Bainbridge Police Decide to Change Protective Vests

June 27, 2013

By Diane Ryder
Bainbridge Township’s police officers are looking a little different on patrol these days as they wear their protective vests on the outside of their uniforms instead of hidden inside.
The change will eliminate sore backs and will allow officers quicker access to some items they carry, said Chief Jon Bokovitz.
The chief and patrolman Brian Frew demonstrated the change during Mon-day’s trustees meeting, when Bokovitz admitted he had been reluctant at first to make the change.
“A lot of thought was put into this,” Bokovitz said. “I was totally against it at first.”
The chief said he believed the change would intimidate residents because the officers would look like they were expecting trouble when the vests were constantly visible.
“We’re not in the inner city,” the chief told trustees.
But his officers told him that research has proved police wearing the vests externally suffer less back pain on the job because they can carry equipment such as tasers, handcuffs and radios in pockets on the front of the vests instead of on their belts.
That eliminates the objects digging into an officer’s back while in a patrol car.
In addition, the officer can easily access those objects when needed, he said, adding the protective Kevlar material is much thicker and heavier than it used to be.
Bokovitz explained that earlier Kevlar protection would stop a bullet, but would often still cause blunt force trauma injury.
The newer material is much more protective, he told trustees.
“In the long run, it’s about health concerns,” Frew, an 11-year veteran, told trustees. “It’s a trend that departments such as Solon are doing because it has benefits health insurance wise.”
Bokovitz said he is now convinced the change is a good one. He said the lifespan of a Kevlar vest is five years and the changes will be made as the old vests are replaced.
Frew said he has not heard negative comments from any residents who find the new look to be intimidating.
He removed his vest and passed it to trustees, who said it seemed very heavy.
Bokovitz said the weight depends in part on what items the patrolman carries with him and joked that a heavier officer can carry more items.
“The chief puts his laptop in his,” Trustee Chris Horn said jokingly.
In other business, Fire Chief Brian Phan warned residents that shooting off fireworks is not legal unless it is a permitted display with a fire prevention officer present. During dry or windy conditions, fireworks can cause grass fires.
“We’ve had a couple of good ones lately,” Phan said.
He urged residents to call the police if they see someone handling fireworks in an unsafe manner.