Penitentiary Policewomen Required to Wear Male-designed Bulletproof Vests
A constitutional ruling mandates proper protective gear for women in the La Reforma prison in Costa Rica.
In a significant legal development, policewomen working at the Terrazas facility within the La Reforma complex in San Rafael de Alajuela, Costa Rica, were mandated to use bulletproof vests designed for men.
This decision was affirmed by the Constitutional Chamber in a ruling dated March 1, 2024, which ordered the Ministry of Justice to provide appropriate and well-fitting vests for female officers.
The court's ruling followed a legal resource filed by the policewomen, stating that the temporary provision of male ballistic vests was inadequate until proper female-equivalent vests could be secured.
On February 13, 2024, measurements for the appropriate protective gear were reportedly taken, but the exact timeline for its delivery remains unspecified by the authorities.
The Constitutional Chamber noted that there was a lack of suitable equipment for the policewomen, highlighting a potential threat to their safety while executing their duties.
The magistrates emphasized that the resource was validated on the grounds that the Ministry acknowledged the absence of necessary protective vests tailored for women.
In addition to the complaints regarding the gender-specific vests, another officer submitted claims that the bulletproof vests distributed were not only incorrectly suited for use in a correctional environment but were also in poor condition, expired, and unclean.
This officer argued that the vests should have been returned to the armory for reassignment to other police personnel.
However, the Constitutional Chamber did not support this claim, confirming that the vests met the required safety standards and were also resistant to sharp objects.
The ruling established that the vests are assigned exclusively to individual police officers, with each responsible for maintaining their condition and cleanliness.
This decision was affirmed by the Constitutional Chamber in a ruling dated March 1, 2024, which ordered the Ministry of Justice to provide appropriate and well-fitting vests for female officers.
The court's ruling followed a legal resource filed by the policewomen, stating that the temporary provision of male ballistic vests was inadequate until proper female-equivalent vests could be secured.
On February 13, 2024, measurements for the appropriate protective gear were reportedly taken, but the exact timeline for its delivery remains unspecified by the authorities.
The Constitutional Chamber noted that there was a lack of suitable equipment for the policewomen, highlighting a potential threat to their safety while executing their duties.
The magistrates emphasized that the resource was validated on the grounds that the Ministry acknowledged the absence of necessary protective vests tailored for women.
In addition to the complaints regarding the gender-specific vests, another officer submitted claims that the bulletproof vests distributed were not only incorrectly suited for use in a correctional environment but were also in poor condition, expired, and unclean.
This officer argued that the vests should have been returned to the armory for reassignment to other police personnel.
However, the Constitutional Chamber did not support this claim, confirming that the vests met the required safety standards and were also resistant to sharp objects.
The ruling established that the vests are assigned exclusively to individual police officers, with each responsible for maintaining their condition and cleanliness.
