Deputies Shot and Bulletproof Vest Saves the Day!

This afternoon I was at work in my Seminole Community College office working on Police Academy Instructor evaluations when I got a call from Central Florida News 13 Assistant News Director Rudy Murietta that made my heart stop. Not watching the news or checking online news site, I was unaware that two Orange County deputy sheriffs had been shot not far from Disneyworld. One was shot in the arm and the other was shot in chest.

According to footage shot of Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary at the scene, The deputy sheriff's vest appeared to have saved him. Yay! I was thrilled that the two law enforcers would be fine. And I was thrilled that the bulletproof vest got ample credit for the save and may thus encourage other officers to wear their vests everytime they are in uniform. By the way, the three bad guys were caught.

Central Florida News 13's Rudy Murietta and I discussed coming down to their downtown Orlando, FL, studios to share the miracle of the vests with the station's viewers.

Once down at the studios, I was hosted wonderfully by Rudy and his crew. I met the new news director and then we set about shooting the video package with Brad the camera dude.

Rudy wanted a standup piece on one of their studio sets and we did three takes perfecting a "show and tell" explaining the virtues of the vests to law enforcement officers (thus hopefully encouraging those officers watching to wear their vests).



I conceded that some officers eschew their vests due to them being hot and uncomfortable (especially in the Florida climate). I added though that officers do get used to the vests and they start to form fit after a while. I wore vests in New Mexico in 120 degree heat in the shade. I know first hand how hot they can get and I always wore one.

I explained how I always wore my vest in uniform even as a police chief (to me it was leadership by example). I even wore the same black shirt as the officers and my duty belt with all gear (Glock .45 duty firearm, expandable baton, radio, double magazine pouch for ammo, two handcuffs, and OC pepper spray).

In fact, I mentioned how I arranged a grant to get vests for every officer in my police department and then put into effect a policy that made it mandatory to wear the vest for all on-duty functions except as exempted by the chief of police (undercover narcotics type of work, etc.).

I was proud of that policy and feel that it is even more important in these violent times we live in that officers wear their vest. And I am proud of the deputies today in Central Florida who get to go home to their families because they were responsible enough to wear their vests.

You can view my Central Florida News 13 Bulletproof Vest show and tell below.