Documents show the New Zealand vests are not as good as the ones British police are wearing. Photo / Bay Of Plenty Times
New Zealand First has complained to the Auditor-General about the botched procurement of police stab-proof vests which has led to a $4 million blowout in costs.
The original roll-out of the vests was meant to be in June last year, but many staff are still without them after
a series of delays and errors.
Early this year police admitted they had been forced to put about 1500 vests into storage because they had ordered the wrong size.
Internal police papers obtained by NZ First MP Ron Mark show the expected cost of the vests has gone from about $6.4 million in 2005 to $10.4 million. Mr Mark said the documents, issued under the Official Information Act, also raised quality issues.
They showed several of the vests that arrived in New Zealand had problems with stitching and overall quality and needed repair work.
They also showed the "spike-resistant" kevlar vests were of inferior quality to the "spike-protective" vests used by British police.
"What should have been a simple roll-out of essential protective armour has lurched from one stuff-up to another," Mr Mark said.
"We have had serious delays in supplies, caused by measurement, colour, UV resistance and belt-fit issues.
"Now we have a budget blow-out, quality concerns and the revelation that police have selected a cheaper, less-protective armour."
Mr Mark said the "shambles" should be thoroughly investigated and he has written to Auditor-General Kevin Brady asking him to do so.
The MP questioned whether, in light of the debacle, police procurements should be handled by an outside agency.
Figures issued this year show that up to April 27 only 44 per cent of frontline staff had vests.
Mr Mark has previously asked Police Minister Annette King how many stabbing and slashing assaults were committed against police officers in each year since 1999. Ms King said there were five in 2000, seven in 2001, 17 in 2002, 48 in 2003, five in 2004 and six in 2005.
- NZPA
