I took my OC of my belt to switch holsters. Almost ripped my finger nail off trying to get it back on, so I am OCless right now. I ditched the baton long ago as my waist is small and I don't have tons of room to work with. Plus I like to keep stuff of the back side of my belt.
lwt's remark on green zones is dead on.I was a great believer in the PR-24, but many of its most effective strikes were to yellow and red zones. That, along with the "convenience" of expandable batons resulted in widespread replacement of the PR-24. Today, the hassle of the PR-24 outweighs its utility. I do still carry the expandable baton.
Given restrictions on the Taser, I suspect that may become the specialized tool it was for most agencies when the Air Taser M-26 was introduced. I like having the thing, but I'm the lead instructor for the agency. I'm not sure I'd routinely carry it if I didn't have a comfortable drop holster.
My duty belt, in a clockwise manner:
Buckle, wireless mic, OC, Gun, Expandable baton, handcuffs, flashlight ring (SL-20) radio, taser, & spare magazines.
The taser was the newest addition about 2 years ago and I only wear ot when I’m on the motor. Otherwise I dont wear it. I hate the damn thing. Recent case law (Armstrong v Village of Pinehurst) from the 4th Circuit has put us in a bind with the taser and We are now seeing an uptick in OC use.
It is not so much that I am mandated to carry a Taser, as that I am mandated to wear it “crossdraw,” on the opposite side of my body from my “strong” hand. This means I am presenting my Taser, in its Level Two-ish holster, toward a potential threat, whenever I move my duty hoster away from this potential threat. We have received no training in Taser retention.
There are, by now, so many thou-shalt-nots in the current Taser policy, I wonder why we bother to carry them, anymore. By some time in February, it will no longer matter, to me, personally, as I will be giving the Taser back to them, permanently.
Regarding external (outside-the-shirt) armor carriers, I am not convinced they are the best idea, from a safety standpoint. The incident at the Walmart in Cottonwood, Arizona, is an example. I wear a plate carrier, with hard plates, most nights, and reckon that the extra
ballistic protection of the hard plates, when I first arrive on a hot scene, balances the increased risk during a hands-on attack when at contact distance.
OC is optional, for us. Most of us stopped carrying OC when we were issued Tasers. Now, I would rather carry OC, if I could opt-out of carrying the Taser. Trying to carry both presents real estate issues, on the duty belt.
My biggest gripe about carrying issued/mandated equipment is that the new Ford Police “Interceptors” are not SUVs; they are sub-compact cars vaguely shaped liked SUVs. The officer who is driving can be comfortable enough, but the passenger officer is usually very uncomfortable, and exiting the vehicle smoothly and quickly is difficult. The mobile computer is jammed against the Things on the left front of my duty belt, when I am in the passenger seat. The Tahoes were a career-extender, for me, and now these new patrol vehicles are the opposite.
We can carry either a collapsible baton, purchased ourselves, or the issued 26” hardwood baton. We have a wide amount of latitude in using them, and there is a list of circumstances that require carry a baton when away from the patrol vehicle. I have no problem with our baton policy.
Last edited by Rex G; 12-15-2017 at 08:01 PM.
When I was working patrol: From buckle clockwise (right handed) - key holder, double cuff case, holster, OC (nothing on back), radio, expandable baton, 20rd AR mag, attachment point, dual pistol mag pouch (flapped). Tactical flashlight was clipped to sap pocket. Other sap pocket (strong side) had my sap.
Now that I'm only in the field when working overtime for big events where I'm likely on foot with little support gear, no long gun, and a poop-ton of people around: From buckle clockwise - Tourniquet, key holder, holster, OC, two single cuff cases on back, radio, expandable baton, open top pistol mag pouch, attachment point, double mag pouch. Backup Glock 43 with CTC Laserguard Pro in a support-side pocket holster.
The pistol mag pouch is a Safariland on an ELS attachment to my duty belt so I can swap it for an AR mag or shotshell caddy if I decide I need it.
If I could get rid of stuff it would be the baton. I think I'd rather carry the sap. We're required to have a baton on our person. Other than that I don't really feel comfortable with anything less on my belt. I keep an attachment point (used to be a carabiner but now it's a purpose designed clip (ZAK tool seems to come to mind for the name) so I can attach a trauma kit, drop rig for shotgun or rifles, etc.
I just realized my above post was unclear about armor; too late to edit. External carriers are optional; we are issued Level II concealed soft armor. My plate carrier, with Level III plates and IIIA backers and side panels, is voluntary, at my own expense.
I’d stop carrying my Taser given the choice. The ASP already sits is a drawer in my Tahoe.
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
Well, this shows how long it’s been since I worked uniformed patrol. I forgot a couple of things that are on my belt. Between my gun and the first set of cuffs, I keep a SOF-T wide tourniquet in an Eleven10 holder. Between the second set of cuffs and my radio, I carry an Estrella flashlight (Thanks again @Tom Jones) in an HSGI pistol taco.Originally Posted by DanM
When wearing a suit, I keep a CAT tourniquet in the inner pocket on the left breast and my flashlight is a Klarus XT2C in my left front pocket.
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Last edited by WobblyPossum; 12-17-2017 at 06:12 AM.
My posts only represent my personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official policies of any employer, past or present. Obvious spelling errors are likely the result of an iPhone keyboard.
Would you prefer just OC? I stopped carrying my baton long ago, and we can't carry Tasers. So it's just OC for me.
We have only one non-lethal option - an ASP baton. In our case, a 16" steel baton - which I affectionately refer to as the Harry Potter wand. No reach, no stand off, can't generate power with it. It works OK as a big roll of quarters for closed mode strikes, and it'll break a window if you use it correctly, otherwise worthless and heavy. Luckily, it's a "should" carry, not a "shall" carry. If I could carry a different baton - like one of the old Winchesters - I'd gladly carry daily.
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