BODY ARMOUR EQUIPPED FOR THE 21ST CENTURY


New knife-resistant body armour which was designed with safety and comfort in mind has been rigorously tried and tested. Now forces must invest in this kit to protect officers in frontline roles. By Stavan Desai


Home Office, and force representatives. Feeding into the NUSB is the National Uniform Working Group, and the National Body Armour Sub-Group, led by the Met’s Chief Superintendent Roy Smith. POLICE asked PFEW National Board Members Belinda Goodwin and Zac Mader, who represent the Federation in the working group, why forces in England and Wales must invest in the new age body armour.


In 2015, DHL Supply Chain Ltd won the competition for the National Uniform Managed Service (NUMS). It is a national end-to-end supply chain and logistic solution for delivering forces with consistent, uninterrupted and on-time supply of uniform and equipment. As part of this, in 2017, DHL supplied the body armour currently in use by most of the forces in England and Wales. Engaging with the National Body Armour User Group, which developed a national specification for the new-age body armour, DHL commenced the tender process in January 2020 with eight suppliers submitting nine designs. Through a rigorous process, including trials by male and female officers in different scenarios, product configuration was finalised and the third generation Body Armour tender went to two suppliers: Cooneen Protection and Safariland UK. Amongst the most noteworthy


34 | POLICE | APRIL 2023


changes to the kit was the increased protection, which was part of the national specification. The designs were tested, evaluated and scored on published methods for protection against sharp edged objects and benefit of design. “The new generation body armour incorporates additional protection to body areas not traditionally protected by Patrol Officer Vests,” said a DHL spokesperson. “The areas protected by the new generation body armour will offer increased protection without decreasing comfort for the officer. “The product has undergone robust independent testing for both technical and functional performance, including comfort. The cover utilises high- performance fabric that is both durable and machine washable.” The National Uniform Strategic Board (NUSB) comprises key stakeholders such as the National Occupational Health, the


BELINDA GOODWIN Q.1. Why does PFEW think forces should invest in the new body armour available through the NUMS? The body armour currently in use was last designed, produced and made available in 2017 and it was not dissimilar to the body armour that was produced in 2006 when it became a mandatory protective equipment for police officers to wear when public-facing. The third generation Body Armour has been created with quality and safety at the forefront. As the Police Federation, representing more than 139,000 rank and file officers in England and Wales, we have argued for many years that due to the emerging new threats our officers face with regard to knives and firearms, the safety standard of body armour must be reviewed. We must do all we can to address this basic need and offer the best protection for our front-line officers. We have also argued that the one-size-fits-all approach is not the best. For instance, I have a large bust and have found the present design of the body armour flattens my chest when I wear it for long hours. I suffer from numbness due to the pressure. So, for me, it was never something I liked wearing but had to as part of my job. We now have a body armour that is suitable for both male and female body


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