From: JaxInCalifornia@aol.com
Date: Wed Mar 27 2002 - 09:10:55 PST
Fair warning, just a dumb cop story, no MV content!
Just about the time law enforcement was beginning to get these new Kevlar vests we had a funny situation happen.
We were advised that at least two and possibly 3 prison escapees from Arizona were possibly headed our way. Several days after the BOLO we were tipped they were inside the top floor apartment of an old, dilapidated apartment complex in a rough part of town. Two had been convicted of homicide and so it was assumed this would be a difficult arrest.
To make matters worse from a tactical standpoint, they were in a corner unit with windows to the street and parking lot. The only access to that apartment was up a long, narrow flight of stairs inside a hallway less than 6 feet wide. There was no back door.
First, cops don't like entering long flights of stairs for any reason. They have died doing that because there is no where to take cover should a gunfight breakout. Still fresh in my mind was this training movie depicting two California detectives that died serving an arrest warrant under similar circumstances...but, in a tactical briefing it was finally decided that we ought to risk going up anyway.
#1. Surprise would be to our advantage and #2. The Dept. had just obtain some surplus military "bullet proof" vests, the raid team would have some good protection. That was a deciding factor I think.
The first part of the plan was to evacuate the building covertly, a cop would pose as a TV cable repair guy (should he be spotted by an escapee). He would go door to door until everyone was out except of course our target unit. This part went amazingly well. A good sign.
Next came the raid.
I returned to our command point and prepared for part 2, the take down. The vests felt pretty comforting to a guy who had never been privileged to such safety equipment before. I can't speak for the other cops, but I felt fairly invincible, protected by the vest and armed with a .12 gauge pump shotgun.
Despite some tense moments going up the stairs we made it to the landing and in another 30 seconds it was all over. It all went down just like it was supposed too! Only two were inside, they were unarmed and surrended peacefully when confronted. Nobody hurt, a piece of cake, as they say.
Now the funny part.
It was not until some months later when we received our first kevlar vests designed for law enforcement that we learned the "surplus vests" had apparently degraded with time and poor storage, as they were incapable of meeting even their minimum standards. After I got my new vest, we tested one on the range, in fact it was the one I was wearing in the raid. To my total amazement, .38 special slugs went right thru the old vest. The 12 ga. .00 at close range blew holes thru it too. No doubt, I had one of those "deer in the headlights" looks when I retrieved my bullet riddled vest for inspection. lol Talk about a sick feeling....
Oh, well. All's well that ends well!
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