Essential Police Gear That Protects Those Who Protect Us
By Space Coast Daily // May 30, 2022
It’s not easy being safe out there if you’re a law enforcement officer. Since the days of the short-lived movement, “Defund the Police,” many police officers have literally been walking around with targets on their backs. Even FBI Director Christopher Wray recently stated that every five days a law enforcement officer is killed while on duty.
A situation that has clearly reached epidemic proportions for the men and women who don the blue.
Enter protective police gear which can include everything from ballistic vests to protective helmets to duty belts. In fact, these days, law enforcement officers are required to carry so much protective gear many of them have chosen to purchase a police gear rack for their home. These racks not only conveniently store coats, duty belts, vests, and side-arms, but many are also equipped with a gun concealment option just in case you have young children running around the house.
That said, what are some of the most essential police gear that protects those who’s sworn duty it is to protect us? According to a new report, since there’s so much police gear available on the tactical market today, it’s not easy deciding what can be useful in the field as opposed to something that just weighs you down and takes up space on your duty belt.
However, according to the experts, here is some of the most essential protective equipment a law enforcement officer should have on their person when in the field in 2022.
Ballistic Backpack
Speedy deployment of ballistic gear is said to be crucial when it comes to the potentially lethal Law Enforcement (LE) world. A ballistic backpack is engineered to be worn on the back of the body and easily stored in a cop cruiser trunk. The pack can be worn on the body’s front when faced with a threat. A quick-tab is pulled down to deploy the pack’s flap.
The pack is also designed to protect the torso from gunfire and/or stabbing.
Tactical Polymer AR-15 Carbine 7-inch Drop-In Rail System
A newly engineered Polymer AR-15 Carbine rail system is said to provide convenient and essential mounting capabilities for MLOK (Modular-Locking) accessories such as lasers, flashlights, bipods, and vertical grips. Some MLOK systems offer “universal modularity” between a variety of manufacturers of accessory rails and tactical accessories.
Experts say that the tactical Polymer AR-15 Carbine 7-inch drop-in rail system is meant to replace the factory handguard. It also requires no gunsmithing. This means no permanent alternations are required to be made to the AR-15 since the rail system is engineered for “screwless installation.”
Waterproof Service Weapon Holster
Those employed in the outdoor LE community are said to “have been long neglected” when it comes to being supplied with waterproof holsters for their service weapons. But today, waterproof holsters are available that can keep your handgun fully protected from a variety of adverse weather conditions including hard rain and snow
When you close the waterproof service weapon holster, your gun will be sealed completely from water and dust. These holsters also come with desiccant packs that can remove existing moisture in the case making certain the gun stays dry.
A “built-in auto pressure equalization system” is designed to guarantee that the unit will open easily if you’re descending quickly from a high altitude such as inside a police/SWAT helicopter.
Bail Out Bag
True to its name the Bail Out Bag, or what’s also known in LE circles as the BOB, is said to be a “perfect catch all.” It can be attached to the back of an automobile seat where it can remain open without spilling its contents, but at the same time, offering easy and fast access to its contents.
Once detached from the seatback it can be utilized like a normal backpack. If you open it entirely, it is designed to spread which means you can use it for a seat or even a sleeping mat out in the field. Its mesh pockets can hold large items like AR-15 and handgun magazines, and smaller pockets for other necessities like penlights and folding knives.
Concealable Enhanced Multi-Threat Vest
Perhaps the most important piece of equipment an LE officer can own is the concealable enhanced multi-threat vest or ballistic vest. This piece of body armor is not only concealable but it defends against bullets, slashes, stabs, strikes, and more.
It is said to offer “unmatched protection” against rounds designed to pierce armor. It is also said to protect again stabbings of up to and including “36 joules of force” and can even prevent penetration from an ice pick.
