State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Montgomery County, Va., Pilots Smart Bullet-Proof Vests that Contact 911 When an Officer is Injured

Government Technology: Bullet-proof vests worn by law enforcement officers are adding another layer of safety — this time, it's in the form of electronic communications.

Officers with the Montgomery County, Va., Sheriff’s Department have installed a thin plastic flexible vest-size sensor on the outside of officers’ body-armor vests. If the sensor is pierced — with a bullet, knife or shrapnel — it will send an instant signal to command officials with data related to where the injury occurred, the officer’s location based on GPS coordinates, and the officer’s name and personal medical information like blood type or allergies.

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