By Gary McLaughlin, PCI #005T
IPMBA Industry Liaison
Sacramento Police Department (CA)

SIXSIXONE is a leading manufacturer of moto-cross and mountain biking gear, including downhill body armor. You may be wondering why we would evaluate downhill equipment for bicycle officers; here's why. As society becomes more vocal and violent, it is becoming increasingly necessary for bike officers to wear protective gear similar to that of a foot soldier in the heat of battle! While involved in public demonstrations, like those held during the WTO in Seattle, the DNC in L.A., and the USDA Summit in Sacramento, bicycle officers discovered that they needed more sophisticated protection. Subsequently, bike officers began donning riot gear. In Sacramento, we realized that the riot equipment made available to the foot troops would not fit the needs of the bicycle officers; therefore, members of the Sacramento Bicycle Unit contacted SIXSIXONE. We purchased pressure suits and knee and shin guards for all bike officers.

A pressure suit has many qualities that are needed for protection from demonstrators: injected molded plastic shoulder cups, high-density impact pads for the forearms, chest protectors, and an articulated rear-injected molded spinal column. This is all held together by a comfortable body suit, made from a perforated EVA foam underlayer and breathable mesh. There are adjustable velcro straps for the shoulders, forearm, and chest protectors that can be trimmed to a custom fit. The suit also features "impact-zone" protection areas for the chest, shoulder, elbow, and upper arm; and a removeable hard plastic breast plate. This equipment provided the bicycle officers with the same protection afforded to the foot soldier. And because it is designed specifically for cyclists, the members of the bike team were able to ride, run, and apprehend violent protestors without experiencing any discomfort. They also sustained fewer injuries to their knees and elbows as the result of making arrests.

SIXSIXONE comes highly recommended as the uniform of the day during periods of civil unrest. The Sacramento Police Department knew that the battle was won when the bicycle officers rode their bikes to a demonstration in their SIXSIXONE pressure suits and all the demonstrators started humming the Star Wars Storm Trooper theme song!

Contact Daniel Burt at 661-257-2756 or danielb@sixsixone.com, and visit www.sixsixone.com for more information.

Gary McLaughlin is an officer with the Sacramento Police Department and one of the founders of IPMBA's Survival Tactics and Riding Skills Course. He is currently serving as industry liaison on the IPMBA Board of Directors. He can be reached at garymcbike255@aol.com.

© 2005 IPMBA. This review appeared in the Winter 2005 issue of IPMBA News.