In a significant leap forward for law enforcement safety, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has released the eagerly awaited NIJ 0101.07 and NIJ 0123.00 standards—the first update since 2008. These body armor standards serve as a crucial response to evolving threats faced by law enforcement personnel.
The updates bring a paradigm shift, with a focus on bolstering ballistic resistance. Notable improvements include enhanced testing protocols for women’s armor, rigorous evaluations of soft armor panels, revised assessments for hard-armor plates, and references to standardised methods, ensuring a higher level of protection.
The NIJ Certification Testing Program (CTP) anticipates maintaining the NIJ 0101.06 Compliant Products List (CPL) through at least the end of 2027. Should the need arise, support may be extended beyond this period. However, the NIJ CTP will cease accepting applications for new body armor models compliant with NIJ Standard 0101.06 on January 5, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. All armor models listed on the “06” CPL will undergo Follow-up Inspection Testing for as long as the list is published.
Excitingly, the NIJ CTP will begin accepting applications for new body armor models compliant with NIJ Standard 0101.07 in 2024. A guided tour of the Testing Information Management System (TIMS) will be offered through an informational online webinar before the system opens for registration.
Moreover, the NIJ CTP plans to allow registered commercial entities to submit new body armor models for testing in mid-April 2024. The certification process is expected to take several months, with the subsequent publication of a new CPL for armor models compliant with NIJ Standard 0101.07.
To delve deeper into these standards, access the official documents for NIJ Standard 0101.07 and NIJ Standard 0123.00.
In addition, NIJ will conduct a workshop on February 15, 2024, offering valuable insights for body armor manufacturers interested in participating in the NIJ Compliance Testing Program.
