by the Editor, OSA Observer (9.19.2024)
After reading and watching videos about the two assassination attempts on the former President of the United States Donald Trump, I can’t help but ask a simple question (that I hope is an ignorant one for anyone in the security industry reading this rather than a question that exposes holes in security capabilities of the Secret Service) is why are the Secret Service apparently protecting Trump with only their bodies and guns without any prepositioned or mobile shielding (aside from their own body armor)?
What am I talking about? I am specifically asking why the Secret Service doesn’t have any level IV shields deployed in protecting Trump. Level IV plate armor is rated to defeat most conventional/common rifle rounds, including the .223/5.56 and the 7.62×39. Here is an example of level IV shield from one of many companies making them:
Why wouldn’t the Secret Service team have deployed four or so of these on stages where Trump speaks? If you have an active shooter pouring .223/5.56 or other conventional rifle rounds down range quickly would you rather a human body stop these rounds from hitting presidential candidate Trump or a shield? The shield will almost every time (up to a certain amount) defeat the rounds, whereas with the human body there is no such guarantee.
The shields above are 29lbs in weight which is not a problem for a fit, male Secret Service agent to hold up for a few minutes when it is needed.
Being a civilian and having no experience in the security industry, I’m sure there is a good reason why these aren’t used, but I haven’t come across that reason yet. To me, they seem like a common sense tool to be used in an active shooter situation and in defense against rifle rounds coming down range at you. I’ve seen them used by swat teams in active shooter situations, and I’m wondering why they aren’t used to protect Trump. Imagine if just four of the agents below had these shields. They would nearly cover Trump from 360 degrees around while they got him to an armored car and to safety. Instead, they had human heads, hands, arms and in the case of the short woman, almost no protection against Trump’s head when they were taking him back to the convoy.
Photo captured by Gene J Puskar/AP
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