Former officer advocates for the use of bulletproof vests while on the job

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Police officers never know what kind of call their going to answer, that's why one former officer is encouraging his colleagues to always be cautious and guard their bodies with proper protection.

This past week, an officer was shot during a pursuit that ended at 44th Street and Thomas Road.

The officer is ok, thanks to a bulletproof vest that he was wearing.

Fox 10 Phoenix spoke with Bill Weigt, an officer who understands what it feels like to get shot with a bulletproof vest.

He was a part of a pursuit back in 2005 where a suspect ended up shooting and hitting him.

He says the bullet entered right where the protection in the vest ended, or else he'd be in even better shape than he is now.

"It hit the vest carrier, but it missed the bulletproof vest," Weigt said.

Regardless, he says vests save lives and hopes every officer will take the time to wear one.

"I mean, it's the simplest thing in the world. Why not just wear it? It should be that easy, but it's a personal thing for me. But if they chose not to, I wish they would. All of them, I wish they would," Weight said.

He says when he hears about an officer who's been shot on the job, he hopes for just one thing.

"I'm praying that they had their vest on. Period. Then when you hear they did have their vest on, and it stopped the bullet. Oh my god, look at that, just imagine if you didn't have that vest on," Weigt said.

Weigt now works as an investigator and continues to remove criminals off the streets.

The suspect who shot Weigt was shot and killed that night. His accomplice received a sentence of 20 years in prison.

Before the pursuit, Weigt says the suspect had shot and killed another man, all because of a dispute over marijuana.