AST Digital Magazine August 2017 Digital-Aug | Page 25

Volume 15 August 2017 Edition fall on the NIJ’s scale matters less than what it stops. In this case, Level III armor plates only stops the M7.62×51 ballistic commonly fired by an AK-47. It does not, however, stop the more common threat to NYSP: the (5.56 X 45) 62gr. Green tip M855 or (5.56 X 45) 55gr. M193 often fired from AR-15. The AR-15 assault rifle is inexpensive and down- right common. According to the NRA, there are over 30 million AR-15s in the U.S. alone. (Buffalo Armory’s Star 555 Hard Armor is NIJ III Certified & Able to Stop Multi Hits From M80, M855 Green Tips. Cour- tesy of Buffalo Armor and YouTube) It is unacceptable that any police officer in New York or elsewhere leaves for work without be- ing adequately protected from threats that might prevent them from returning home at the end of the day. We owe it to the men and women in blue who risk their lives daily to make our State safe. A loaded AR-15 assault rifle recently recovered by CBP agents stashed in a vehicle’s rear cargo area. The round itself is also inexpensive; readily avail- able at your local hunting supply store. Scott Sulzbach is the Director of Global Sales and Marketing at Buffalo Armory, an innovative armor manufacturer based in Buffalo NY. A U.S. Marine veteran, Sulzbach has spent over 20 years working in senior-level sales and market- ing positions for global and national companies, including PepsiCo and Corsair. It’s no wonder why the round is one of the most commonly confiscated in the state. Despite its prevalence, the armor purchased by the NYSP will not protect a single officer from a single bullet fired from an AR-15. New York State Police officers remain vulnerable to the military-grade weapon most common in their state. Would you like to advertise in our next digital magazine addition? Contact our lead Ad rep at [email protected] or call 646.450.6027 25