Schutzgebühr: 7,50 E Im Einsatz – im Thema. 2017/ 2 POLIZEI

Reine Kopfsache – Sicher durchdacht.

Weniger Kameras – Coast HP7R – mehr Sicherheit die leuchtet ein The next generation anti-riot helmets will be WEAPON AND EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY bulletproof

Ulbrichts Protection has developed a hel­ into the Schanzenviertel for the operational information on the Internet about the weak Large viewing area met that provides police officers with “all- groups and the riot police. In the days fol- points of the protective equipment worn even with a round protection” in violent and escalating lowing these events, Hamburg’s Senator of by the police in order to cause the greatest closed visor. situations and for the first time provides the Interior spoke of an “armed ambush” possible damage to humans and material. effective protection against handguns. into which the police were to be lured. The Weapons can now be acquired by almost an- The “Optio”, the project name for the new events during the G20 summit in Hamburg yone on the Darknet. In this regard, the 2016 development, is a lightweight titanium have brought to light a new dimension­ of Report on the Protection of the Constitution helmet. The Optio’s helmet-mask combi­ violence, but the security community had published by Germany’s Federal Ministry of nation with visor and neck guard sets it long since been warning of this develop- the Interior came to a clear conclusion: “The apart from the helmet designs of other ment. number of violent extremists in Germany has manufacturers by incorporating a bal­ listic protection component. At the same time, however, the new Ulbrichts helmet is much lighter than the Zenturio titanium helmet series used by special units and Picture: Fotolia special deployment commandos and the Hoplit worn by patrolmen which are also Respect for both policemen and policewo- risen significantly in the past year.” But the offered by Ulbrichts. Despite its titanium men is declining. They are insulted, spat at, risk comes not only from the left-wing Auto- cap, the Optio’s weight should be compa­ harassed and mobbed. The contempt and nome radicals. The spectrum of violent circles rable to the current helmets made of syn­ aggressiveness that the forces face, even ranges from right-wing terrorists through the thetic materials. The new development when carrying out their simple official duties, so-called Reichsbürger or reich citizens, who is therefore starting to vindicate the next has increased noticeably in recent years. hark back to the Weimar Republic and reject generation of helmets. For the first time, Statistics and operational reports show an the legitimacy of the German Federal Repub- basic ballistic protection will be availab­ increase in attacks. Major events such as lic, to family clans and Salafists. le for operational readiness groups and demonstrations, football matches and police other police units. raids have always been associated with a special risk for the emer- gency services. Violent Pictures: Ulbrichts offenders exchange The use of firearms cannot be ruled out During the night of 7-8 July 2017, a police tion worn by police forces across the country operation took place in Hamburg’s Schan- has not been designed to withstand shots zenviertel which was “noteworthy” in from firearms. This also applies to the perso- several respects. Violent radicals nal helmets which are made available to ­every known as Autonome engaged in policeman on an individual basis in many fe- Protection has to keep up with fierce street battles with the police are running amok, as well as in other firearm- deral states. The technical requirements for threats for hours. In the evening, the situation related offenses, and intervene without delay. such helmets are described in the Technical on Schulterblatt Street deteriorated shar- Against this background, proven security con- The disco shootout in Konstanz at the end of Guideline (TG) for a modular system con- ply. The police in the operational readiness­ cepts and the components of the past can no July, during which a policeman only survived sisting of a hard hat, headset and breathing groups and the riot police came under mas- longer be used as before and are increasingly thanks to his Ulbrichts titanium helmet, shows mask. Ballistic protection is not provided for sive attack from stones, bottles, firebombs, being called into question. This also applies that operational tactics and protective equip- these helmets, which are also used by the fireworks, flares and catapults. Several The helmet shell has to passive protective equipment, with head ment must go hand in hand. The Austrian riot police. A 9 x 19mm Parabellum projectile shops were looted. Camera footage from an optimised form for protection taking on particular importance. company’s Hoplit titanium helmet concept has from a handgun rips through today’s helmets. a police helicopter shows that numerous low weight and high Ballistic helmets have been part of the per- convinced clients in this area in recent years The fact that a ballistic protection component violent criminals had gathered on a scaffold protection sonal equipment of special deployment com- (see Polizeipraxis [Police Practice] 2016/1). has not been provided across the country up and the roof of a building and prepared for mandos for decades. Against the backdrop of Around 90 percent of the helmets procured in to now is also probably due to the previous the intervention of the police. Paving stones the threat posed by international terrorism and recent months are made by the titanium hel- technical possibilities. The weight of ballistic and Molotov cocktails had been prepared adapted operational concepts, the majority of met experts in Schwanenstadt. helmets meant they were too heavy to be for the attack. Police commanders also Germany’s federal states have now improved worn for the long times necessary during feared that violent criminals might have fire- the protective equipment of their patrolmen. such operations. In this respect, the concept Lack of ballistic helmets arms. There was a risk to the lives of the As first responders, officers are now usually presented is a real novelty both in terms of the police. Only special task forces (German provided with two ballistic helmets per patrol While on patrol duty, more and more German level of protection provided and the technical special units and even the Austrian COB- vehicle. Patrol crews therefore have protec- federal states have access to ballistic helmets implementation. In addition, the Optio could RA) were eventually able to open up a way tion in terrorist situations and when people in an emergency, but so far, the head protec- redefine the currently available state of the art. POLIZEI 218 PRAXIS 19 WEAPON AND EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY

Helmet shell:

Lightweight, stable and durable titanium construction Weight approx. 2.0 kg (with impact ­violence during major incidents and large- was deliberately chosen which allows protection visor and stab resistant Ballistic protection: alarmism or scale protests. It had to be accepted that for multipurpose use according to re- neck guard) real danger in major situations? not only individual rioters were armed with quirements. The innovation lies in the Unisize cap for head sizes from 48 to The fact that not only stones, firecrackers and firearms. It is now no longer a secret that construction method. In contrast to the 62 cm with quick-size system for rapid bottles fly through the air during demonstra- the operational planning for the G7 summit construction of current helmets, in which size adjustment (interior or exterior tions became clear at the end of the 1980s. in Hamburg included simultaneous terrorist aramid layers are impregnated with re- ­version) enables real pool solution; further cap sizes are available at the At that time, a member of a militant group attacks in several places. Wherever violence sin and melded together by heat and customer’s request shot dead two officers of the Hessian Riot becomes more and more unpredictable, pressure, the Optio’s dome is formed Police in a demonstration against the West police forces can be targeted, and suppo- by deep-drawing a titanium sheet. This Colour finish according to customer Runway at Frankfurt Airport. In the dusk, the sedly harmless situations can escalate at the is where the decades of experience at requirements perpetrator had targeted the white helmets speed of lightning, so their passive protective Ulbrichts Protection in the manufacture of the advancing police forces. However, equipment must keep pace. of ballistic protective helmets made of Visor: despite some past incidents involving riot different metals comes into play. It allows police, the projectile threat has been seen as the Austrian manufacturer to produce a The first of its kind Impact protection visor (equipped with unlikely. novel titanium construction with redu- anti-fog) or different ballistic visor types The new development by Ulbrichts Pro- ced wall thickness and thereby achie- as options This is changing rapidly due to the increasing tection goes under the project name ve effective ballistic protection against Special visor adapter for quick visor violence of individual perpetrators and orga- of “Optio”. Visually, the new helmet of projectiles from handguns. The ballistic change nised groups. The G20 summit in Hamburg the Austrians is barely distinguishable protection was tested in accordance is certainly the latest example of escalating from current helmets. A helmet design with the VPAM (Association of Test Neck guard:

Neck guard (stab resistant and pro- Mask: tection against incendiary devices and chemicals) Mask locks for connecting the police standard breathing mask as a helmet- Ballistic neck guard (optional) Ulbrichts OPTIO mask combination The Ulbrichts helmet is based Transparent chin strap in accordance Headset: on modules. The helmet’s essential with the TG “helmet-mask-combination“ details are given here. (optional) Compatible with current headsets

All Pictures: Ulbrichts

420 215 WEAPON AND EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY

The “OPTIO” offers effective protection against: Handguns Firebombs, fireworks and flares/­ (VPAM HVN 2009, Test Level VPAM 2) pyrotechnic articles Blows and impacts Chemicals Stabbing Fire/flammable liquids Projectiles (bottles, stones) Projectiles from catapults

Zenturio Special Forces Hybrid Helmet (Titanium- Aramid) (Special Deployment Commandos, GSG9 [Border Protection Group 9]) is the for a balanced protective performance. As Background flagship of ULBRICHTS Protection. this edition was going to press (August), the new Ulbrichts helmet had already passed One helmet, two Technical various tests set out in the technical gui- ­Guidelines “All-round protection” delines for helmets and ballistic helmets at needs ballistic protection official test centres. For historical reasons, the Technical As already mentioned, the generations of Guidelines (TG) currently in force helmets currently in use are ineffective in are based on separate areas of res- protecting against projectiles. When asses- The Bottom Line ponsibility within the police. Since a sing the ballistic protective effect, in addi- ballistic protection had not been en- tion to the stopping effect, the avoidance With the development of a ballistic hel- visaged for riot police, the relevant of a lethal “trauma effect” is particularly im- met, Ulbrichts Protection is making an TG makes no corresponding requi- portant. Even if a projectile is stopped on offer to the police of the federal states rement for a modular system with impact, the residual energy transmitted can as well as to the federal government a protective helmet, headset and Hoplit F cause serious or fatal head injuries caused that does not yet exist on the market in breathing mask (February 2011). The “First Response Helmet” provides pa- trol officers with the same level of protection by the dynamic inward deformation of the this form. The “Optio” provides the level­ The focus here is on resistance to previously reserved for Special Deployment helmet shell (see Polizeipraxis 2016/2). of protection required today as new knocks, blows and stabs, as well as Commandos. In the “F” for “flat” or “fit” mo- Experts have therefore set a maximum ­threats emerge and therefore meets the to missiles, incendiary devices and del, the helmet fits closely around the ears. residual energy value of 25 joules which reality of deploying riot police (see G20 chemicals. It follows that for a new must not be exceeded. The “trauma effect” summit). helmet such as the one just deve- phenomenon occurs in many helmet const- loped by Ulbrichts Protection, not ructions made of polyethylene or aramid, as At the same time, the pioneering spi- one, but two TGs currently serve used in the military field. All pictures: UIbrichts rit of the traditional Austrian company as a measure of performance. The proves that technical innovations can required ballistic protection is laid ­Laboratories for Bullet Resistant Materials Titanium helmets have therefore been ad- In order to achieve “all-round protection” further improve head protection for down in the TG “Overall System for and Constructions) HVN 2009 (helmet with opted by special deployment commandos against today’s threats, the next generation police officers. The youngest member Ballistic Helmets” (May 2010), but visor and neck guard) using VPAM Test and, most recently, patrolmen. The “Optio” of helmets faces the challenge of finding a of the Ulbrichts helmet range will now in addition to dealing with stopping Stage 2 ammunition. At the same time, the is also able to stop a handgun projectile balance between various dangers and chal- have to demonstrate its promising per- bullets and raising the question of weight has been reduced to a level that due to its titanium cap without any great lenges. Ulbrichts relies on its “all-rounder” formance in practice. How long police the residual energy, this TG also de- makes the helmet ready to wear. At about deformation inwards. This also applies to forces will have to go without ballistic scribes the helmet’s shock absorp- 2.0 kilograms (including impact protection the zone at the edge of the helmet. As protection in Germany is therefore no tion and behaviour under chemical Hoplit C visor and a stab-resistant neck guard), the a result, the new helmet also meets longer a question of the fact that there is attack and when burning. This Hoplit variant has a form around ears helmet’s weight corresponds to that of the the internationally leading VPAM no suitable product. Here at Polizeipra- with the use of encapsulated hearing pro- helmets currently in use. Test Guideline HVN 2009, xis the “Optio” gave the impression that Whether the police service descrip- tection or a communication system. in which, among it was very well thought out and mature tions in the future will be a combi- In addition, Ulbrichts Protection has incorpo- other things, the product. nation of both TRs taken together rated some very useful refinements. The in- test proce- remains to be seen. Perhaps a new ner helmet is infinitely adjustable in size. The dure for de- The purchasing offices will also certainly TG could also be created. In this well-known quick-size system with an ex- termining the study the new helmet. As a technical regard, reference should be made ternal knob which is used on the “Zenturio” residual energy competence centre and neutral body to the role and importance of the and “Hoplit” is also available on the “Optio”. values is precisely with regard to policy, the Polizeitechni- Police Technical Institute (PTI) at the The helmet can be perfectly adjusted within defined. sche Institut (Police Technical Institute – German Police College in Münster, a few seconds to the size of the wearer’s PTI) can bring to bear its newly created which brought together the require- head. Because of this product feature, Ul- capability. The further improvement of ments placed on the German police brichts helmets have repeatedly received top police protection equipment in Ger­ to create today’s TG. As a result, marks for wearing comfort during the last 18 many also requires a dialogue between the world’s most modern and most Hoplit J months. Alternatively, an internal adjusting police, the states’ ministries of the in- comprehensive catalogs of require- The lightest model in the Ballistic Hoplit ran- wheel is available. The construction of the First helmet with ballistic terior and not least the manufacturers. ments for the protective equipment ­protection component for ge (recessed ear area) has been specially interior also provides for improved ventilation ­operational ­readiness and Polizeipraxis [Police Practice] will conti- of police officers were developed. designed for abseiling from helicopters or and therefore also makes for a cool head – the riot police. nue to pursue the debate. parachute jumps and other highly dynamic a product feature that is likely to find favour situations. with the emergency services. R. K. POLIZEI 622 PRAXIS 23