Helpful Resources

NIJ Standard 0108.01, Ballistic Resistant Protective Materials, establishes minimum performance requirements and test methods for ballistic resistant protective materials (armor) intended to provide protection against gunfire.

Standard 0108.01 is the current DOJ governing document for the testing, evaluation and compliance of ballistic shields. There is no NIJ certification, only compliance, for ballistic shields.

NIJ Standard 0101.06, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor, is the only nationally accepted standard for the body armor worn by law enforcement and corrections officers.

NIJ Standard 0101.06 establishes minimum performance requirements and test methods for the ballistic resistance of personal body armor intended to protect against gunfire.

The Department of Justice offers funding opportunities to support law enforcement and public safety activities in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions; to assist victims of crime; to provide training and technical assistance; to conduct research; and to implement programs that improve the criminal, civil, and juvenile justice systems.

The NLECTC System's one-stop shop for information on body armor has an easy-to-navigate interface. Body armor FAQs, information on selection and fit, body armor saves in the news and more.

The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center administers NIJ’s standards-based testing and comparative evaluation programs. The NLECTC Body Armor database contains all models of ballistic- and stab-resistant armor that comply with NIJ standards.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance supports programs and initiatives in various areas, including corrections, courts, drugs and substance use, forensic sciences, law enforcement, mental health, and tribal justice.

NIJ and its National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) administer a voluntary compliance testing program to assess whether models of ballistic and stab-resistant body armor comply with NIJ Standards.

The Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and local law enforcement.

Since 1999, the BVP program has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $548 million in federal funds for the purchase of over one million vests (1,490,930).

ASTM Standard E3003, Standard Practice for Body Armor Wearer Measurement and Fitting of Armor, contains information on proper measurement and fit, as well as a worksheet that an officer can use to perform an assessment of his/her body armor fit. This standard increases consistency in how measurements are taken by providing guidance to help officers and agencies properly fit ballistic-resistant body armor and stab-resistant body armor covering the torso.