards at the sides of the weapon brace. They'd limit peripheral vision pretty bad. All told; I'd still go with the battle vest.

Don C.