Modern-day knights don't wear bright shining armor but they still wear protective gear nonetheless. Body armor has been around since the medieval ages. Today, riot armor made of lighter and significantly tougher material is used to protect lives that are on the line in the call of duty.

1. Modern-Day Knights Minus the Shining Armor
Back in the day when people used to hack and stab one another with swords, halberds, spears,
morningstars, and what not, the first line of protection for the brave knight on horseback
would be heavy plated body armor. The prospects of surviving any battle in those days
without wearing one aren't that good. Trust me–you don't want to be in the receiving end
when a really furious guy swings a heavy bladed weapon.
The same is true today for people who have to charge into danger in the line of duty. These
folks have to walk right into danger just in service and protection of the lives of strangers.
Hats off to people like that and it's a really good thing they're not just wearing hats when they
run off to perform their duties. The weapons of today are far deadlier than sharp two-edged
swords during the medieval ages.
Real Life Savers
Riot shields, bullet proof vests, and other protective gear are real lifesavers for people whose
lives are on the line. Since the 1970s more than 3,000 human lives in the line of fire have been
saved by today's modern armor. Now that's a lot of lives saved in the past 30 years or more
simply because they wore protective combat gear.
It all started when the National Institute of Justice began creating performance standards for
these types of protective gear. That was way back in the swinging 70s when drugs, sex, and
rock and roll were the order of the day. Nowadays, the protective gear that is used by law
enforcement officers has taken on various forms.
Basically, there are two types of protective armor that are in use in our day – there's soft
armor and there's hard armor, neither of them are shiny by the way. We've all seen what riot
armor looks like. Well, they also come in various forms but they generally look pretty much
the same.
Hard armor looks pretty much like what ancient knights have to wear. They protect the vital
parts of the human body. The entire protective outfit is a system of ceramic plates or even
metal. Police officers usually put on this gear when they expect a really good chance that they
will be attacked, like in a riot or similar incident.
This protective gear incorporates both a helmet and a shield, which are truly effective where it
counts but are just bulky and cumbersome to carry around on a daily basis. You especially
don't want to go driving around while wearing your entire riot gear. Ceramic plates are
absolutely lighter than metal plates. However, they weigh around six pounds a piece and can
become a considerable weight to carry around.
Soft armor may also be included in anyone's riot gear. You might have heard of Kevlar but
there are other types of material that are in use today. There's Gold Flex, Spectra, Gold Shield,
and Twaron to name a few.
Please remember that no protective armor is truly "bulletproof." Technically speaking, they
should rather be called bullet resistant. Being bulletproof or not, today's knights wear all the
protection that is available especially when mob violence wreaks havoc. They are afforded
every bit of protection necessary to keep the peace and perhaps maybe save a life.
References:
http://www.libertyreferences.com/body-armor.shtml
http://www.alliedtactical.com/riot-police-gear.shtml