The Queensland Police Commissioner has announced that petite female officers, who had been working without proper protective vests, will soon receive upgraded body armor within the next few months. This decision follows growing concerns about the vulnerability of smaller officers who had been using outdated vests that did not provide adequate protection against modern threats like firearms and knives.
The rollout of the $20 million integrated load-bearing vests (ILBV) was delayed due to size issues, but the Queensland police force is working with the manufacturer to resolve these problems. Public safety minister Dan Purdie emphasized that the safety of officers is a priority, and this new upgrade aims to provide all officers, especially women, with the best available protection.
