This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Our nation's police force has a history of over 350 years. Since then, they have sworn to put their life on the line for the safety of Americans. They have made a choice to come face to face with danger, the least we can do is give them the protection they deserve.
In 1899, the first official police vehicle is put into service. It was a completely open wagon, providing no protection from an onslaught of bullets. However, year after year, police vehicles have advanced to protect our officers: buffed up paneling, reinforced bumper guards, bigger engines etc. With all of this upgraded equipment, they seem to forget one important detail, the windows.
Costs for bullet-proofing a car can be expensive, but there is a local Utah company that says they can do it for an estimated cost of $13,000 to $18,000. The recent Utah case with Sgt. Cory Wride, who was shot and killed when a bullet pierced his window and impacted him, demonstrates the need for this important upgrade.
Sgt. Wride, is just one of many officers whose lives have ended due to an automobile shootout. Currently there is no state that offers bulletproof windows for all of its police vehicles. Too many officers are losing their lives because of this fact. I think Utah should lead out on this important issue and require its police vehicles to have bulletproof glass.
Zach Straw
Orem