Queensland police given 'tactical first aid kits' in wake fo Annerley shooting

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Queensland police officers will be given access to personal "tactical first aid kits" containing potentially lifesaving gear.

The police union has been pushing for the distribution of the kits since an officer purchased a tourniquet on their own and used it to save the life of a fellow officer who was shot while on duty.

Constable Boyd Harrington-Karaitiana used his tourniquet to stop the bleeding of Acting Sergeant Liam Bailey after he was shot in the leg while on a job in the southern Brisbane suburb of Annerley last month.

Tactical first aid kits were already available in police cars.

The government has committed just under $5.4 million to purchase 12,500 kits over the next five years.

The kits will include a tourniquet, a range of bandages designed to stem severe blood loss and a pair of scissors to cut through shoes and hard materials.

Kits won't be a requirement

The Police Minister, Dan Purdie, stated the kits won't be compulsory for police officers to wear.

"Policemen and women face a range of situations daily and we rely on each officer to assess the risks individually," he said.

Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said officers he spoke to had expressed a need for the kits.

He said the kits were designed for "situations where not only Queensland Police Service members can be at high-risk, but also members of the community".

The Police Union President, Shane Prior, praised the service for their swift response.

"It could've gone to committees and been researched over the next couple of years, but they sprang into action," he said.