CLEVELAND, OH (Aug. 22, 2019) – Two of the best tactical teams in the U.S. have chosen Cleveland-based Team Wendy® as their ballistic helmet provider.
Team Wendy, which researches and develops high-quality headborne systems from the inside out, announced Thursday that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) purchased the company’s EXFIL® Ballistic SL helmet. LAPD bought 85 black helmets for its SWAT team, and LASD ordered 95 helmets in ranger green for its Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB).
LAPD’s SWAT team rescues dozens of hostages and manages 120-plus high-risk warrants and approximately 100 barricaded suspect cases per year. It responds to barricade or hostage incidents where the suspect is believed to be armed or an extreme threat to public safety. Typical situations include the presence of weapons, suspected gang activity and heavily fortified locations.
LASD is the largest sheriff’s department in the world. The Special Enforcement Bureau, newly equipped with Team Wendy helmets, is a full-time unit of tactical paramedics and rescue specialists, including a canine detail and a special weapons team. It works hand-in-hand with the department’s arson/explosives and hazardous materials details and coordinates security for visiting dignitaries and politicians, including the United States President and Vice President. SEB responds to an estimated 200-300 tactical operations every year, including barricaded suspects, high-risk warrants and hostage situations.
Team Wendy CEO Jose Rizo-Patron said the company exists for the sole purpose of protecting officers like these.
“The men and women of the LAPD and LASD put their lives on the line every day and we take pride in knowing we play a role in their safety,” he said. “This is why we do what we do.”
Joe Nagy, who works with law enforcement agencies around the country on behalf of Team Wendy, said the EXFIL Ballistic SL is built to do exactly what these agencies need.
“We spent a long time engineering this helmet so it would perform at a high caliber,” he said.
The EXFIL Ballistic SL is the fifth helmet in Team Wendy’s EXFIL line. It has a complete system weight of 2.2 pounds, meets a ballistic rating of NIJ Level III-A (according to NIJ STD 0106.01/0108.01) and exceeds ACH blunt impact protection requirements. It features the newer, lighter EXFIL Rail 3.0 for more efficient accessory mounting and the boltless CAM FIT™ Retention System for individualized fit and superior weight distribution.
LAPD and LASD join Orange County Sheriff’s Office and more than 20 other law enforcement agencies in southern California that wear Team Wendy helmet systems.
ABOUT TEAM WENDY®
Team Wendy is a family-owned company dedicated to providing exceptional head protection systems designed from the inside out for those who risk their lives every day. Founded in 1997, our Cleveland-based company places a strong focus on the prevention of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in honor of the company’s namesake Wendy Moore, who died tragically from a TBI following a ski accident.
As a leading supplier of helmet systems for military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and adventure sports, Team Wendy is steadfast in our dedication to the pursuit of improving head protection research, design and development, bringing more choice, better technology and reliable customer service to the industry.
Team Wendy was recognized as a winner of the Cleveland Top Workplaces 2019 award by The Plain Dealer and was also named one of NorthCoast 99’s Best Places to Work in Northeast Ohio in 2016.
Learn more at www.TeamWendy.com.
