$2m of stab-resistant vests may never be used

new-zealand-national-party

Sun Sep 02 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

$2m of stab-resistant vests may never be used

Sunday, 2 September 2007, 2:45 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Chester Borrows MP
National Party Police Spokesman

2 September 2007

The Police are sitting on 2,000 stab-resistant vests worth about $2 million that may never be used, says National’s Police spokesman, Chester Borrows.

He is revealing that Police have 2,000 of the vests in storage, and that, according to Police Minister Annette King, they will be ‘progressively used to outfit recruits and officers returning from leave without pay and overseas deployments’.

“This looks like just another chapter in the book on the disastrous roll-out of stab-resistant vests that has left thousands of frontline officers without proper protection.

“These vests are in storage because they’re too small, so who do they think they’re going to give them to?

“It’s also interesting that the last time Annette King had anything to say on this there were 1,200 vests worth $1.3 million in storage – all of a sudden it’s jumped to 2,000.

“Has there been another stuff-up? Could there possibly be any more?"

Mr Borrows is also releasing information that shows that some non-sworn police staff have received vests before some sworn staff.

"This must be causing some raised eyebrows among those sworn officers who will have to wait until December until the rollout is complete and they receive their vests.

“Apart from the vest problems, they have had to order 35,000 new breathable shirts, worth a couple of million dollars, because the present shirts are too hot to wear under the vests, and some officers have had problems fitting the vests under their duty jackets.

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“This project has been a disaster from beginning to end, and with the new shirts not available till March, who knows what else will happen.

“In the meantime, too many of our frontline police remain exposed because of this Government’s bungles."

Attachment: answer to parliamentary questions

Stab-resistant vests: Parliamentary questions

14747 (2007). Chester Borrows to the Minister of Police (23/08/2007): Further to her response to question for written answer 12131 (2007), how many vests need to be stored now that the process of identifying correct sizes has been completed?

Police Minister Annette King replied: I have been advised that 2,000 vests currently in storage will progressively be used to outfit recruits and officers returning from leave without pay and overseas deployments.

8279 (2007). Chester Borrows to the Minister of Police (15 May 2007): How many stab-resistant vests are in storage because they are too small, specified by size of vest in New Zealand-equivalent sizing or measurements?

Police Minister Annette King replied: I am advised that the process of identifying correct sizes is due to be completed by 30 June 2007. It is anticipated that approximately 1200 may need to be stored. The cost of these vests is approximately $1.3 million. It is expected that all vests in storage will eventually be used. This reply also answers questions for written answer 8285 and 8286 (2007).

8284 (2007). Chester Borrows to the Minister of Police (15 May 2007): How long do police estimate it will take before all of the stab-resistant vests in storage are finally issued to serving officers?

Police Minister Annette King replied: I am advised that the timeframe will depend on the eventual number and sizes held, and the demand for those sizes in out years.

13696 (2007). Chester Borrows to the Minister of Police (08 Aug 2007): How many stab-resistant vests have now been distributed to sworn staff, and how many, if any, have yet to be distributed?

Police Minister Annette King replied: I am advised that Police are issuing stab-resistant body armour (SRBA) on the basis of role rather than sworn or non-sworn status. Staff in roles identified as "response roles" are being issued with SRBA before other staff. Some non-sworn staff such as jailers and prison escorts are deployed in "response roles".

12161 (2007). Chester Borrows to the Minister of Police (11 Jul 2007): Have officers had any difficulty fitting their duty jackets over stab-resistant vests; if so, how many new duty jackets will have to be provided and at what cost?

Police Minister Annette King replied: Further to my interim reply I am advised that a small number of staff have had difficulty in fitting their duty jackets over stab resistant vests. However, this has not resulted in additional demand for replacement duty jackets. In the period 1 January 2006 to 30 June 2006 Police issued 437 new duty jackets to staff. Since the rollout of stab resistant vests there has been less demand for duty jackets during the corresponding period - 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2007 391 new duty jackets were issued to staff. I also refer the member to my response to question for written answer no. 10804 (2007).

ENDS

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