AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police officers are literally about to get a load off their backs.
All patrol officers will soon be wearing external load-bearing vests.
They will hold the majority of the officer's tools, like pepper spray and handcuffs, taking the weight off their duty belts.
But they're not a replacement for a belt – those are still needed to hold their gun, baton and Taser. Those belts frequently support up to around 25 pounds of equipment.
The Austin Police Department said the vests were designed with a contractor last year and ordered after officers complained about back issues from heavy belts.
They are designed to be worn with bulletproof protectors, allowing officers to remove a heavy extra layer that can be hot in the summer.
The vests have been ordered for every patrol officer and will be available within the next couple of months.
The move has nothing to do with last week's deadly call, when an officer's belt slipped off as he moved in to arrest a suspect prior to a stabbing.
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