A STUDY OF RISK FACTORS AND SATISFACTION SURVEY IN THE INTHANIN BULLETPROOF VESTS FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS ON PHETCHABUN PROVINCE

Suwat Intaraprapai

Abstract

The current paper was conducted to examine any risk factors inthe defensive officers’ duty performance, to survey the defensive officers’ satisfaction toward the bulletproof vest, to determine the comparison between the defensive officers’ roles and duties and the risk factors in work and satisfaction toward the bulletproof vest, and to find out the relationship between working behaviors and the risk factors in the defensive officers’ duty performance.In addition, the population used in the study included 383 officerssoldiers and police officers through the simple random sampling. The research tools designed to collect data were a paper questionnaire, in-depth interview, and focus group discussion. The statistics to analyze included percentage, mean, standard deviation, analytical statistics and descriptive statistics. The results showed the majority, 303 (79.10%), of the respondents to the survey were non-commissioned soldiers; 65 (17.00%) were non-commissioned police officers; 8 (2.10%) werethe members of territorial forces. According to education levels, the majority, 209 (54.60%) obtained a bachelor’s degree; 168 (43.80%), secondly, finished high school, diploma or equivalent; 6 (1.60%) obtained a master’s degree. In the case of using the bulletproof vest in the fieldwork, 338 (88.30%)wore the bulletproof vest in real situations; 45 (11.70%) ignored using the bulletproof vest. About the experiences of facing risky situations, 383 officersconfronted with dangerous risks in each year averaged 5.08. In overall, the defensive officers’ perception toward the risks in work averaged high (3.567). Next, the overall level of working behaviors leveled high (3.773). According to the results of satisfaction survey on using the bulletproof vest, the overall level averaged high (3.709). In short, the result analysis indicated the risky factors in duty performance were indifferent at the statically significant level of .05 although the officers’ roles and duties were different. However, the officers in different roles and duties and their satisfaction toward the bulletproof vest were different at the statically significant level of .05. Finally, the risky factors in duty performance leveled at 0.333. Among dangerous risks, the officers performed defensive and suppressive duties without bulletproof vests because of the department’s adequate support; in the opposite, the criminals already had high quality guns. Meanwhile, the officers’ bulletproof vests were secure only from small-sized guns. If the officers would have been armed with efficient bulletproof vests, they would be more confident and well-motivated. However, the quality of the bulletproof vest depended on budget; the Phetchabun defensive officers had already requested for some grant and also aimed to set as a policy in order to support their duty performance with full confidence and to reduce casualty and property. In addition, the officers with the 6-kilogram weighed bulletproof vests had performed the duties in risky situations; the vests truly were either broken or out-of-date. Therefore, the Inthanin branded bulletproof vests—reasonable priced, properly designed, good quality, and tested—were available to support the officers’ duty performance.