POLICE officers in Whitehill are preparing to don stab-proof body armour to protect themselves from potential attack.

Hampshire Police is issuing the body armour to all of its officers in the wake of UK-wide tragedies where officers have been injured, at times fatally, in the line of duty.

There are currently not enough sets of body armour for each officer in the county, but during the next four to six weeks every officer will be provided with his, or her, own personal issue body armour, which they will have to wear at all times when out on patrol.

The vests are being provided to all 4,300 police officers and some support staff, such as civilian detention staff and scene of crime officers, at a cost of £1.9 million.

Officers in Whitehill and Petersfield will be kitted out with their individual vests during this month, with other areas following before the end of October.

Sergeant Nick Nickson, of the Longmoor Sector, told The Herald that officers would have to wear the vests at all times when out on patrol.

"We have got them at the moment but there is only a limited number," he said.

"During this month they are going to be issued to all operational officers - they will have their own personal vests.

"At the moment we would need to wear them if there was an armed incident, or if we believed there were knives involved, or if there was a safety issue. We would also wear them if there was a report of a domestic dispute where somebody had a knife.

"But until now, there are not enough in the force for everybody to be able to have one. As from this month, everybody will have one and it will be compulsory to wear one all the time you are on patrol."

Sgt Nickson said the vests were not a reflection of particular threats to officers in the county.

"They are worn by a number of forces as a matter of course, for example the West Midlands and the Metropolitan Police, and slowly they are being introduced into other forces as a standard piece of equipment," he said.

"I suppose it is just the way the job has evolved. When I first joined up we had a little wooden truncheon and not everybody had handcuffs. What these vests will give us is the best form of protection that we can have.

"As they are going to be personally issued, they are going to fit properly because they do come in different sizes. We won't have problems with them being too big or too small.

"I don't think it is anything that people should be concerned about. It is just important that police officers have got the appropriate protection."

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan revealed the decision to issue the stab-proof vests to all officers in this month's issue of Frontline - Hampshire Constabulary's monthly newspaper.

In his annual review for 2003/04, Mr Kernaghan said: "Shortly, the two counties will start to be patrolled by officers wearing personal issue body armour. The issue of body armour is a reflection of the contemporary threat nationally to patrolling officers and also takes cognisance of the health and safety regime. It does not signify any major increase in the threat locally.

"However, in the light of tragedies elsewhere in the United Kingdom, I think it is appropriate that we all reflect on the commitment, dedication and courage regularly displayed by the men and women of Hampshire Constabulary - regular, special and police staff alike."

l Copies of this month's edition of Frontline are available from local police stations or can be downloaded from Hampshire Constabulary's website at http://www.hampshire.police.uk">www.hampshire.police.uk