In a demonstration of benevolent support for the mission and protection of officers in the Hanover Police Department, private citizen David Ladd of Hanover, Massachusetts, recently purchased six RTS Tactical Level III+ Rifle Special Threats Mini Shields and donated them to the HPD.
As law enforcement officers know, engaging violent actors bearing special-threat arms such as common .223/5.56, 7.62×39, and 7.62×51 caliber rifles can happen anywhere — from small towns and rural communities to larger cities. Unfortunately, agencies and departments long stressed to acquire personal protection equipment funding are not always able to provide their officers with the best tools for the job. In an active shooter response, for instance, advanced ballistic shielding can be the difference between quickly neutralizing a public threat or expanding the crisis and the potential for casualties.
When local businesses, civic organizations, or private citizens like David Ladd step into the gap, they exhibit the purest form of empowerment-through-action by directly supporting those who serve and protect.
“Today, the Hanover Police Department received six RTS Tactical Mini Shields thanks to the generous donation by Hanover resident David Ladd. These shields will be deployed in all frontline cruisers once officers receive training,” the department noted on social media.
Ladd, a former chief paramedic in Boston, chose the RTS Tactical Mini Shield following extensive online research of ballistic shields for law enforcement personnel. His goal was to find shields with the proper ballistic rating that were also small enough and light enough that each officer could have one and would be more likely to use them. His hope is that these shields become standard issue for Massachusetts police officers, with one in every cruiser.
Hanover Police Department Lieutenant David Zemotel commented, “Rifle rated and weighing only 11 pounds, the RTS Tactical Mini Shield is an absolute no-brainer! Our primary use for the Mini Shield will be on patrol.”
Zemotel continued that this “pushed the first domino” toward getting all departments this type of vital equipment, and the goal is to get shields in all patrol vehicles as well as to initiate training in their use.
David Ladd’s contribution to the Hanover Police Department is a standout example of how citizens and civic organizations can work to directly support their community’s essential first responders — including police officers, school resource officers, private and volunteer security personnel charged with protecting, for example, church congregations, and more.
To learn more about the RTS Tactical Level III+ Rifle Special Threats Mini Shield and other armor systems and tactical gear designed for law enforcement, military, and private security, please visit RTSTactical.com.
About RTS Tactical
RTS Tactical’s mission is to empower heroes on the front lines and provide the highest level of solutions to men and women in uniform. RTS Tactical was created to bring the highest quality body armor and tactical gear to the market by controlling all aspects of design and production. Their products are manufactured using state-of-the-art materials and technologies combined with exhaustive testing to ensure efficiency, mobility, and effectiveness for defense professionals charged with handling the most challenging situations and threats.
