Don't hide your number! High Command says police must make numbers on vests visible

POLICE COMMISSIONER Owen Ellington is urging commanding officers to take strong action against cops who use masking tape to conceal the numbers on their ballistic vests.

For years, members of the public have reported that cops turn up on operations with the number on their "bulletproof" vests covered by adhesive tape, or with hand-written numbers.

Yesterday, Ellington reminded the cops that "all printing or marking on police vests must be done at the police headquarters stores and ... at no time must adhesive tape be used to conceal a regulation number on a vest ... ."

Ellington also noted that members of the force have been transferring or lending their vests to other members.

"This practice must cease with immediate effect," said Ellington.