A soft ballistic shield for protecting law enforcement officers from bodily harm from projectiles comprises a shell adapted to support at least one soft ballistic panel made from a soft ballistic material suitable for protecting a user from bodily injury from projectiles. At least one generally horizontal support is adapted to be coupled to the shell for providing support to the soft ballistic shield when the soft ballistic shield is in a deployed configuration. First and second generally vertical supports are adapted to be coupled to the shell for providing support to the soft ballistic shield when the soft ballistic shield is in a deployed configuration. First and second generally vertical pockets are provided for removably housing the first and second generally vertical supports coupled to the shell. The first and second generally vertical pockets cover a majority of the first and second generally vertical supports when housing the first and second generally vertical supports in a deployed configuration to provide a support structure for the soft ballistic shield to absorb energy from an impact of a projectile.