Editing Shield (section)

=== Modern ===

==== Law enforcement shields ====
[[File:Police Officer with balistic shield.JPG|thumb|Ballistic shield, [[National Institute of Justice|NIJ]] Level IIIA]]
[[File:U.S. Navy special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC), Special Boat Team 22 conducts training 16 AUG 09.jpg|thumb|[[U.S. Navy]] [[Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen]] (SWCC) fire a [[gun shield]]-equipped Minigun]]

Shields for protection from armed attack are still used by many [[police]] forces around the world. These modern shields are usually intended for two broadly distinct purposes. The first type, [[riot shield]]s, are used for [[riot control]] and can be made from [[metal]] or polymers such as polycarbonate [[Lexan]] or [[Makrolon]] or boPET [[Mylar]]. These typically offer protection from relatively large and low velocity projectiles, such as rocks and bottles, as well as blows from fists or clubs. Synthetic riot shields are normally transparent, allowing full use of the shield without obstructing vision. Similarly, metal riot shields often have a small window at eye level for this purpose. These riot shields are most commonly used to block and push back crowds when the users stand in a "wall" to block protesters, and to protect against [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|shrapnel]], projectiles like stones and [[brick]]s, [[molotov cocktails]], and during [[hand-to-hand combat]].

The second type of modern police shield is the bullet-resistant [[ballistic shield]], also called tactical shield. These shields are typically manufactured from advanced synthetics such as [[Kevlar]] and are designed to be [[bulletproof]], or at least [[bullet resistant]]. Two types of shields are available:

# Light level IIIA shields are designed to stop pistol cartridges.
# Heavy level III and IV shields are designed to stop rifle cartridges. 

Tactical shields often have a [[firing port]] so that the officer holding the shield can fire a weapon while being protected by the shield, and they often have a bulletproof glass viewing port. They are typically employed by specialist police, such as [[SWAT]] teams in high risk entry and siege scenarios, such as hostage rescue and breaching gang compounds, as well as in antiterrorism operations.

Law enforcement shields often have a large signs stating "POLICE" (or the name of a force, such as "US MARSHALS") to indicate that the user is a law enforcement officer.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lepore |first=Jill |date=2020-07-13 |title=The Invention of the Police |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/07/20/the-invention-of-the-police |access-date=2024-07-02 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=September 2019}}