Police Praise Use of Kevlar Helmets, Vests After Orlando Shooting

After Orlando Police tweeted a photo of the Kevlar helmet that saved an officer's life in the Pulse nightclub shooting, a department in New Hampshire is weighing in.

"It's unbelievable," said Londonderry Police detective Chris Olson. "It's remarkable."

He's worn a Kevlar helmet before, but it's never been tested quite like this.

"An AR-15 round is a very powerful round, so to see the damage and realize he just suffered a bruise to the forehead," Det. Olson said.

He looked at the photo tweeted out by Orlando Police over the weekend.

He says the regional SWAT team in Londonderry is covered with Kevlar vests as well. And for the men and women who rely on the technology to protect them, Olson says that picture was powerful.

"It can happen anywhere," Olson said Tuesday afternoon. "It's very reassuring knowing that these helmets and the rest of the equipment really work."

Two days after being shot, we're finally getting a look at the injuries Officer Michael Napolitano suffered. In a photo posted by the Facebook group "Sheriffs Deputies," Officer Napolitano is smiling with nothing but a bruise on his forehead.

"It's unbelievable to think that an inch or two lower and it's a completely different story. This helmet did save his life," Olson said.

The Kevlar helmets in Londonderry aren't just for the SWAT team. Detective Olson tells necn a lot of officers keep them right in their cruisers because the first responding officer to any scene must be prepared for everything.

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