Texas police officers have one of the most difficult jobs in the nation. These men and women have sworn to protect and serve and are willing to put their lives on the line to keep their fellow Americans safe. However, their jobs are getting increasingly more dangerous over time.

Studies have found that violent crime is on the rise in Texas. Many of these violent crimes involve firearms, meaning the officers called to such scenes are likely to have encounters with armed individuals. While police are trained to deal with active shooter situations quickly, they are still putting their lives at risk by confronting these individuals.

Plenty can happen in a split second, and it’s not uncommon for officers to get injured or even killed during such confrontations. Eight Texas police officers passed away from gunfire related injuries in 2021. Many would consider this number to be far too high and believe such deaths could be prevented by providing police with the right equipment. This includes rifle-resistant shields.

In this guide we will examine what rifle-resistant or “rifle rated” shields are and discuss why Texas police officers should begin carrying them.

What are Rifle-Resistant Shields?

You may have seen pictures of police officers or SWAT teams carrying different types of shields for special encounters. This includes shields for protection during riots or house raids. The clear shields police officers use for riot control are generally light-duty shields and are meant to protect the officer from hand-tossed projectiles and blunt strikes from objects.

The shields used in house raids, on the other hand, are heavy-duty ballistic shields designed to protect officers from gunfire. These “rifle resistant” or “rifle rated” shields come in many types, but all generally serve the purpose of providing a barrier that shields officers from bullets.

To understand the level of protection these shields offer, we first need to look at ballistic protection ratings. The National Institute of Justice describes four distinct levels of ballistic protection for armor and shields:

● Level II

● Level IIIA

● Level III

● Level IV

Level II

Items with Level II protection are capable of stopping rounds from most types of handguns. This includes 9mm, .357, .40 Smith & Wesson, 45 Automatic Colt Pistols. Such items are generally referred to as “soft armor”

Level IIIA

Items with Level IIIA protection take it up a notch and offer protection against most handgun rounds up till .44 magnum. They also protect against 12-gauge shotgun slugs, 9mm submachine gun rounds. Such items can be constructed from soft or hard armor.

Level III

Level III items are considered hard armor and are rated for rifle protection. Level III shields can withstand gunfire from US Military M80 rifles, making them incredibly strong and resilient items.

Level IV

Level IV items consist of rolling shield systems that offer maximum ballistic protection. They include overhead protection and are large enough to protect multiple officers simultaneously.

Based on the information provided above, we can see that only Level III and Level IV shields could be considered “rifle resistant” or “rifle rated” shields.

How Texas Police Officers Can Benefit from Having Rifle-Resistant Shields.

Level III and Level IV shields are widely used by SWAT teams, but they are rarely provided to police officers. This can lead to disaster because police officers often require such shields for protection in time-critical situations involving suspects armed with rifles.

A Texas police officer arriving at the scene of a crime involving such heavily armed individuals will usually need to wait for a sergeant before they are provided such shields. However, these officers typically arrive at the scene much sooner than sergeants do. This leaves them vulnerable to attacks from armed individuals during the window of time between arriving at the scene and getting access to a rifle resistant shield.

For this reason, it is better for Texas police departments to stock up rifle resistant shields and provide them to their officers as needed. This will help prevent injuries and keep them safer when they are on duty.

Choosing the Right Rifle-Resistant Shields for Patrol

Texas police departments have plenty of shield options to choose from if they decide to provide patrol officers with rifle-resistant shields. Selecting the right ones for different situations can be tricky due to tradeoffs between shield weight, mobility, and protection levels. Let’s examine the pros and cons of the different shield types.

Level IIIA Shields

Level IIIA shields aren’t technically considered “rifle resistant”. However, they weigh only 5 to 12 pounds, making them incredibly lightweight as far as shields go. Some of these shields are made from soft armor and can be folded up. Such shields would be easy to store in patrol cars and carry around in different situations.

Level III Shields

Level III shields were relatively heavy until just a few years ago. It wasn’t uncommon for these shields to weigh 50 pounds. However, innovations in material technology have enabled these shields to become lighter over the years without compromising on protection.

Modern Level III shields can weigh as little as 12 pounds. Meaning officers can carry them around for long periods without getting exhausted.

Level IV Shields

Level IV Shields are the heaviest type of rifle resistant shields and can weigh anywhere from 25 to 75 pounds. These shields offer the greatest protection, but they would be difficult for officers to use for long periods due to their weight. Such shields also tend to be bulky, meaning they might not fit into some patrol cars.

Keeping Texas Police Officers Safe With Rifle Resistant Shields

As you can see, Texas police officers can stay much safer in the field if they are equipped with rifle resistant shields. These officers risk their lives for their fellow citizens everyday, so they should be provided the tools to allow them to tackle crime and protect others effectively.