About

Duty belts are as old as policing. From the beginning, para-military uniform adaptations of duty belts included police officers. Police belts symbolize the disciplined body of the justice system. When policing started, officers were part of the night watch. Officers carried tools like lanterns and sometimes a stick for self-defense. Eventually, law enforcement belts became a symbol or a brand. Officer’s dress code included a trench coat plus a Sam Browne belt. Belts consisted of a leather piece, brass buckle, and another leather strip which connected front to back passing through the officer’s chest and right shoulder. When I see photographs of police officers who used this setup, I can imagine myself being one of them. These officers carried a nightstick, flashlight, and revolver. Over time, law enforcement evolved, and more tools were added. All these new tools or toys, as some of us see them, started adding weight which translated in back, hips, and knee injuries. However, there are new options to consider when setting up your belt to avoid or prevent injury. Here are some critical factors. 1) Duty belt’s material: Majority of duty belts are either made out of durable nylon or leather. Nylon is lighter and flexible; however, some departments discourage nylon because it doesn’t look “professional” since this material could rub off over time with daily use. Leather belts can look professional. Police departments like the way manufacturers can make it look glossy or basket weave. However, leather can add weight to the already heavy-duty equipment. 2) Manufacturer: Price is a significant factor, primarily if your department doesn’t provide a uniform allowance or pay for all of the uniforms. I suggest you do your research and go with quality manufacturers. Don’t forget to read the reviews, not just reviews like t “It looks good,” but more about how it feels after the usage for a while. I use Bianchi Duty Belts, and so far the belt is lighter than my old leather one. Remember, security officers also use some of the duty belts, and they don’t carry as much equipment as we do. 3) Comfort and Size: Your waistline will determine the size as well as your level of comfort, and the number of pouches and holsters you attach to your belt. Remember, you might want to buy a bigger size. You might gain a little weight, but if you are like me, I wear many layers during the winter, and I have to open loosen up it up a bit. Let’s take a look the way I set up my duty belt. Your setup depends on the number of tools you carry, personal preference, and policies by your department. One thing is sure if you are a rookie, you’ll change the setup for the first two years because you’ll learn what works and doesn’t work for you. (Starting Counterclockwise from belt buckle) Taser Tasers are useful for many reasons, some to stop subjects who aren’t complying to commands, other times to make the taser spark showing you aren’t playing games. I placed my taser next to the belt buckle because I’ll reach to use it with my dominant right hand. My academy taught me always place the taser on the opposite side or away from your firearm because, in a high-stress scenario, you could grab your gun instead of your taser to stop someone while resisting, a true story this happened before: https://link.tacticalbluetv.com/shot-with-taser. If I’m that close to a subject, I’m not reaching for a taser to make someone comply, hands-on baby! Magazine Holster My magazine holster is unique, well, not really, but I like it. I have a double handgun plus AR15 magazine holster. The reason I chose this setup is the location where I work. My backup is 10–15 minutes away. I like the idea of having another AR15 magazine just in case I have a defective magazine in the AR15 already, or I experience a double feed which prompts me to do a rapid clearing drill and reload. I never hear anyone ever said, “I brought too many rounds to this gunfight!” Flashlight Holster I carry many flashlights, in the vehicle, in my go pack and on me. This particular flashlight is what I call my “Vehicle Search” flashlight. I can place it in tight places when I’m looking for contraband, e.i AC vents. Always use your non-dominant hand to handle your flashlight or any tool which isn’t essential for fighting. Like my old academy, sergeant used to say “Nothing In Your Gun Hand.” PR24/Flashlight Loop Next, I have this velcro loop for my PR24. If you never used a PR24, you are missing a cool and useful tool for crowd control. Make sure you take the necessary training before using one. It’s useful, but deadly if you strike one of the red zones. By the way, it’s hard to find one in the market. It took me a while before I got ahold one. This loop is multi-function because I also use it for my long Streamlight flashlight. Radio Pouch The radio goes in my non-dominant hand. All my fellow officers at the police department use different setups for their radios. Some use the radio clip which it’s attached to the radio’s battery. Others have metal clips or “Porta” clips. I use a swivel pouch which is easy for me to use. If I have to take the radio off my duty belt, I turn the pouch upside down and pull up, easy. Tourniquet Holster If you don’t use a tourniquet on your duty belt, you are automatically failing in this job! Tourniquets could save your life or your fellow officer’s life in a life-threatening situation. If you are shot, after stopping the threat, the first thing you need to do is to stop the bleeding. Having the tourniquet easily accessible can be the difference between bleeding to death or winning the fight! If possible also carry an Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) close by as well. Glove Pouch My glove pouch is directly behind my spine. The reason for this methodology is to avoid spine injuries if I fall backward. Never place anything which could compress the spine discs if you fall, such as handcuffs or other hard tools. The injury isn’t worth it. Place something soft or nothing at all. If you have a small waistline and you need space, consider adding a double magazine pouch to save space. OC Spray I carry my OC spray in a pouch directly behind my baton. The reason is that I prefer to use my dominant hand to withdraw the bottle. I’m not sure if this is the best place for it, but I’m more concerned with the other tools mentioned above. Baton To use my baton, I’ll withdraw it from the holster. Using my dominant hand with an upper and downward motion extending the baton. Firearm My Glock 22 holster is near my hipbone. I place it about 1 inch in front of the hip bone. This way, it’s comfortable for me while sitting in the patrol car, but also it doesn’t interfere with the seat belt if I ever have to do a rapid retrieve while sitting. Double Handcuff Pouch Police Academies don’t emphasize the importance of proper handcuff placement. Usually, police officers place their handcuffs in the back of the duty belt. However, think about it; if you are going to handcuff someone and your non-dominant hand is holding the suspect’s hands, what’s the other hand doing? Moving back to open the pouch and retrieve the handcuffs. If you notice before, your torso automatically leans forward. The movement places you in an odd disadvantaged position. If your handcuffs are in the front, the whole time you’ll maintain the upper hand. You won’t have unusual movements. You’ll reach the pouch, open it, and handcuff. If you practice enough, it can be a fast and smooth movement. If you decide to use this setup or another, the important thing is to practice, practice, practice. You should be able to grab any of your tools in the daytime or dark. Muscle memory plays a big part in the officer’s safety. Remember, my goal is that you go home safe to your family. “Don’t Be An ASS, Be An ASSet!” https://youtu.be/i157jKuTWTE