Jackets and Guns don't mix part II

[Paul]

We're issued a plain old Gerber jacket, This one from Galls, that has a bellow pockets on the front and a hand warmer pocket underneath.

Last night an officer found that he had been nominated to be a rather large pit bull's next meal, well the officer is rather skinny and might have just been a snack. Fortunately it was just one dog and not one of our infamous herds of urban cattle. Skinny officer, with a mace can in front of his pistol, and a bellow pocket with hand warmer pocket, is a perfect combination for a hand-warmer pocket that has turned into a wide open net.

The pit bull charges the officer. The officer draws, drives his pistol towards the threat, with the muzzle of the pistol going into the hand warmer pocket of the jacket. He fires a round through his pocket and shoots the street, the pit bull decides that there are easier meals out there and runs off. The pistol malfunctioned and the officer cleared it and called it in to dispatch. He's going to be the laughing stock of everything for a while, but had then been a gunfight or pack of dogs he would have been in some serious trouble.

I'm rather portly so this being an issue I've thought about. If you're one of those officers that's into eating healthy and that running nonsense, make sure your winter jacket isn't in a position to screw you over.

[Malamute]

Good point.

I took one jacket I had and stitched the hand warmer pockets shut. When pockets can zip, you can keep them zipped. The split six type speed loader carriers sit high enough to potentially catch the barrel. I try to keep them slid far enough forward to avoid that when I use them.

One parka I bought had a huge wind baffle flap all around the middle at about waist level. I sent it back.

[KevinB]

Very few jackets and other cold weather garments are built with gunfighting in mind.

Indoor in-service qual's will not show you the issues with your gear like an outdoor range will.

In addition to pocket issues, a lot of fleeces and jackets have exterior drawstrings that can snag holsters - or triggers upon re-holster.

Any of your gear permutations should be tested and trained with.

[ToddG]

He's going to be the laughing stock of everything for a while...

I would suggest that whoever decided to issue those jackets without testing them for safety & suitability with regard to firearms should be the laughingstock and might in fact be due some instruction on how to do his job properly before an officer loses his life from inattention to detail on the procurement side's part.

PA State Police had a similar type of problem when they switched to Glocks. They discovered that their issued gloves were soft enough that the trigger safety of a Glock may not disengage when a Trooper tried to press his trigger.

Every jacket, shirt, gloves, etc. that I buy I test to make sure it's compatible with my carry gear. And I'm only responsible for myself, not an entire legion of sworn personnel.

[Paul]

I wish it were that simple. I don't think I've ever meet anyone is the police equipment procurement that was qualified for the job, every now then you'll hear about a guy that sneaks into the position and does amazing things for his department, but it's pretty rare. There's very little done at my department with facilitating police work, let alone gunfighting, in mind. I'm far from an expert on anything, but nowadays I do try to learn from my own mistakes and the mistakes of others.

That's the first I've heard about Glocks and winter gloves. I never wear anything thicker than tacti-cool ninja gloves, but I am going to mention that to a couple guys that I know wear heavier gloves in the winter.

[Haraise]

Very few jackets and other cold weather garments are built with gunfighting in mind.

Well that makes me curious. Which are the few?

[DocGKR]

Beware of large zippers...

[SLG]

NYPD had a major issue with their jackets some years ago. Guys were coming in the precinct with their hammers cocked (S&W M10's, 64's and such). After they got tired of yelling at the guys for walking around with their hammers cocked, the city realized that the nifty new split leather zipper pulls were catching the hammer spur and cocking the hammer while the gun was in the holster. Those jackets were ditched (I think) and at some point after that, hammers were bobbed.

[ToddG]

NYPD had a major issue with their jackets some years ago. Guys were coming in the precinct with their hammers cocked (S&W M10's, 64's and such). After they got tired of yelling at the guys for walking around with their hammers cocked, the city realized that the nifty new split leather zipper pulls were catching the hammer spur and cocking the hammer while the gun was in the holster. Those jackets were ditched (I think) and at some point after that, hammers were bobbed.

Mayor DeBlasio wants those jackets found, dry cleaned, and given out to the homeless (only those with voting privileges) right now!

[GJM]

Well that makes me curious. Which are the few?

Might look here:

http://leaf.arcteryx.com/Home.aspx?language=EN