'Extra Layer Of Confidence': Arvada Police Officer Talks About Super Bowl Ad
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - The Arvada Police Department was featured in a Super Bowl LIII commercial for Ford and SHIELD616 on Sunday night.
"Your local Ford stores are proud to support the mission of SHIELD616 by funding 17 full armor packages for the men and women of the Arvada Police Department," the ad states. "We're doing our part to provide the best, most effective protective gear to the officers who do so much for us."
Sgt. Chris McCoy made a cameo during America's most watched event, and he didn't even know it.
"I was very surprised to see it aired during the Super Bowl," said McCoy.
The armor packages mentioned in the commercial contain state-of-the art protective gear to keep police officers safe.
"What I want the public to take away from that commercial is we're here to protect them. We are so lucky to partner with Shield 616 and Ford to have that extra layer of confidence," said McCoy
That extra layer could potentially save their lives.
"It absorbs the energy and disperses throughout the plate," said Shield 616's Chris Brown of the rifle-rated armor.
Brown's brother-in-law, Deputy Micah Flick, was one of three Colorado sheriff's deputies killed in the line of duty in 2018. Brown says the mission of Shield 616 is to better protect our protectors.
"McCoy wears a bullet-resistant vest every day, but his vest is only rated for handgun calibers. When he goes into a situation where he's faces a rifle threat, it's like wearing a t-shirt," said Brown.
Ford donated enough for Shield 616 to give 17 armor packages to Arvada Police.
Each package has rifle-rated armor, a ballistic helmet, a plate carrier vest and a trauma kit. They cost $1,500 per officer, but the protection they provide is priceless.
"We can go into these situations knowing we're protected physically, but also it increases our confidence because we know we have that outpouring of public support," said McCoy.
To learn more about SHIELD616 or make a donation, visit https://www.shield616.org/.