Ballistic shields are bullet-stopping or deflecting devices used by police enforcement and emergency response teams to block or deflect bullets fired at them. When it comes to picking a ballistic shield, there are several elements to consider, all of which are influenced by the purpose and level of protection and the weight, size, form, and necessity for other peripheral devices or features linked to the ballistic shields.
What Are Ballistic Shields?
When armed resistance is expected, ballistic shields are utilized, also known as bunker shields and ballistic blankets. They’re made to deflect gunshots and other harmful projectiles.
SWAT, special operations, and emergency response teams worldwide employ these personal shields. High-risk search warrants, drug-store raids, and active shooter situations are just a few examples.
Ballistic shields have undergone significant changes to improve their effectiveness in specific applications. Unlike riot shields (usually clear), ballistic shields feature a black exterior, a rectangular form, and sometimes a viewing port. Several unique ballistic shields have been developed in the last 20 years due to technological breakthroughs. Every shield has advantages and disadvantages, and each agency must assess its own needs, dangers, and call volume, which varies significantly by city, region, and nation.
Composition
Materials like UHMWPE or pre-preg aramid fibers can make ballistic shields. They may have features like transparent armored viewing ports, ambidextrous grips, and night-time lighting, and they can be portable or mounted on wheel-based frames. They come in various sizes, with some merely protecting the upper torso and others protecting the entire body.
Projectiles properly intercepted by a ballistic shield, unlike a ballistic vest, do not cause harm or suffering to the bearer since they are not meant to come into direct contact with the body.
Ballistic Shields Usage
In offensive, defensive, and patrol circumstances, ballistic shields are utilized. Here’s a quick list of a few of them:
- When the victim is taken away from their home, takedown and ruse methods catch them off a surprise. If done promptly and properly, these scenarios usually do not necessitate the use of a ballistic shield.
- In surround and call-out applications, a perimeter is put up in the hopes that the subject would surrender promptly and quietly. While conversations are taking place, these issues might take hours to resolve. If the situation escalates into violence, police must seek shelter from whatever is available, such as nearby walls, trees, cars, and ballistic shields.
- Surround and call-out applications are identical to breach and hold applications, except that an entry point must be violated, and entry may be required.
- The goal of dynamic entrances is to knock and announce, breach, and clear the target as rapidly as possible. Ballistic shields that combine speed and protection are employed in this scenario.
Design That Isn’t Obtrusive
The Ballistics Shield is a non-intrusive addition to school, measuring only 3 millimeters thick, flush-mounted, and customizable with logos or inscriptions. While aesthetics are secondary to the potential to save lives, we recognize that students and building occupants do not want to feel like they are living in prison, so we go to great lengths to ensure that your Ballistics Shields is not only compelling at stopping a threat but also as visually appealing as possible.
Is A Ballistic-Grade Degree Of Protection Necessary?
The FBI classified 28 shootings in the United States as active shooter occurrences in 2019.
Bulletproof shield can repel gunshots to some extent and keep aggressive would-be invaders out of a building. Even if an armed assailant can pierce the glass with ballistic bullets, breaking them completely to gain entrance will be tough.
People inside have more time to respond by phoning the police, barricading themselves within a safe space, or leaving by another entrance because of the delayed entry. It also gives police enough time to come and defuse the threat, preventing or minimizing casualties.
The Bottom Line
Ballistic shields are valuable as they can aid in the protection of cops and communities. The optimal shield’s weight, size, form, and extra elements may be chosen based on the intended usage and needed ballistic protection. This innovation has been useful and at the same time deters a potential threat to your facility.