The barrier vest was the first police type of body armor that was used during high threat operations. It was marketed in 1969 by Smith & Wesson. It was created using several steel plates. Body armor was not worn by the general patrol officers at that time. In the 1970s, tactical bulletproof vests became more available however very few police departments issued them to their officers. It wasn't until later in 1973 that body armor started to be made from a lighter material called Kevlar and its use became more widespread.
Peggy Webber plays the desperate woman trying to get kidnap ransom money at the bank. She played a role with the same circumstance in The Dragnet 1967 episode "The Kidnapping"