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Standards Under Development or Revision

NIJ has a number of ongoing efforts to develop new and update existing standards.

• Restraints Standard
• Duty Holster Retention Standard
• Handheld Metal Detector Standard
• Walk-Through Metal Detector Standard
• Offender Tracking System Standard
• Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System Standard
• Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) Standard
• Guide for Body Armor Measurement and Fitting
• Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Ensemble Standard
• License Plate Readers
• Interview Room Video Systems

NIJ Restraints Standard

This standard defines the minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, documentation and labeling of personal restraint devices designed to be used by criminal justice personnel to restrain subjects. This standard is a revision of the NIJ Standard for Metallic Handcuffs, and the scope has been expanded to address metallic and nonmetallic wrist and ankle restraints.

NIJ Duty Holster Retention Standard

This standard establishes minimum requirements and test methods for duty holsters designed to provide law enforcement personnel with the ability to securely carry, easily deploy and resecure their duty weapon. This is a new standard developed at the request of law enforcement officers to address the gun-retention capability of duty holsters. The standard defines two classifications of holsters based on the style of retention — manual or automatic.

NIJ Handheld Metal Detector Standard

This standard specifies the minimum performance requirements and testing methods for hand-held metal detectors used by law enforcement, corrections and security for the detection of metallic weapons or contraband carried on a person and/or concealed by a nonmetal object. The standard is being revised based on research performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Law Enforcement Standards Office.

NIJ Walk-Through Metal Detector Standard

This standard specifies the minimum performance requirements and testing methods for active walk-through metal detectors used by law enforcement, corrections and security for the detection of metallic weapons or contraband carried on a person and/or concealed by a nonmetal object. The standard is being revised based on research performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Law Enforcement Standards.

NIJ Offender Tracking System Standard

This standard will define the minimum requirements and test methods for location and tracking technologies used by law enforcement and corrections officers to monitor and communicate the whereabouts of offenders in all environments within the community.

NIJ is accepting comments on this draft standard and related documents through July 23, 2012. Read the drafts and learn how to submit comments.

Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording Systems Standard

NIJ is developing a performance standard for vehicular digital multimedia evidence recording systems (VDMERS) used by law enforcement officers for recording events occurring in and around an enclosed law enforcement vehicle. The standard was written by a Special Technical Committee of practitioners, forensic video analysts and testing and certification experts. The standard addresses video and audio quality, interoperability, safety of operation, environmental resistance and system security.

The standard is under review by NIJ for technical accuracy and completeness. Publication by the end of 2012 is anticipated. For information, contact Frances Scott (frances.scott@usdoj.gov).

NIJ Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) Standard

The development of this standard is a collaborative effort between NIJ, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Technical Support Working Group, the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board, JCREW PMS-408 and Hazardous Devices School.

NIJ's role within the National ECM Program is to assist the FBI's Technical Requirements Working Group in developing the revised technical requirements document in such a way that it can be used as the basis for a standard. NIJ may subsequently establish a Special Technical Committee of practitioners, scientists, researchers and subject matter experts to develop the ECM standard if requested by participating agencies.

Guide for Body Armor Measurement and Fitting (ASTM International)

Proper fitting of body armor is necessary to obtain sufficient coverage of the torso and vital organs while allowing the range of motion required for officer operations. Additionally, it is believed that many of the issues related to comfort can be addressed by properly measuring the wearer and custom fitting the armor.

ASTM International, a globally recognized leader in the development of voluntary consensus standards, has begun work on the Guide for Body Armor Measurement and Fitting, ASTM WK35902.

This work is being done by ASTM E54.04, subcommittee on personal protective equipment, at the request of NIJ based on input from practitioners. NIJ staff on the subcommittee are coordinating work on the standard. Learn more from the ASTM website Exit Notice.

Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Ensemble Standard

NIJ is in the process of revising the Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Ensemble Standard based on discussions with the manufacturing community, technical experts and practitioners. NIJ reconvened the Special Technical Committee that developed the first version of the standard, and the committee has identified modifications to be made. Once changes to the draft standard are complete, a public review and comment period will be held, with announcement being published in the Federal Register. The target start date for the public review and comment period is mid-July.

For information, contact Debra Stoe (debra.stoe@usdoj.gov) or Casandra Robinson (casandra.robinson@usdoj.gov).

License Plate Readers

NIJ has begun development of a voluntary standard for license plate reader (LPR) systems used by U.S. law enforcement agencies. The standard is being written by a Special Technical Committee of local, state, and federal law enforcement practitioners having experience in deployment and use of LPR systems, plus technical experts having experience in testing and certification.

The committee has identified three categories of LPR systems that are used by law enforcement agencies:

• Mobile systems installed in vehicles.
• Fixed systems installed in semi-permanent or permanent locations.
• Portable systems that may be temporarily installed in a location and moved as the need arises.

The committee is gathering information on field deployments and actual system operation to inform development of appropriate performance requirements and test methods.

Completion of a draft standard is anticipated by the end of 2012 with publication following in 2013. For information, contact Mark Greene (mark.greene@ojp.usdoj.gov).

Interview Room Video Systems

NIJ is developing a performance standard for digital interview room recording systems (IRRSs) used by U.S. criminal justice practitioners. Such systems are widely used in small and large law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, detention centers, and jails to record and store digital multimedia evidence from interviews with suspects, witnesses, victims, and others. The system may be very simple for a small agency having only one interview room or may be very complex for a large agency having a series of interview rooms that are networked together. Regardless of the complexity of the system, the primary functions are acquisition, storage and dissemination/distribution.

The standard is being developed by a Special Technical Committee of practitioners representing all previously mentioned types of criminal justice agencies using IRRSs. The committee has defined performance requirements and is finalizing test methods for assessing performance. It is expected that the draft standard will be posted for public review and comment in Summer 2012. The public comment and review period will be announced via the Federal Register and this website.

For information, contact Mark Greene (mark.greene@ojp.usdoj.gov).