Body armor

Director David B. Muhlhausen

Protecting law enforcement officers is one of the U.S. Department of Justice’s top priorities, and NIJ is committed to funding research that increases officer safety.

David Muhlhausen, Director

Message from NIJ Director John H. Laub in response to the report Strengthening the National Institute of Justice by the Committee on Assessing the Research Program of the National Institute of Justice at the National Research Council.

In our personal lives, most of us do some research before we buy a new tool or piece of equipment. We want to make sure that what we buy works as it is supposed to and that we get our money’s worth. When criminal justice agencies purchase equipment, the stakes are higher. Equipment is costly, budgets are tight, and most importantly the lives of officers and the public often depend on that equipment functioning as promised.