Police dogs get stab-proof armour

£2,700 has been spent on eight vests for firearms support dogs

Police dogs in South Yorkshire are to be fitted with special body armour to protect them from being stabbed.

The new £350 jackets, made from woven metal mesh, have been designed by Pc Rick Harrison to protect the force's firearms support dogs.

South Yorkshire will be the first force in England to trial the jackets, which will be delivered later this month.

Pc Harrison said statistics showed that police dogs were more at risk from being stabbed than being shot.

He said: "Fortunately we have not had any of our dogs hurt in this way but prevention is better than cure."

Successful tests

Pc Harrison used recycled police uniforms to test and develop different styles of jackets before deciding on the metal mesh design.

He said: "Previous styles of body armour have been impractical for the dogs to wear even though they provided protection.

"The vests were uncomfortable because of inflexibility, insulation and weight. The best defence a dog has is its speed and manoeuvrability."

The force said it had tested the jackets on German Shepherds, Malinois and Rottweilers without any problems.

Ch Supt Richard Wilson, head of operational support services, said: "We've spent £2,700 on eight sets for our firearms support dogs which are most likely to face incidents involving lethal weapons.

"This investment makes sense because the dogs cost a small fortune to train and we want to keep them for as long as we can."