As anti-Trump protests have turned into riots across the United States in recent months, US Police are retraining their teams and adopting a more conciliatory approach to crowd control and public order. UK companies report that they are exporting British Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to US police.
Geoff Perrin, a British Public Order & Close Quarter Combat Instructor, based in the US is working training US police and advising on British methods of riot control. And US police are importing British PPE from Derbyshire-based Armadillo and Ludlow-based DMS Protective Equipment for front-line officers.
Geoff Perrin says: “In the UK, officers have a different approach to dealing with people because we don’t rely on firearms, the approach is to treat everybody as an individual. We generally rely on our ability to communicate but when we do have to use force, we use necessary and reasonable force to proportionately deal with individuals as opposed to targeting large groups. This is different to the mass approach which the US has traditionally followed relying on chemical ammunitions and mass arrests.
“We’ve identified and are recommending the best British PPE for these US Police forces. This includes Armadillo’s merino base layers, which are flame resistant to 600 degrees whilst also maintaining core body temperatures whether it’s hot or cold outside. It just gives me that definite reassurance that I’m not going to burn and I suppose my wife’s happy for that! Also, DMS’ Scorpion range of PPE has been proven effective time and again for me personally.”
Armadillo’s next-to-skin merino garments are made from cloth that offers a critical edge in combat and other extreme conditions, the makers say. Unlike oil-based and synthetic garments, Armadillo’s merino does not combust when hit by bullets or shrapnel, and it does not melt onto the skin when exposed to extreme heat or flames.
For US police, Armadillo is supplying 100pc merino balaclavas, long sleeve tops, Long Johns and socks. In fact, US law enforcers policing President Trump’s Inauguration in freezing January temperatures in Washington DC were dressed in Armadillo Merino base layers. Armadillo also supplies its merino ‘Cobra T Shirt’ to NASA astronauts for training on earth and on board the International Space Station (ISS).
DMS Protective Equipment is supplying their UK-manufactured Scorpion brand public order equipment. This includes, limb guards consisting of shoulder, upper and lower arm, groin, upper and lower leg and foot protection as well as gloves, a nylon public order baton with belt-mounted holder and a kitbag. These products have been tested and certified to the latest Home Office standards and have been supplied to police and Prison Services in the UK before being adopted in the US. DMS are supplying Scorpion personal protective clear polycarbonate shields.
