POLICE Scotland could be forced to pull officers off the front line because of out-of-date body armour.
It is conducting urgent tests amid fears that officers could be at greater risk of injury from knife attacks.
Officers were warned by their trade union after the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) discovered that a lot of the equipment was coming to the end of its design life.
Yesterday, David Hamilton, vice-chair of the SPF, said the union was “aware of instances where armour was approaching, or had reached, the 10-year period.
“As a consequence, the force has commissioned confidence testing on armour to satisfy itself, the SPF and, most importantly, officers that such body armour remains effective.
“If any body armour requires replacement the officer will be temporarily taken off frontline duties and put in a supporting role until new replacement armour is obtained.”
Police Scotland could not confirm how many officers had armour older than 10 years, but believed it was “not widespread”.
Assistant chief constable Mark Williams said: “Police Scotland has developed a new body armour procurement strategy in order to replace older equipment as it reaches its end of life. The procurement process is expected to take about six months and will see around 15,000 sets of body armour replaced over a four- to five-year period.
“Where body armour or kit is found to be damaged, it will be replaced.”
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