Body Armour System (BAS) policy
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
2
Policy standards and principles
3
What
3
Why
3
How
3
Ownership
4
Definitions
4
Partnership Framework
4
Responsibilities under Health and Safety at Work (HSW) Act 2015 and the Policing
Act 2008
5
Employers’ responsibilities
5
Deployable employees’ responsibilities
5
What does al this mean in practice?
7
Where and when is BAS worn
7
Overt, Covert Carriers and Components
7
Discomfort
7
Cleaning and care instructions
7
BAS soft panel and hard armour plate inspection
7
Replacement and repairs
7
Role change - HAP issue
8
Exiting Police/Leave without pay and other long-term leave/secondments/overseas deployments 8
Further information
9
Legislation
9
Police Manual
9
Police Intranet
9
Other sources
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
Policy standards and principles
What
Policing has inherent risks and operational police employees work in a risky and dynamic environment
to the extent that body armour must be worn when deployed. The new Body Armour System (BAS) is an
in-conjunction system. The soft armour panels protect against low level bal istic threats, and are stab
and spike resistant; the hard armour plates (HAP) when
worn together with the soft armour panels
provide greater bal istic protection against higher calibre weapons.
Why
The wearing of a Body Armour System and components (BAS):
- is to ensure that Police employees can operate professional y, effectively and risk is eliminated or
minimised
- implements the intent of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and Police policies.
How
- Al employees must know and
comply with Police policies and procedures. These policies and
procedures reflect and support the application of the Police Code of Conduct and core values and
implement the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
- The supplied body armour system is an approved uniform item as prescribed in section 4 of the
Policing Act 2008.
- Al deployable employees are supplied with a personal y fitted BAS. The level of issue is dependent
on role type, e.g. only staff in level one roles are issued HAP.
- The personal y issued BAS is at al times the
property of Police.
- Al employees issued with BAS receive instruction and training in the proper wearing, use, storage
and maintenance of the system and components.
- It is the
responsibility of employers with supervisory and leadership roles to ensure that
employees are wearing BAS as trained and the system is maintained, professional looking, and fit
for purpose.
- To preserve personal safety and the warranty, BAS must not be
damaged or intentionally
modified by any individual.
- Employees
must report any damage, defect or fit problems to their supervisor as soon as it occurs
or is noticed.
- It is the
responsibility of employees to use the BAS in accordance with any information, training
and instructions from Police.
- Employees issued with personal y fitted BAS are required to wear a
minimum of soft armour
panels when deployed and Hard Armour Plates (HAP) must be available at al times while on duty.
Wearing HAP is
mandatory when attending an incident where firearms are or could be present or
when fol owing reasonable
instruction.
- Firearms
must be mounted on the duty belt.
- Taser must be worn non-master side, either attached to MOLLE mount or fixed to the belt.
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
- Click on this link to see examples of correctly worn uniform.
Ownership
- The Director: Operational Capability is the national owner for al BAS and componentry.
- BAS includes the fol owing items:
- soft armour panels (stab and spike resistant and protects against low-level bal istic threats)
(9mm,0.357) - NIJ level I , knife/spike EBS1.
- hard armour plates (when worn in conjunction with the soft armour), provides extra bal istic
protection, up to and including 7.62/5.56 (SS109) - NIJ 3✛✛
- overt/covert carriers
- high visibility sleeveless jerkin
- high visibility long sleeved jacket
- duty belt
- pouches
- patrol bag.
- BAS is a central y managed asset and districts/service centres do not have to fund new or
replacement BAS items.
Definitions
-
Deployed - A deployable employee
who is working in the operating environment relative to their
responder role requirements.
-
Employee - Constable or appropriately warranted Authorised Officer or warranted enforcement
officer.
-
Deployable - An employee who is ful y certified as a Primary or Secondary Responder, General
Responder or a Tactical Group member, and
can go into the operating environment relative to
their responder training and certification or Tactical Group training and certification.
Partnership Framework
An external partner, Cooneen Protection, has been selected to supply body armour through Tactical
Solutions (NZ) to Police.
All services related to Body Armour Systems (BAS) and components are to be
accessed through direct contact with Tactical Solutions at [email address].
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
Responsibilities under Health and Safety at Work (HSW) Act
2015 and the Policing Act 2008
Employers’ responsibilities
Police is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for al workers, contractors, people in
our care, the public, at its places of work and as part of Police work practice.
Police must comply as far as reasonably practicable with al relevant health and safety legislation,
including the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and associated Regulations. Police is committed to the
Wel ness and Safety Strategy, and actively supports the effective management of wel ness and safety to
minimise risk and prevent harm to our people (Police Wel ness and Safety Policy Statement - November
2016).
Supervisors
must ensure that their deployable employees wear and use BAS.
Supervisors
and deployable employees
must ensure that BAS is maintained, repaired or replaced; and
kept clean, hygienic and in good working order.
Supervisors
must ensure deployable staff are wearing and maintaining BAS according to the training and
instructions given by Police.
If a direct report employee has a lost or damaged BAS and/or lost or damaged components, their
supervisor wil need to enquire into the circumstances and respond as appropriate:
- Is this damage that
will require repair, remediation or replacement?
-
Is the employee stil safely deployable?
- Is the loss or damage
reasonable in the circumstances?
Supervisors must ensure al exiting employees complete a POL 217 form, to provide an audit trail for the
return of BAS (accountable items). BAS and al componentry are returned to Tactical Solutions. See
‘Departing from Police’.
Deployable employees’ responsibilities
Al employees issued with individual y fitted BAS:
-
must wear it in accordance with the information, training and instructions given by Police;
-
must only wear BAS with items of uniform clothing and equipment approved by the
Commissioner; and
-
must wear overt or covert BAS when deployed or when expecting to work in the operating
environment. See ‘Police deployability’.
Employees issued with BAS
must advise a supervisor of any loss or damage and be aware that the
supervisor
must make enquiries about the loss or damage.
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
BAS is individual y fitted personal protection equipment,
personal safety and wel -being wil be
compromised if you wear the body armour and components issued to another employee and not as
trained or instructed.
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
What does all this mean in practice?
Where and when is BAS worn
BAS is worn in
compliance with the 'Police deployability', 'Police firearms' and BAS policies.
Health and safety items that can be worn
over BAS are:
- High Visibility Jerkin - day time only
- High Visibility Jacket - night and day wear
- High Visibility Raincoat - night and day wear
- Duty Jacket
See: 'High Visibility Safety Garments' chapter.
The soft armour panels and HAP work together to provide maximum personal protection. It is
important
that the soft panels are always worn
closest to the body and HAP is placed
on top of the soft panels.
Overt, Covert Carriers and Components
For information on fitting and components
refer to Body Armour System and Accessories Care and User
Manual - or http://bas.tactical.co.nz/v2/#page/body-armour-training-videos.
Discomfort
Fol ow the advice in the BAS Care and User Manual and the training videos located on
www.bas.tactical.co.nz or fol ow the contact information for Tactical Solutions for further advice.
BAS
Helpdesk:
- Phone: 09 222 3666
- Email: [email address].
Employees issued with BAS
must wear it when deployed as stated in this policy.
If a BAS continues to cause discomfort advise your supervisor and complete a “Notice of Discomfort”
found in MyPolice - Wel ness and Safety.
Cleaning and care instructions
Cleaning information is in the BAS Care and User Manual: Wash & Care Instructions, and demonstrated in
the training videos found in https://bas.tactical.co.nz/v2/
BAS soft panel and hard armour plate inspection
Advice and information can be found in the BAS Care and User Manual - Panel & Plate Inspection found in
https://bas.tactical.co.nz/v2/
Replacement and repairs
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
For al queries, replacement and repairs contact the supplier, Tactical Solutions -
BAS Helpdesk:
- Phone: 09 222 3 666
- Email: [email address].
Role change - HAP issue
Staff in level 1 roles are issued HAP. Staff in level 2 roles are not issued HAP (refer Police deployability,
Police firearms). If a staff member changes from a Level 1 role to a Level 2 role, the HAP must be returned
to the BAS Provider Tactical Solutions (NZ).
Staff moving into a level 1 role from a level 2 role should request the additional issued items (including
HAP) from Tactical Solutions (NZ).
Exiting Police/Leave without pay and other long-term
leave/secondments/overseas deployments
If an employee has been issued with BAS, it must be returned in its entirety to Tactical Solutions (NZ)
through the District/service centre in the fol owing instances:
- on exiting Police,
- going on leave (LWOP, Parental leave) for more than six months,
- secondments to outside agencies for more than six months, and
- overseas deployments for more than six months.
Returned BAS must not be sent to Lockheed Martin.
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Body Armour System (BAS) policy
Further information
Legislation
- Policing Act 2008
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Police Manual
- TENR - Operational Threat Assessment
- Police deployability
- Public order intervention model (Tactical model)
- Police firearms
- Public order policing
- Hazard and Risk Management
- High Visibility Safety Garments
- Frontline Safety Training (FST)
- Management of observers
- Uniform, dress standards and appearance
- Use of force
- Orders Decorations and Medals
- Honours, Awards and Commendations
- Operations, Prevention and Emergency Response
- Counter Terrorism
Police Intranet
- Dignitary Protection Services
- Body Armour System national rol out
- Police Wel ness and Safety Strategy
Other sources
- Body Armour System Care & User Manual
- Tactical Solutions
- Phone#: 09 222 3666
- Frequently Asked Questions and Video:
-
FAQ - http://bas.tactical.co.nz/v2/#page/faqs
-
Videos - http://bas.tactical.co.nz/v2/#page/body-armour-training-videos
- Checkpoint App - on your phone
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