Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley recently announced that his office has authored urgency legislation which would reinstate California’s law banning possession of body armor by violent felons.
The 2nd District Court of Appeals recently overturned the ban, saying it was unconstitutional because the definition of body armor was too vague.
Cooley claimed that his proposed legislation provides a straightforward, common sense definition of “body armor” as “a bulletproof vest, meaning any bulletproof material intended to provide ballistic and trauma protection for the wearer.”
The California Peace Officers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California Narcotic Officers’ Association, Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association, California Correctional Supervisors Organization, California Association of Code Enforcement Officers and the Los Angeles Police Protective League have joined the legislative effort as co-sponsors.
Legislative Advocate John Lovell, who represents a number of law enforcement agencies, praised Cooley’s solution as “innovative and resourceful.” More law enforcement organizations also are expected to join as co-sponsors.
“This is too important an issue to let it wind through the appellate process when there is a straightforward legislative solution readily available,” Cooley said.