Local contractors and glaziers faced with their first police station job can feel a bit overwhelmed. There’s a lot to get your head around–“UL ratings,” new materials, specialized hinges and doors, and the added stress of a high-profile job where lives may someday depend on the quality of your craftsmanship.
Total Security Solutions vice president Jim Richards warns: “Police chiefs can be pretty picky. They have an eye for what they want, since they’re charged with a lot of responsibilities, and they’re going to be right there, looking at that system every day.”
Law enforcement agencies are excellent clients in these projects, because they have a much greater familiarity with both the threats and responses. However, they also demand a level of competence and confidence above and beyond what a gas station or liquor store owner expects.
Partnering with an established bullet proof company allows you to offer the highest quality design and fabrication, and thus focus on showcasing your company strengths: Seamless installation, perfect fit and finish, and excellent on-site client service.
An Introduction to Police Station Bullet Proof Systems
Police station bullet proof systems usually focus on securing the front lobby, so that it can function as a bullet-proof checkpoint: People enter the police station and approach ballistic transaction windows, where they can conduct their business or get buzzed through into the secure area beyond.
Although the transaction window itself is the most obvious portion of the system, the buzz-through door is also bullet resistant (as is its frame). The surrounding walls are often reinforced with 1/2-inch bullet resistant fiberglass. Many stations also include a bulk package passer, so that the desk sergeant can accept deliveries safely.
For the most part, police station bullet proof systems are built using Level 3 materials (these stop at least three shots from a .44 Magnum). If exterior windows need to be secured, these will generally be done with heavier Level 4 glass-clad polycarbonate (which is able to stop not only conventional sidearm fire, but also a shot from a high-powered rifle).
Police Station Bullet Proof System Experts
When you partner with an experienced bullet proof company, they work with you and the client, handling all aspects of the design, engineering, and fabrication process.
If the police station is small and sturdy, the entire system may be as simple as a bullet proof door and a single-piece drop-in transaction window with built-in counter, deal tray, and intercom. In larger, busier facilities the bullet proof systems might include several transaction windows, multiple doors, large bullet proof window walls, and dozens of sheets of fiberglass.
In any case, the bullet proof company designs and crafts a UL-rated system, and ships it to you on pallets, ready to install. They’re available to guide you through the installation process, and also to help clear up any snags that may arise with paperwork, approval drawings, and so on.
Over the last several years, Total Security Solutions has completed hundreds of police station bullet proof systems throughout the North America. Their online Bullet Proof Resource Center offers a variety of ebooks, whitepapers, checklists, tip sheets, and videos to bring you up to speed on ballistic system installation.
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