NYPD Officer's Badge Deflects a Knife Thrust

**Buttercup** · 03-02-07, 10:47 AM

March 2, 2007 - New York Times
Police Officer’s Badge Deflected a Knife Thrust, the Authorities Say
By JENNIFER 8. LEE

An intoxicated man lunged at a rookie police officer with a kitchen knife yesterday afternoon, only to have the knife shatter into five pieces as it struck the officer’s badge, the police said. The officer, Stuart Ingram, 22, was uninjured, and the shield, worn on the left side of his chest, was undamaged.

A suspect, Joseph Leonardi, 50, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, driving while intoxicated, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.

The attack took place around 5 p.m. on 83rd Street in Howard Beach, Queens, where Mr. Leonardi, who was driving, nearly hit a nun on the sidewalk before crashing his car into a tree and a wall, the police said. Officials added that a man saved the nun by pushing her out of the way of the oncoming car.

After the crash, Mr. Leonardi got out of the car and fled as five pedestrians pursued him, the police said.

He then pulled out a kitchen knife. Around that time, Officer Ingram and a police sergeant pulled up in a police car and got out. Officer Ingram struck Mr. Leonardi with his baton.

At that point, Mr. Leonardi attacked Officer Ingram, he said. “When he lunged at me, the knife struck me, and I saw parts of the blade flying in different directions,” Officer Ingram said in an interview.

The police then arrested Mr. Leonardi. “After he was handcuffed, I took a couple of steps back. I saw pieces of knife on the ground, and it really hit me,” Officer Ingram said.

The police badge, which has been part of New York City police attire since the 1850s, has been shaped as a shield for symbolic value. The badges are nicknamed “tins,” but today they are made out of a nickel alloy. Officer Ingram, who has been with the department for nine months, has Shield No. 5287.

“It kind of saved my life, and I guess it means a little bit more now,” he said.

**Ducky** · 03-02-07, 10:59 AM

Handy accessory there.

Oh, and

**General Patten** · 03-02-07, 10:59 AM

that is an awesome save.
...No doubt that thing's getting framed when he retires.

**mfranklin01** · 03-02-07, 11:01 AM

gives a whole new meaning to calling it a shield.

**Buttercup** · 03-02-07, 11:02 AM

He's a very lucky man, that's for sure.

**General Patten** · 03-02-07, 11:08 AM

feel free to not answer this for officer-safety reasons, but are knife-resistant vests standard issue in most places, or are the issued vests only good for bullets?

..if theyre not standard, they sure should be...

**KaiGywer** · 03-02-07, 11:15 AM

Wow. That is amazing

**Carnivore** · 03-02-07, 11:35 AM

Vests are ballistic protection, and will not necessarily save you from a pointed weapon

**Jackalope** · 03-02-07, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by General Patten

feel free to not answer this for officer-safety reasons, but are knife-resistant vests standard issue in most places, or are they only good for bullets?

..if theyre not standard, they sure should be...

I know there is such a thing as a stab vest, which is also made of Kevlar. I think they're mainly marketed for corrections officers. But I don't know if there is a single vest that can protect you from both bullets and sharp objects.

**jmur5074** · 03-02-07, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Carnivore

Vests are ballistic protection, and will not necessarily save you from a pointed weapon

And....how do you know?

**Carnivore** · 03-02-07, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

And....how do you know?

I know because I've been there...done that!

**General Patten** · 03-02-07, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Jackalope

I know there is such a thing as a stab vest, which is also made of Kevlar. I think they're mainly marketed for corrections officers. But I don't know if there is a single vest that can protect you from both bullets and sharp objects.

Im not sure if Im remembering correctly, but I think Ive seen a vest that would protect you from both... no doubt it would cost a pretty penny though...

Cheech · 03-02-07, 07:42 PM

I have two trauma plates in my vest one in back and one in front for either stopping a round or hopefully a stab

**jmur5074** · 03-02-07, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by Carnivore

I know because I've been there...done that!

Ok, I'll just lay it all out there now.

You've been a member of this site for quite some time (05-24-2006) but only starting posting recently. Also, you are not a Verified LEO , which automatically makes me question your credibility in answering a question that was intended for a LEO, or another with knowledge of bullet resistant, or stab proof vests. Granted, there are non-leo's here that probably have more knowledge than I do of the the vest I wear...but they are long standing members of this site. I know them. You just walked in the door and started with the "been there done that" crap. No one knows you.

I love it when new members come to this site; but before you start spouting off about where you've been and what you've done, you need to have the respect of other members of this site, and the creds to back it up.

And like I said, I love new members. But slow yourself down, you need to get the trust and respect of long standing members before you start telling us you've "been there, done that."

Just my .02

**BEK** · 03-02-07, 08:20 PM

musta been a high quality knife...glad the officers ok but for the knife to shatter in 5 pieces wow must be a great shield.... and mfranklin thats where the term comes from.. being able to protect knights it just shrunk in size

**TwanimusPrime** · 03-02-07, 09:00 PM

Happens more often than ya would think. One of my instructors at the Police Academy was a Prescott PD Sgt. A few years earlier, he and two other officers went to a DV call where the bad guy ran into a bed room and opened up on them with an AR 15. The officers got pinned down in a back room, while the Sgt. grabbed a baby out of a crib and ran out.

Well, he went back in to get his Officers out of there. When he entered the room he was shot 3 or 4 times with the assault rifle. A few rounds his his legs, but one got him right in the chest. Now, we all know that body armor is pretty much useless against high powered rifles, so he should not be here today.

However, the round hit his badge first. The badge didn't stop the bullet, but slowed it down enough so the vest was able to stop the it. He showed us the badge, a big round bullet hole almost dead center.

The other two officers got out ok. the Sgt. crawled out of the house, and when another officer went to help him, he got shot in the legs by the bad guy. But, no officers were killed. They called SWAT, but the guy took the easy way out and offed himself before they got there.

They may make um Shield for symbolism, but every now and then they can save someones life. Of Course, mine is star :P Oh well.

**TwanimusPrime** · 03-02-07, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by General Patten

Im not sure if Im remembering correctly, but I think Ive seen a vest that would protect you from both... no doubt it would cost a pretty penny though...

I've worn both stab vests (in the jail) and my current ballistic. A regular ballistic vest won't FULLy protect you from knives. They give you some protection from slashes, but not from a stab. (a dept I worked for a few years back gave this a try with one of thier expired vests. Did just fine stopping bullets, but knife went right through)

Same note, stab vests won't protect you from bullets. They are designed completly differently and made from different materials. Stab vests suck, not nearly and comfortable a ballistics IMO.

And yes, they DO make dual ballistic / stab vests. But they are very expensive and very bulky. You wouldn't want to wear it for regular patrol, ussually reserved for SWAT, special ops, etc...

**HudsonHawk** · 03-03-07, 11:14 AM

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-423565c.html

Lucky rookie looks to quit cops for FDNY

BY ERNEST NASPRETTO and ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Rookie cop Stuart Ingram, saved from knife attack by NYPD badge, may trade that badge for job as firefighter.

He may soon be handing in the badge that saved his life.

Rookie cop Stuart Ingram's application to join the FDNY has been accepted, and he can enter the Fire Academy's next class, the Daily News has learned.

Ingram has long dreamed of joining the FDNY, but now finds himself in an awkward position.

The smiling young cop was held up for praise by NYPD brass just two days ago after the badge pinned to his chest shielded him from harm when an alleged drunken driver stabbed him after nearly running down a nun, Hannah Cox.

The blade shattered against Ingram's shield, allowing him to arrest his attacker and escape with only a cut on his finger.

Before the clash, the 22-year-old had planned to leave the NYPD on March 12, police and fire sources said yesterday.

Ingram's father is Fire Battalion Chief Robert Ingram. The rookie cop also has two uncles in the FDNY, relatives said.

"He wants to follow in his father's footsteps," the cop's grandfather Robert Ingram said. "He took tests for both departments but didn't know when he was going to get called by the FDNY. He graduated from the Police Academy Dec. 26 . . . and then learned he would be in the Fire Academy's next class."

After appearing on the front page of yesterday's Daily News for his heroics, Stuart Ingram was reluctant to say if he still intends to join the FDNY.

"Once I hear something official, I can make my decision," he said. "I took that test when I was 17, so it was quite a bit before yesterday."

An NYPD spokesman wished Ingram well whichever uniform he chooses, while Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said the cop's potential exit illustrates wider recruiting problems.

NYPD and FDNY recruits now earn the same salary - $25,100. But the new firefighters contract announced last night will raise the pay of FDNY probies to $35,000.

"Unfortunately, the city will have to spend about $100,000 to recruit, screen and train someone to replace Ingram, and that person is likely to leave for a better job, too," Lynch said.

With John Lauinger
Originally published on March 3, 2007

**Terminator** · 03-03-07, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Carnivore

I know because I've been there...done that!

We require all members claiming to be cops to attempt to get verified within 7 days of registering. Since you're implying you're a cop, you now have 7 days to PM Reca, our Head Mod, to attempt to get verified. I will be sending you this message in a PM also, to make sure you get it. We love new members, and our LEO's, and we want to ensure no one here is faking the funk. Hope you understand.

**Jenna** · 03-03-07, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by Terminator

We require all members claiming to be cops to attempt to get verified within 7 days of registering. Since you're implying you're a cop, you now have 7 days to PM Reca, our Head Mod, to attempt to get verified. I will be sending you this message in a PM also, to make sure you get it. We love new members, and our LEO's, and we want to ensure no one here is faking the funk. Hope you understand.

"Been there, done that" is pretty vague--what if he's not claiming to be a cop, but rather claiming to be a vest manufacturer? Or a criminal?