Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 06/01/2010 10:40:18 AM PDT by Suz in AZ
Police officers know each day on the job could their last. But a Pierce County man is doing what he can to change that by making new cutting-edge bullet-proof vests.
John Bourque and his company, JBIT© Industries and Technology, brought his armored plate to Pierce County for their first ever public demonstration.
"We really want these products up here," Bourque said.
Bourque is a local guy who made it big developing cutting-edge armor. But when he watched the news about Seattle officer Timothy Brenton being gunned-down, then the four Lakewood officers and Pierce County Deputy Kent Mundell, John came home to make sure it never happened again.
"My mom, who was born here in Seattle -- first thing she says is 'Johnny, you need to get up there and show them what you've got,' " he said.
John's armor plates slip inside an officer's vest. Bullets spark when they hit because the plates are made out of aluminum and only weigh 3 pounds.
But they can stop the most powerful rounds from the most powerful assault rifles -- the very same guns the bad guys are carrying these days.
The cops watching liked what they saw. "Yeah, yeah -- it's impressive," one said.
Then it was their turn to try. Pierce County Sgt. Mark Berry fired multiple rounds at close range into the vest. It took 60 rounds and had an officer been wearing it in his vest, he'd still be alive.
So the next time an officer is staring down the barrel of a gun, this little plate might just save their life.
JBIT is located in Tucson, AZ and the plates are manufactured by a company in Eloy, AZ called Global Platinum and Gold, Inc. (http://www.globalplatinumonline.com).
Check out the news for them (http://www.globalplatinumonline.com/news.htm).
Certification is nearly complete by the National Institute of Justice.
Here is their May 17th press release:
Global Platinum + Gold, Inc., together with it associates Bourque Alloys LLC and JBIT, Inc. have identified a new market in the law enforcement segment for protective strike plates, or personal hard armor protection. We have determined that a majority of uniformed law enforcement personnel throughout the country are required or highly recommended they all wear a 4 x 8 trauma plate. We have further determined that a majority of these plates are produced off shore by foreign manufacturers. This is not acceptable. Bourque Alloys and JBIT, Inc. have already commenced the process of having its own 4 x 8 plate certified by the National Institute of Justice.
Global produces the proprietary Kryron material that gives the aluminum alloy plates their special properties, which among others, hardens the aluminum alloy sufficient to not allow penetration by weapons projectiles. We have been assured by numerous law enforcement agencies that if an American product is available for purchase of equal or greater quality they will have no hesitation in purchasing our product. We believe that our strike plates are superior to anything presently on the market and that we have an excellent opportunity to significantly penetrate this market. These plates are smaller than the plates worn by military personnel, swat teams, and the like. JBIT, Inc. is currently offering 3 plate sizes and a ballistic curtain that unfolds over the door to provide complete protection when an officer finds themselves in a dangerous situation.
Our primary strike plate (10 x 12) is still undergoing testing with the National Institute of Justice. We expect no difficulties and may have results within two weeks. Each plate model requires separate certification with the National Institute of Justice-much like patent work, there will always be new and or improved plate models in for testing and certification.
Global is a licensee of Bourque Alloys and JBIT, Inc., and produces the most essential, and important ingredients that go into the creation of the aluminum alloy strike plates.
(Stock symbol for Global is "GPGI")
AZ is awesome. Great job by this fellow. American innovation.
I had to read that again. My brain read it as Krypton the first time.
WOW.. Godspeed AZ!
realizing that the bullets bounce off the plate, i’m not sure i would have opened up on it from 10 feet away.
don’t get me wrong... sweet rig. it’s only aluminum? that stops bullets? why hasn’t that been done before?
and the next question... can he make a whole body suit out of it... with some red and gold paint?
ok... Kryron material added to the aluminum... making more sense now. (i watched the video. they only said aluminum)
Any big mouthed Police Chiefs want to boycott this?!
I'd love to have those plates.
Carrying an extra 40 pounds on me on hellishly hot days just sucks.
“it’s only aluminum? that stops bullets? why hasn’t that been done before?
and the next question... can he make a whole body suit out of it... with some red and gold paint?”
*****
I understand that it is a special alloy. Who knows, maybe there are red and gold suits on the horizon LOL. I hear they are adding one thing at a time because each item has to be individually certified. First the trauma plates, then the bigger body armor plates, etc... Could be used to armor vehicles and so forth. Seems the possibilities are endless.
WA will boycott these.
Will be very cool if it really works as advertised. I’m a little cautious if only they’re getting a little ahead of themselves by starting the press release publicity *before* there are any definitive test results by a 3rd party. Remember “Dragonskin”? IIRC it turned out that after testing by somebody other than the manufacturer, it didn’t quite live up to it’s publicity.
Being “made in America” isn’t what makes the difference, though. Stopping bullets makes the difference.
We’ll see, though. Technology will march on and one of these days somebody will do it. Maybe it’s these guys.
Are you required to us DOD approved stuff or can you buy “off the shelf”?
Lead, Aluminum, Copper? Spark?
Gotta use what they issue us. And it weighs a LOT.
Gotta watch the developments on this one!
KT-MIA™ Full Coverage Tactical Plate
- Size 10" x 12" x 1"
- Operator Cuts on upper corners
- weight 6+ lbs.
Call for pricing
Crap. I've got a real good source on some Level III stuff. It's real comfortable compared to DOD issue and is proofed against 7.62 rifle rounds.
I'm sorry I'm unable to be of any assistance.
Yes, but I'm in my last year here.
No, really. This is the last one. ;-)
I LOVE Ironman!! :D
Okay, who else thought of George Jetson’s car after that scene?
But I'll be OK. This is my last year here.
My seventh and last summer in the Fertile Crescent. My last year along the rivers of Babylon.
After this, the only overseas gig I want to work is maybe something in Italy or Spain or Argentina...
This much at least is total bullsh!t. The "bad guys" (assuming the writer means violent criminals and not the HRT) are going around with what they've always gone around with - handguns. I wonder how much else is false.
I’m a Sheriff’s Deputy and would appreciate having a magic plate for my standard vest. However a 2 inch thick plate weighing three pounds in not going to be user friendly at all. I currently have a ceramic plate this size and slightly heavier that goes into my SWAT vest that I wear on entries. In a situation like that an extra pound doesn’t hurt. What we need to improve upon is an item we can wear daily that will increase our protection without adding to the bulk / weight we already have with current styles of vest.
I work 12 hour shifts in a patrol car and believe me I know we need extra protection and was in an officer involved fatal shooting last year in which my training prevailed.
We need something user friendly to be able to be utilized with all of our current equipment we have. To an average person a 3 lb plate doesn’t sound like much and not enough to complain about but add up what all I have to carry now and that is the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back.
I currently have 30 pounds of gear added to my standard weight ( 6’-1” / 230 lb) with my Level III vest, heavy duty Danner boots and leather gun belt carrying a Motorola radio & mic, Glock 21 with 14 rounds in a Safariland holster, Asp Baton and holder, S&W cuffs and holder, OC spray and holder, double magazine case with two Glock mags with 26 rounds of 45 cal ammo and a 9mm compact Kel-tec back-up gun behind my cuff case. Brother I can’t carry anymore.
Hollywood Laws of Physics..
Anothere Arizona company we can...get behind.
Roger that. I was a Coastie in a former life, and my boarding party rig was pretty much the same as yours, exchanging a Colt 1911 for the Glock. We wore it over a Mustang suit but I’m still not sure I would’ve floated if I went in the drink. :-)
My first ballistic vest was just kevlar. After a couple of years they came out with new ones that had just a steel trauma plate on the chest, but it was pretty small (I guess we had to just hope that the bad guys were a really good shot). Later the plates got a little bigger and were some sort of ceramic/steel, and they had better side protection.
I didn’t see the part where this new one is 2in thick. Gotta do something about that. Seems like it would really get in the way.
Looks like it is less then $500 for the lower grade specs but I cannot tell if it is sold to the public?
it looks like the lower grade is one pound.
Funny, but when I read JBIT (the company name) I thought it said JBT (their presumed market?)
;-)
LOL
How did I know this was going to be a public company...
LOL... the foundry is but I think JBIT is privately owned. Hey, seems like something that could take off.
I don’t know... you can give them a call. Let us know what you find out.
I moved here last August, having lived most of my life in FL and GA. This feels like the last free state! We love it!
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