Prisoners continue to be transported in "dangerous" police vehicles in Tasmania, despite urgent calls from the union.
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The Police Association of Tasmania first raised its concerns with the department in 2017.
It was the year Coroner Simon Cooper made recommendations about the safety of prisoner transport in the state, following the death of an inmate while in custody.
Troy Colin Monson took his own life in the back of a prison transport vehicle in 2014.
It was one of three deaths in custody investigated by the coroner.
As part of his overall findings, Mr Cooper recommended the Tasmanian Prison Service purchase an "appropriate vehicle to allow for special escorts to be carried out safely".
While the Justice Department has since upgraded its vehicles, prisoners are still being transported in police divisional vans, which the union described as "substandard when used over long distances".
"The response to the COVID-19 emergency has been a priority for Tasmania Police, however we have been working hard on a solution to long distance prisoner transport in consultation with the Police Association of Tasmania," he said.
"We expect to finalise a viable alternative in the near future.
"In addition, Tasmania Police will also upgrade the prisoner holding cells at Queenstown and St Helens police stations which will reduce the need to transport prisoners long distances."
But PAT president Col Riley said the safety issue had been communicated to the department long before the coronavirus pandemic.
During Budget Estimates in June last year, Commissioner Hine responded to the vehicle concerns, stating "for longer distances I understand they are not appropriate because you want the safety mechanisms in the back of those pods for longer distances".
Mr Riley said there were three transport routes the union was concerned about - Burnie and Devonport to Launceston, Queenstown to Launceston, Burnie or Hobart, and St Helens to Launceston.
"The prisoners that are remanded by the court process in Burnie and Devonport, they are actually Justice Department prisoners that we are transporting," Mr Riley said.
"Justice have fixed their vehicles, but we are still transporting their prisoners in substandard vehicles."
Meeting with the department's project manager of vehicle services last week, Mr Riley said there had been discussions around potential suppliers, but still no solid plan.
"Tasmania Police has in excess of 500 vehicles in its fleet, we are asking for a safety pod to be fitted on just three of those," he said.
"Somebody will die in the back of those vehicles, and the constable will be held to account.
"It's a big bucket, they are not air-conditioned, they can't monitor them, there is no audio or video, they are just dangerous.
"We are concerned about the public, but our primary function is to make sure our members aren't provided with inadequate equipment.
"Rather than someone dying in the vehicle and members having to explain what happened, these safety measures should already be in place."
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