The Jupol union has denounced a long-standing violation of the Occupational Risk Prevention Law affecting National Police officers, specifically relating to the provision of individual bulletproof vests. With more than 100 trainee officers arriving in Alicante, the union highlights the absence of essential personal protective equipment as a serious concern for those on duty.
The union states in a press release that, in the vast majority of cases, officers perform public security tasks without a standardly issued ballistic vest. This exposes their physical safety and, in some instances, their lives to unnecessary risk.
From Jupol’s information, most trainee officers do not have any ballistic protection, and when a vest is available, it is often a shared, collective model that does not guarantee a precise fit for each individual officer. This misalignment with proper sizing undermines effective protection.
David García, the provincial secretary of Jupol in Alicante, notes that the internal regulations of the Directorate General of the Police acknowledge the need to equip operational officers with this kind of protective gear. He asserts that this requirement is regularly unmet by the DGP. [Citation: Jupol, Alicante chapter]
Desprotegidos
Specifically, García points out that among the 149 trainee officers in Alicante this year, only 18 have individual ballistic vests, while 29 Benidorm officers must share eight vests. The remaining 102 trainees lack any ballistic protection.
When vests are shared, Jupol warns that hygiene becomes a critical issue, especially in hot months, as garments pass between colleagues rapidly and cannot undergo thorough cleaning between uses.
Riesgos laborales
Furthermore, the union argues that the situation clearly breaches Royal Decree 2/2006 from January 16, which sets the rules for occupational risk prevention for police personnel. Article 3 states that police officers have a right to effective protection for health and safety at work, and that the state administration must take necessary measures to ensure safety in all aspects of professional activity within the police role.
Article 6 of the same decree also emphasizes that the administration will provide appropriate personal protective equipment and ensure its proper use.
Un policía, un chaleco
Jupol maintains its call for the Directorate General of the Police to supply ballistic vests to all National Police officers. García asserted that ensuring the safety and physical integrity of police officers is a fundamental duty of the Interior Ministry. The absence of proper equipment or the presence of worn or degraded gear can undermine the service, harm the reputation of the police force, and compromise the safety of citizens. [Citation: Jupol, operational safety position]