Bullet proof vests too heavy: SAPS

MyWorld said:
I'm all for more effective means to combat crime. As much as we want to complain and point fingers at the police, there are still a handful of them trying to make a difference. The vast majority, it seems, are corrupt and useless but there are still some doing what must be done. Some replies in this thread seems like they want to dish out slingshots to the police and watch them die.

Cut back on other spending and supply your ground force with more efficient BPV, I have no problem with this.
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Nobody wants to see the people that are looking after us die! We want them to be awesome, in every way. I have travelled this country flat and I can't tell you the number of times I have seen cops vans acting as taxis. How the eff do you think that impacts on the government's ability to deliver equipment to the forces it employs to protect the people? I have met politicians who want to actually make a difference, and they fight for the man on the street - but, how much can they do when every palooka with the slightest bit of power feels that he needs a nice house in Balito, and a BMW, just for doing his effing job?

MyWorld said:
The issue is not that they do not want to wear them, but that they need more comfortable vests.

Strap on 15-20kg's and then try and run to catch a crook or try and do anything normal in that body armour. I do not care if you are the fittest in the force, you will have a hard time doing actual police work.
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If they were fit, they'd catch the effer with that 20kg vest. I have yet to see a cop (besides the ou-apartheid era cops) who could catch me in a 100m sprint (vest or not), and I'm 41. Way too lax discipline in the police, not enough physical training, end of story. You don't want your cops to be little (or in our case, big), pussies - you want capable men and women that can protect you and your family when the ****e hits the fan - what are you paying for if this is not the case?
 
atomcrusher said:
Maybe if the SAPS members lost a lot of weight they could get a tad fitter, so that the weight of the protective vests would not seem as heavy. It must be very hard for a HUGE-assed 172kg SAPS policewoman to even squeeze into a standard BP vest.
But I guess the BPVs they use must be made locally, and made specially for the grossly obese SAPS, as most other (non-African) countries would have made sure that (1) they do not enlist obese people, and (2) they have a strict fitness regime - i.e. one that does not include KFC diets.
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Back in the late 80's when my uncle wanted to join the SAPS, they did not accept him because he was too fat and had to lose the extra weight first. He was not even allowed entry into the police academy. Don't they care about your weight anymore ?
 
MyWorld said:
I'm all for more effective means to combat crime. As much as we want to complain and point fingers at the police, there are still a handful of them trying to make a difference.
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I agree ... but the sad thing is that your "handful of them" is correct

The vast majority, it seems, are corrupt and useless but there are still some doing what must be done. Some replies in this thread seems like they want to dish out slingshots to the police and watch them die.
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Watch them die? Frankly, not a bad idea ... the corrupt and useless ones for sure
 
DigitalSoldier said:
Back in the late 80's when my uncle wanted to join the SAPS, they did not accept him because he was too fat and had to lose the extra weight first. He was not even allowed entry into the police academy. Don't they care about your weight anymore ?
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When I was conscripted to the army the people who really didn't want to put their life on the line took the 'easier' route, the SAPS. Today it is another situation. I volunteered for border duty and was told that I couldn't because SA was pulling out of Angola due to a UN resolution. I didn't volunteer out of any sense of patriotism, more like not wanting my older brother to hold his contribution over my head for the rest of our lives. I had one stripe when I volunteered and finished with two.

I bunked township exercises because I couldn't see myself shooting some helpless effer. I always had a mixed sense of loyalty - to the country I loved, and the people I saw suffering. Many of us were forced to make decisions that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. When it comes down to wearing a bulletproof vest that may weigh a little too much for you, while you're protecting the people of your country, I say - 'Man/Woman the eff up and decide where your loyalties lie - take the pain, and grow stronger!"

In answer to your question: obviously not!
 
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As I see it most officers are at least 20kg overweight.
Its the extra fat that's giving the impression of the vests being too heavy.
I would go with uncomfortable especially when
sitting and running but too heavy?
Nah
 
There is a pretty simple solution here:

Up the recruitment age for people wanting to join the Police force. Recruit people right for the job, not someone who is going to go off their rocker and kill their wife colleagues and kids if things go wrong.

This is annoying the hell out of me. I always wanted to join the Police force since I was a young kid. Come 1998 when I could apply at long last, I wasn't even called for an assessment. I tried 2 times after that and then just opted to go study instead. Till this day I'm more than willing to join, but I'm 31 years of age now and too old to join as per them. I'm fitter than 98% of the 18 year old people they want.

How the hell does these officers complain about being forced to wear something that will save their lives? I would rather wear a bullet proof vest weighing 10kg's for 12 hours straight and go home tonight than not wear it and never need to wear it again...

The logic fails me tbh. If they want the lighter ones they can go and buy it themselves.
 
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Horse shyt! The newe vests weight about 2kg! All our block watch members wear them on duty; only uncomfortable is seating in a small vehicle or have minimal leg room!
 
Yeah, sweat you pigs. I have no respect left for the Police anymore.
The few ones that are still good at their jobs ...well .. my condolences for having to put up with the rest of the lazy, fat, useless scum in SAP.

Don't want to carry more weight? Then leave off the vest... there, problem solved.
Now go and check that you've got a decent life insurance to support your family, before you stop at KFC.
 
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You are probably only wearing the Kevlar not the plates.

These vests are heavy and do limit mobility but if you wear it day in and day out you wear it in and your body gets used to it to the point where you wont notice it while on duty even with the plates in.

I have seen many PF officers that don’t even wear the Kevlar part let alone the plates.

The biggest problem is that officers don’t understand that Kevlar itself it has an effective lifespan of 5 years and if the plastic sealing the Kevlar is punctured or ripped it will let water in which renders is useless. These vests take a substantial amount of abuse from the wearers who take no notice of the above and the SAPS seems to recycles these vests with old ones been issued to new recruits due to shortages.

The CSIR should urgently look at developing a new vest with increased protection and improved mobility.

The fitness level of all officers should be urgently addressed and there should be a specific level of fitness that all response officers should meet.

BTW most suspects are bloody fast and agile especially since they have nothing to weigh them down like guns, bulletproof, torch, etc all of which add to the difficulty when chasing suspects especially through backyards

Another problem with the bulletproof is that it makes getting at your gun harder if it is waist mounted, we switched to thigh holsters as soon as we could they look gung ho but are very practical especially with their increased retention level and the use of a retention lanyard

BTW most of my friends were shocked at the weight when they tried on my vest with the plates in
 
Eish, wear it for a month and you will no longer notice it.
 
Chicken is to SA like Donuts are to American cops.

You haven’t lived until you have booked out a van smelling of chicken with a greasy steering wheel.

The biggest problem with SAPS a member is the way that they treat their equipment as many have the attitude that since it belongs to the state they dont have to treat it well or look after it.

Vans/cars with flat tires, cockroach infestations and filled with rubbish
Guns so full of sand and gunk, that I doubt that they would work.
Old ammo, dented magazine clips etc

The SAPS need some good old SAP discipline where everything is inspected before you go off duty
 
That vest looks damn interesting...

Wonder what it would set you back though?
 
MyWorld said:
...there are still a handful of them trying to make a difference. ...there are still some doing what must be done.
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They are the one’s who die. The other’s claim the credit and whine about heavy bullet-proof vests before they relax on their lard butts with their KFC bucket.
 
The cops at Wynberg SAPS started gym a number of months back - part of the plan to get all the cops at the station fit and healthy.

They should do it nationally.
 
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