At the front line of policing in the the ACT, the 11.5kg physical burden of the equipment provides a constant reminder of the job's responsibilities.
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Before every operational shift, ACT officers methodically "kit up", aware that the effectiveness of their body armour, their equipment and their weapons might just save their life - or someone else's - as soon as they step out the station door.
Their Glock 17 pistol, favoured by police and security forces worldwide because of its lightweight, low-cost simplicity, is kept unloaded and in a separate locker to the other equipment.
To load or unload the weapon, officers step into a separate, brick-walled loading bay.
The police Glock is made mostly of polymer and holds 17 rounds of 9mm bullets in a single magazine. A spare 17-round magazine sits in a pouch on the vest.
Police are keenly aware that every time they exert any type of force against another person, either physically or with any of their weapons, they are required to file the appropriate "use of force" paperwork.
Upper body protective vests worn by uniformed officers have different inserts, one for protection against edged weapons and a second, heavier shield designed to provide ballistic protection.
The protective vest also serves as a multi-purpose carry-all. On it attaches a pouch for the portable police radio, a utility pocket for notebook, phone and pens, the spare pistol magazine, and the latest addition to police equipment, the body-worn camera.
The single-unit Axon body camera is from the same company which also produces the Taser 7. It records in low light and high definition and can wirelessly stream images back to the Operations Centre in Belconnen.
There's a two-minute "buffer" built in which back-captures events before the camera is activated by the arming of the Taser, or the drawing of the pistol. Once one camera activates, other body-worn police cameras in the immediate vicinity also start recording.
The camera battery lasts for up to 12 hours so an officer can keep it running for a full shift if required.
The encrypted portable police radio was previously worn on the belt but now is more generally located up on the vest. The microphone for the radio is connected by a coiled cord and is hooked onto the shoulder epaulette.
With radio traffic important for operational awareness, the officer can listen to an assigned radio channel on a silicone earpiece. This keeps the radio traffic inaudible to others.
Commonly tucked into the vest or the belt are the tactical gloves, which have a layer of internal armour to protection against cuts or needlestick injuries.
On a pouch on the vest and within easy reach is the officer's extendable baton. Lightweight and made of high-tensile steel, the baton can be fully extended with a well-practised snap of the wrist.
Worn on one side of the accoutrement belt is the latest battery-powered Taser 7, which replaces the previous X2.
When drawn and aimed, the Taser issues a green laser beam which lights up the target. Pulling the trigger fires two electric barbs which can penetrate loose clothing. Pulling the trigger a second or third time reactivates the electric current.
On the belt behind the Glock pistol is the olyresin capsicum (OC) spray. It's a compact-sized aerosol with a thumb-type plunger. The inflammatory oil in the spray stimulates the eyes to produce tears.
The steel handcuffs are located in a custom-made pouch on the back of the belt. The cuffs ratchet down to suit various wrist sizes and once locked can only be eased or released using a key.
Every part of the operational police "kit" and uniform, from Taser to the boots, is tested in the field before being submitted to as committee for selection.
