As of October 2016, criminal justice personnel have available a simpler way of double-checking to determine whether a particular body armor model complies with the minimum standards set through NIJ testing. As the NIJ Compliant Testing Program (CTP) phases out, the compliance statement currently used will be replaced with the new, simpler, more recognizable NIJ Mark of Compliance. Registering the Mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office establishes rights that provide certain legal protections against misuse by manufacturers. The NIJ Mark indicates that the ballistic-resistant body armor model to which it has been applied has been determined by the NIJ CTP to be compliant with the current version of the NIJ ballistic-resistant body armor standard. By placing the NIJ Mark on the armor, a manufacturer declares that the armor was both constructed in the same manner as the original test items evaluated by the NIJ CTP and assembled under the NIJ CTP's surveillance program that periodically inspects and tests production samples. Manufacturers must complete legal agreements and have draft labels approved for production before they begin placing the NIJ Mark on production units. It is likely that by early 2017 all newly produced compliant armors will carry the NIJ Mark.
Registered NIJ Mark Indicates Compliance With Program Standards
NCJ Number
250296
Journal
Techbeat Dated: October 2016 Pages: 14-16
Date Published
October 2016
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the features and benefits of the registered National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Mark, which signifies that the equipment to which it has been applied has been determined by NIJ to be compliant with NIJ's minimum standards for its use.
Abstract
Date Published: October 1, 2016