Everything has a proper place and is tactically placed. This article did a great job (along with some interesting historical facts). The HSGI pouches and holster were no issue at all, but the Esstac belt loops areverystiff. Not to mention practice ammo and gear to review. In particular, he needed a way to stabilize his officers saber hanging from his uniform belt. at the shoulder. On the other end of the spectrum, you might find yourself in a situation where you pull over a senior citizen with a traffic warrant. You'll likely have to move it and replace it with something else. However, you only have one set of cuffs. If you click on the link and buy something, then I receive a small commission, typically 3% to 5% of the sale. Compared to the heavier battle belt, the only major change is deleting one rifle magazine pouch. A significant improvement on this problem is the belt keeper system. I would feel a lot less self conscious showing up to a training course with something like this over my heavier setups. Learn how your comment data is processed. Most equipment after use is non-refundable and many of the items you will want to purchase are expensive. Im sure you know this pain, but picking up the belt is only the first part of the battle. The second is a two-part belt system consisting of an inner and outer belt. Whereas I think leather looks nice for a day-to-day EDC or CCW belt, I value heavy nylon webbing for a tactical belt due to its increased strength and durability. I think this kind of belt is better suited to warm climates where youre not wearing any kind of outer layer. This is the regular police duty belt style, and law enforcement typically uses some kind of keeper or hook that attaches to the inner belt. This site and its community are a labor of love. I wanted to be clear up front even though I say it again later. The tactical belt represents the minimalist super lightweight path. The class-B uniform is generally a tactical work uniform and a better fit for nylon gear. However, with gun-mounted tactical flashlights and lasers, personally owned specialized holsters are common. I have seen some officers carrying their handcuffs behind their firearm. Your personal setup looks a lot like what I wore to Desert Brutality. That will be for a future article. Carrying openly, and even strapping on plate carriers and combat loads, eventually has a place. The lack of law enforcement in the area brings out the worst in people. This is a great find. For my definition, a tactical belt is different in one significant way: its, . Keep in mind that Ive gotmanymore years working with the battle belt. Marty Katz is a retired sergeant with the Broward Sheriffs Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ill get to my reasoning in a minute. In other posts, I detailed the history of, Obviously, there is some wow factor with the guy. Positioning your belt is a process. Most officers carry two sets of cuffs for a couple of reasons. Cases can be either completely closed or partially open. Outer belt: HSGI Duty Grip Padded Belt I like this because it allows me to use pouches with belt loops rather than PALS webbing. The inflexibility of the hinge makes this possible. Marty is a Florida Department of Law Enforcement certified instructor (Firearms, Defensive Tactics, Driving, First Responder, Ethics and Human Diversity), Expert Witness for Use of Force issues, a member of ILEETA, and past Florida Chapter Director for the International Association of Ethics Trainers In addition, Marty has trained in Japan with the Tokyo Metropolitan Riot Police and is a martial arts instructor. A level 2 holster usually finds a home with detectives and other plainclothes assignments. Keep a broad rubber band handy and wrap it around your keys no more jingle-jangle, problem solved. I first introduced Scenario X in the opening article on. Left-handed officers should perform their setup in the reverse order. Thats how we arrived at the prototypical modern duty belt. Officers should never be pulling magazines from anywhere except where they regularly carry them. Until researching this post, Id never heard of the Sam Browne belt, though Id seen pictures of it everywhere. Reaching this position on the belt, even when not in a confrontation, is difficult, so leaving this area empty is recommended. Every officer carries a bright light, especially on the night shift, but flashlights have a way of failing at the worst possible time. All rights reserved. But its not the first thing you should think of and it would probably draw the wrong kind of attention. To stay protected during this time of crisis, take a look at our police officers guide to staying safe during COVID-19. My first thought after closing the buckle and moving around was just how light this belt feels compared to my battle belt. Most uniform patrol officers are required to carry a level 3. Shop Handcuffs, You also need a proper handcuff key, not the little ones that come with most cuffs. Another factor I considered was avoiding hook and loop material on the inside. A small backup flashlight on an officer's belt is essential. No two officers are alike we come in all sizes and shapes. Digital Ally - Next Generation of Body Camera Technology: Schedule a Demo Today! Im seriously considering grabbing more of these to try on other pouches for this belt. Set up correctly, it feels as if its, When pair the tac belt with other equipment, like a. , then you have a perfectly scalable solution that works for both discrete carry as well as higher-profile situations. If youre thinking in terms of, Ive already got my CCW belt on, and need to plus up for something serious, then my suggestion is actually add a chest rig. When wearing a radio on the duty belt, it should be worn on either side of the flashlight. Thank you for coming by The Everyday Marksman. Theres a lot to be said for modularity like that. First, take a warm up jog while at the range. With the police, though, the belt became far more than decorative. I cant imagine what that would look like after months of serious outdoors use. From the picture it looks like there isnt any play between the belt and the loop which is good. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). For Scenario X, youre not operating as law enforcement and you do not have the same policies and requirements. He's a former military officer turned professional tech sector trainer. It is based not only on years of experience but also on trial and error. Flashlight: To the rear of the support side hip, you have a flashlight and holder. Keys and key holders are major offenders, but they don't have to be. Many officers carry these clipped inside their shirt pockets. I was a little skeptical of this configuration at first, but it works. To remain quick and effective, everything has to be tucked in with no jacket or other loose clothing in the way. There is also the matter of access. Similarly, if I want to change the pants Im wearing, it involves removing everything and rethreading it on again over the new pants. I hope you stick around for a while, and maybe even join us. Most models offer zero padding or support. Officers should always properly maintain their handcuffs. Instead, your plan should be for one of confident discretion. The loading devices for a semi-auto-type weapon are carried in the front pocket weak side and the revolver-type weapon is carried in the front pocket strong side. Radio: I do not carry a radio as a regular part of my duty belt. Carrying your handcuffs in this position allows access by either hand. Start with the proper placement of the sidearm. Usually six or more keepers hold a duty belt in place. There are also situations where a person, because of their size, an injury or inflexibility, may require two sets of cuffs hooked together to secure them. To solve this problem, Sir Browne devised a leather strap that draped diagonally over his right shoulder. So keep it light. A well-run police agency will plan long in advance of any act of civil unrest, not when hundreds of protesters have already assembled. To be fair, a lot of police departments recognized the problem with overloading an unsupported duty belt with gear. The new duty belt with attached stabilizing strap presented an opportunity to mount holsters, store ammunition, and handcuffs. Going back to the center point and moving toward your non-firearm side, the first item is your magazine pouches. Now you've set up your belt, positioning equipment to be comfortable, functional and weight balanced, you're done, right? The most significant advantage of the keeper system is that once you unsnap the keepers, the entire duty belt comes off in one piece with all the equipment. Copyright 2022 Police1. The BFG Micro Trauma Kit is purpose built for this application. duty belt. This way, with a secure earpiece, safety is enhanced. Everything you carry has a purpose. You will notice that there is nothing placed to the rear of the baton. . On the other, it would make the experience of removing and replacing the pouches as I took the belt on and off a bear of a task. I place a folding pocketknife in each rear pants pocket. This is the path that I chose, even though its more difficult. It is based not only on years of experience but also on trial and error. Later on, as uniforms changed, police officers began directly attaching their duty belts the pants belt around the waist. Everything else is extra.. A lot of duty belts on the market are 2 wide, which wasnt going to work for me. Comfort is an equally important consideration. We walk you through how to prepare for this difficult assignment. It is very useful and is usually kept on the front of the belt where it can be quickly deployed. So what works for me might be very different than what works well for you. Shop Duty Belts. From day one, I have always carried a backup gun. Lexipol. , I mentioned duty belts right in the beginning. The tail end is left as a single layer of webbing so you can quickly adjust it along with the included cobra buckle. Its full of human hair and dog fur. Kudos for being a good dad and still finding the time to grow the site. If you are still having problems, please contact our Customer Relations Department at 636-680-8051. Now we get to the tough question: which do I think is the better way to go? I like these things a lot. regardless of where its mounted. Well, if I fell and landed on my back, an item in this location might cause a back injury and that might take the fight out of me when I needed it most. Mental health is a tough but important subject. Im behind the curve. I keep nothing behind the holster. Its designed either with a quick-release buckle or a simple lock one. The downside is that it takes quite a bit of time to thread each item onto the belt. But there were already some noted issues with this configuration, especially when it came to officer safety. All of my pouches are more or less exactly where they would be on the battle belt, so all of my muscle memory remains intact. I do not place anyequipment on the rear of my duty belt. These learned motor skills become automatic so you don't have to look or even think about where to reach for a fresh magazine. Shop Duty Cases. The triple-ply webbing and very stiff. The levels indicate the number of actions necessary to remove the weapon from the holster. Shop products from small business brands sold in Amazons store. This is placed here so that it can be accessed from either hand. Heres a rundown on my belt: Inner belt: HSGI Cobra Rigger Belt Nothing special. Officers should be aware how well the gear remains secured to the body. Only I can hear what is being transmitted. Most models offer, While this configuration is certainly more suited to 20-25 lb duty loads, its also one of the sources of complaints about, Lets start with the foundational rule. Many western world military powers made it part of the official officers uniform. Panicked people picked the grocery store clean with days. But this time its even more so, and I want you to think, A tactical belt, which either weaves through your pants belt loops or attaches to your pants belt, is typically only 1.5 to 2 wide. Copyright 2022 The only thing worse than having your pepper spray accidentally discharge in your patrol car is taking your unit out of service and explaining the error to your sergeant. Wearing ten or more pounds of gear on your duty belt will affect your posture and lower back over time. Shop Magazine Pouches. Depending on the capacity of the sidearm, two fully loaded magazines in the pouch is typically the right balance between the added weight and not running out of ammunition. The easiest method, though, is simply to remember that you should draw your firearm from your dominant side, and you should draw your taser from your weak side. The following is a guide to how to set up your duty belt. Ill do a further review on it in the future. These images come from theNew York State Troopers Historypage, and clearly show the Sam Browne belt being used as a regular duty belt. Most departments issue duty weapons and holsters. The firearm I carry also has an attached tactical light. and manufacturers. That means you can carry more ammunition and support gear. That was the main issue I had with them on my old setup. Keep your CCW belt as-is, and then supplement with the chest rig on top. They then affix an outer duty belt to the inner belt with a series of snap or Velcro belt keepers. Looking forward to more articles and updates on this topic. It sends too aggressive of a message and is more likely to cause you more problems than it solves early on. To be honest, there isnt really a wrong answer here. It makes getting in and out of uniform much quicker. My requirement for a tactical belt medical pouch is that it needs to be. While this may be the best, Garmont T8: Comparing Garmonts Line of Boots, Plate Carrier Setup: The Best Pouches and Accessories for Your Kit, NEW Garmont AR670-1 & AFI 36-2903 Compliant Boot, Our Favorite Products for Women in Law Enforcement, Pros and Cons: Side Zip Tactical Boots for Law Enforcement Officers. although that being said is there an option out there were there is a ccw inner belt that can hold your concealed carry set up and then if scenario x were to happen you could swap over to your battle/mission/duty belt and have the extra kit if needed without having to use a velcro option? It has a spacer on the bottom that you adjust for different belt widths, so youre all good there. This will be on the officer's hip on their strong side. Its discrete, unlikely to cause alarm, and provides adequate defense. Everything moves and bends along with me. First, putting extra weight on the belt drags your pants down with it. Shop Duty Carriers. For instance, a handcuff key concealed somewhere on the back of your belt. You can find that by clicking on this link. This was to determine if their firearm charged, the weapon functioned correctly, they had the correct ammunition and whether they could hit the target. With the earpiece secured by a small strap around my ear and under the ear lobe, this has become a critical safety tool. However, organizing your belt is an ongoing trial-and-error process. It happens. The whole thing can be covered with a large flannel shirt or a coat of i want to be a little less obvious, but then Id probably just go with my EDC ifRead more . At any given moment I can reach out and bring into play anything that I carry. Do all items stay secure, or do they flop around? Before selecting optional duty gear, it's essential to know your department's rules and regulations. Theres only so much you can do with heavy duty webbing, after all, but this one had the right combination of features that I wanted. Or, alternatively, Im trying to conceal the belt under a jacket. The key is a balance between functionality and comfort. to know more about Hero's Pride? In combat situations, time is in short supply. The two-part tactical belt mitigates that problem, though. Most departments allow these tactical add-ons, but they also set a minimum standard for the alternate holster. To that point in history, officers often carried police equipment in the pockets of the coats. It will also prevent the impression that you are reaching for your firearm when your intent is to use a non-lethal alternative. But the missing arm later caused some interesting problems for Sam over the rest of his life. Interestingly, Ive been wearing the belt in this article a lot more lately without weaving it into the belt loops. With practice, these movements become second nature to a well-trained officer. Officers are encouraged to wear their sidearm on their dominant side. The goal of proper placement of duty belt equipment is to ensure everything can be easily located and ascertained to where you do not have to think about where an item is as you reach for it. Your personal equipment (on and off duty). Since the tac belt attaches to your pants and sits much closer to the body, it allows you to easily conceal your gear under a jacket or loose-fitting shirt. If we had any prior notice of taking any police action, the vest was immediately put on. This is another very popular option, and one that some of you have explicitly asked me about. For the pistol mag pouches, I decided to give the Esstac Kywi models a try. Since I usually mount all of my first aid pouches on the rear, I dont want anything that has to be used in place. In other words, the pouch has to either detach itself, or its contents are quickly removed. In all, it appears to be a very well made piece of gear and Im sure I will get a lot of use out of over the years. You see, a lot of belts out there from companies like HSGI, Tactical Tailor, and First Spear all have a strip of loop fabric lining the interior of the belt. Either choice, make sure it is carried in the same place every day. In less than a minute, you can put on or take off a fully loaded belt. How to set up a duty belt is about more than simply finding a spot for everything. The Tek-Lok does slide on the belt, but the belt loops on my pants do a good job of holding it in place. A silent approach when reacting to a crime in progress or when clearing a residence is vital. To lessen this effect, evenly distribute heavier items on your belt. A standard cobra buckle belt. If youre new to this series on load carriage, then let me catch you up. Are Thigh Holsters Better Than Hip Holsters For Police. Nylon is much lighter and gives more of a tactical appearance. As more and. No article of mine is complete without a little background for context. An officer should be able to keep their eyes on a threat while removing a new magazine from the pouch and reloading. Later on, as uniforms changed, police officers began directly attaching their duty belts the pants belt around the waist. This will help secure the holster to my body and with the proper handgun retention, and a triple secure holster, the weapon is protected. No article of mine is complete without a little background for context. . I chose to go this way because I find it to be more secure, lower profile, lighter, and not prone to the drawbacks of the two-part system. Gain insights from pros, new content notifications, vendor discount alerts, and more! It stabilized the swords sheath and allowed him to draw with his right hand alone. Shop Duty Accessories. That is not a good idea. This a valid concern and one that is addressed by the use of both a baton holster that prevents unwanted movement and the placement of the keeper at the rear of the firearm. But this time its even more so, and I want you to think even lighter and more minimalist. Read up on applicable skills here. When I am on a perimeter position or searching a structure, even if the radio traffic is limited, someone always breaks in at the wrong time and gives away your position. A good tactical belt is typically stiffer and supports more equipment than a CCW belt. As a result, tasers are usually worn on the weak side, either necessitating a cross draw or requiring officers to draw their taser with their non-dominant hand. I think the battle belt, which is self-contained and rides on the outside of the rest of my clothing represents the do all solution. During his 34-year career, hisassignments included field training officer, SWAT team member, undercover narcotics detective, academy instructor street crime suppression unit and supervisor of Recruitment, Criminal investigations and Patrol.