Police union crediting bulletproof vest with saving life of shot officer – Boston News, Weather, Sports [Video]

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Boston Patrolman’s Association is crediting a bulletproof vest with saving the life of a Boston police officer who was shot in Dorchester on Monday night.

Union President Larry Calderone says the vest is “probably the most essential tool that police officers put on.”

Cambridge Police Officer Tom Watson agrees, saying the ballistic vest he wears under his shirt every day is part of the department’s standard issue uniform and makes him “feel good” as he heads out on patrol. It’s also a daily reminder of the danger they face in the field.

Unlike Boston police, Watson says Cambridge officers are required to wear their vests when in uniform and on patrol.

“You can run with it, do pull-ups, hop fences, do all of your day-to-day activities wearing this vest and you don’t event notice it’s there,” he said.

But it doesn’t mean that an officer who …