Abstract

A number of studies show a significant decrease in the risk of fatal accidents in police officers who wear bullet-proof vests, but some patrol officers are still reluctant to wear them due to the heat- and mobility-related discomfort they cause.

Officers in specialized motorcycle units are among the most affected because of their special working conditions: outdoors, close to heat sources (engine), additional uniform items (coat, boots, helmet), driving postures and tasks requiring wide ranges of motion.

This research is intended to document the ergonomic constraints affecting motorcycle officers who wear bullet-proof vests, specifically impediments to mobility and thermal strain, and then develop criteria for selecting or designing vests better suited to their work.