By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and the Sequim Police Department were sold body armor that was misrepresented as meeting National Institute of Justice (NIJ) body armor performance standards.

Both agencies join a massive list of US law enforcement, including federal agencies like the Dept. of Justice and the ATF, who were bilked by sellers who claimed their products were made in America and met US standards for protection, when they were actually made in China, often with inferior materials.

In the case of Clallam County and Sequim, both purchased body armor, or ballistic plates, from the company Shot Stop. According to Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill, the plates are worn over the soft body armor that all officers wear as part of their daily uniform, and is typically used in high risk incidents.

Both received notices from the Office of Homeland Security that the products they purchased may not meet the stated National Institute of Justice body armor performance standards. The notice said that in light of an ongoing investigation of Shot Stop Ballistics, they were recommending that law enforcement agencies immediately discontinue the use of ballistic plates purchased from Shot Stop Ballistics after 2018.

Sheriff Brian King told KONP they purchased Shot Stop plates last year, saying the products “were purported to meet NIJ body armor performance standards (i.e..they will stop bullets as advertised). We did some testing on plates and found that they were performing as advertised, however it cannot be determined what plates may meet NIJ standards and what plates won’t as our information suggests shipment lots were contaminated with counterfeit plates. We have since ordered new plates which NIJ has confirmed meet performance standards. Many other Washington State agencies have fallen victim to the Shot Stop plate investigation.” 

King said he hoping to be reimbursed for the recalled products at a later date.

Chief Mike Hill told KONP, “We have recalled all of the Shot Stop ballistic plates from our officers and ordered new ones from a different manufacturer that have been vetted by NIJ and are currently listed on the NIJ Compliant list.”

(Photo: Shot Stop armor)