Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck has sent an open letter to California's attorney general urging him to appeal a recent court ruling that overturned a ban on felons wearing or owning body armor.

In his letter, released Thursday, Beck told Attorney General Jerry Brown he thought the decision gave violent criminals the upper hand.

California passed the ban in 1998 following a deadly shootout between police and heavily armored bank robbers in the streets of North Hollywood.

The ensuing gunbattle left the two robbers dead and 10 police officers and five other people injured.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals last week overturned the ban, saying it was unconstitutional because the definition of body armor was too vague.