Dec. 18, 2003

            LANSING – A lightweight, synthetic fiber used to make bullet-resistant vests for law enforcement officers could be deficient in providing needed protection, Attorney General Mike Cox said today.

            “Law enforcement agencies and officers throughout Michigan should be aware that vests made with Zylon could fail to provide adequate protection to officers,” Cox said.

            Cox recently convened a meeting with representatives of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Attorney General and representatives of the Second Chance Body Armor Company to discuss the current controversy surrounding certain bullet resistant vests manufactured by that company.

            It was discovered that the problems that Second Chance identified involving its lightweight Zylon-based vests may not be limited to vests made and sold by that company but may also apply to any vest made with Zylon material.

            Cox said that Second Chance accounts for about 40% of the vest sales in the United States, so it is possible that many officers are using a similar vest manufactured by another company.

            “Because of the nature of the work in which they are engaged, it is imperative that departments of all sizes inventory and inspect their vests to help ensure officers’ safety to the greatest extent possible,” Cox said. “Agencies should check with the dealer or manufacturer of the vest they use to determine if it is a Zylon based product and if so, whether it is safe to continue to use that vest.”

            Information about vests is available at: https://vests.ojp.gov/index.jsp

            The NIJ is currently conducting tests of Zylon based vests and expects to release its results in about 90 days.  In the meantime, the Second Chance company is offering several remedial options.

For further information contact: Matt Davis
517-373-0481 (Office)
State of Michigan, Department of Attorney General