DuPont Protection Technologies submitted testimony to Congress supporting the renewal of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act (BVPA) grant program for law enforcement agencies, the company announced.

The testimoney was submitted to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering the renewal of the grant program.

Law enforcement officers who don't routinely wear body armor risk fatal injury at a rate 14 times higher than officers who do. Also, more than a third of the nation's police officers go to work unprotected according to DuPont.

"The only way to ensure increased wear rates and reduce injury and death is for all police agencies to have a mandatory vest-wear policy for active duty street officers tailored to meet the needs of their respective department,” Jeff G. Fackler, DuPont's North American business segment leader, wrote in the testimony. "We are making progress. Wear rates have climbed to almost 60%."

DuPont is also focusing on the need for better fit and measurement as a way to make vests more comfortable for men and women. More comfort hopefully will lead to higher use rates. DuPont manufactures Kevlar fiber, which is sold to body armor manufacturers.