VANCOUVER, B.C. — Harding Tactical Systems Inc. (HTC) of Vancouver, BC has announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with the American Correctional Officer (ACO) and the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network (ACOIN) to supply the HTS Trauma Shield to officers publicly employed at correctional facilities in the United States.“All of us at ACO and ACOIN are committed to creating a safer working environment for corrections officers. We believe that the Harding Tactical suit offers superior protection against the everyday injuries and attacks sustained almost daily by officers. We will be recommending its use to all of our members,” said Vito Dagnello, President of the ACO association.
According to HTS the Trauma Shield reduces delayed muscle soreness, keeps muscles in line and at optimum position to reduce muscle and ligament strain, expedites musculoskeletal recovery from sustained impact series and reduces impact-induced muscle vibration.
“Our mandate, at this point, is to ensure that the HTS 5 protects every serving corrections officer against assault in the workplace. To that end, Harding Tactical Systems is extremely proud to work with and be associated with the ACO and ACOIN,” said Paul Mann, President of Harding Tactical Systems Inc.
The Trauma Shield is made with Coolmax Extreme thermal high performance fabric and features state-of-the-art moisture and body temperature regulation with added microbial and antibacterial properties. It has been tested to protect the wearer from an impact of 125 pounds of kinetic energy. The shields are worn underneath correctional officers uniforms and are made to be more versatile than previous products worn by officers.
“The advantage is it’s on all the time so you’re always prepared,” said Mann.
The full body shield is equipped with a total of 23 removable impact management plates positioned to protect key areas of the body including but not limited to, chest, back and kidneys, tailbone and hip.
The shields are designed differently for males and females. The chest plates and pants are gender specific to accommodate the needs of each officer. They come in sizes small up to extra-large and will cost $1,200 for the full pant and jacket shield.
“The sooner we get this product into the hands of our officers the sooner we will see a reduction in workplace injuries. After wearing the Harding suit myself, I can attest to its potential to prevent the kinds of blunt trauma injuries currently sustained by so many of our serving officers,” said Brian Dawe, Executive Director of ACO.
The Trauma Shields will be sent out in the first quarter of 2012 according to Mann. The shields will be sent for evaluations by seven correctional facilities both in Canada and the United States. The evaluations will be based upon comfort and safety. Mann says the extraction teams will benefit largely from the shield, as it will allow them to be mobile while still being protected from blunt force attacks.
“The dangerous conditions that exist for serving members in today’s correctional facilities would be unacceptable in almost all other professions. Having witnessed firsthand the dangers that corrections officers face in a constantly aggressive and challenging workplace, I was shocked that corrections officers are not better protected,” said Mann.