Officer Injury Prompts Calif. City to Add Ballistic Doors

The City of Sacramento, Calif., patrol cars will soon have ballistic doors, with the city council voting to approve more than $440,000 to buy the ballistic panels, CBS Sacramento reported.

The Police Department will purchase Angel Armor Level IIIA ballistic vehicle door panels from ProForce Law Enforcement through a cooperative purchasing agreement with NPPGov, according to city council documents.

During a recent incident, officers were using their vehicles, including the door panels, as shields, and an officer was shot and wounded. This highlighted the need to install ballistic door panels in all patrol cars to improve officer safety.

Immediately after the incident, the PD purchased Ford factory-manufactured ballistic door panels for 27 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles that were scheduled to replace Crown Victoria police cars. Staff later determined that Angel Armor’s door panels were better suited for the PD’s needs, as they are easily transferrable between vehicles. The panels can be installed easily, weigh less than 10 lbs., and are concealable within the car door, city council documents stated.

The PD needs to have 217 patrol vehicles installed with ballistic door panels. Staff will begin installing the panels on the 109 existing Police Interceptor Utility vehicles but will not install them on existing Crown Victorias as a different model panel is required. Instead, the PD will phase in ballistic panels on the replacements as they are ordered. The PD anticipates completing installation of panels in all vehicles within the next two to three years.

Fleet staff will install the panels, which takes 45 minutes, and potentially less time as technicians become accustomed to the process. The cost to install all panels is expected to be $17,900.

Related: NYPD to Spend $1.3M on Ballistic Protection for Vehicles