Saving the lives of first responders

(FOX 11) - An Ontario company is saving the lives of law enforcement across Southern California.

It's a basic part of the police uniform, the 'bullet proof vest', though it's not really bullet proof, it's bullet ''resistant.' I visited with a Palm Springs Police Officer who owes his life in part to the fact that he was wearing his vest when he was shot by a suspect a vest made by a Southern California company called Safariland.

A visit to their massive facility on Ontario was really fascinating, they specialize in gear that protects law enforcement, and they take their work very seriously. We watched them test fire bullets point blank into vests, working on making them stronger, yet lighter and more wearable.

In fact, at the company, they ring a bell and have a brief ceremony every an officer joins their 'saves' club.

Unfortunately that number is over 2000 now, or maybe we should say 'fortunately' because without a protective vest those officers might have been fatally wounded.

It's a dangerous time to be a cop these days, perhaps more than ever before, at least tweleve I can find have died as a result of gunfire already in 2018, so this is a chance to focus on how to saves cops lives.. lives they put on the line every day as part of their job.