There's a lot of talk today about the relationship of law enforcement to the public it serves. A new generation is being exposed to police officers in many situations and ways. I remember as a kid seeing nickeled S&W revolvers in the duty belts of cops in various locations and thinking someday I'd like to own one of those very interesting guns.

Today's kids witness quite a bit more on police officers these days. I took this shot today at Phoenix's annual Veterans Day parade, showing the wonderment of a young child at a loaded duty belt on a one of the policemen patrolling the parade route on a bicycle. These first impressions of kids will mold their attitudes regarding law enforcement in the future. I think the Phoenix PD is doing a great job of interacting positively with the public.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Look at how much stuff is on that duty belt compared to 20 years ago. It must weigh a ton.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

So true, Paladin!

I remember as a 7 year old arriving for the first time at Idlewild Airport (now Kennedy) from Ireland in 1958.

We walked out of the terminal to the cross walk heading for the parking lot, I was day dreaming about where those cowboys were, when I hear this deep voice saying "hold up sonny." I looked up to see this revolver at my eye level, in the holster of a Port Authority Police Officer. At that point he reached out to block the crosswalk, and I had my second shock - here was the first black man I had ever seen, and after the gun and the uniform, all I could think of was - his hands are two colors!

Luckily, being in shock, I kept that to myself and didn't embarrass anyone (my mother would have dropped dead on the spot).

That was my first exposure to an American Police Officer, I didn't remember ANY other equipment on his belt.

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Tony

Here is a photo that I took of my brother over 30 years ago. He is wearing a Nickle Model 58. He does not have as much on his belt as modern officers do.

The dog is his and the Thompson belonged to the department. We used it to eat a lot of my reloads.

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Corripe Cervisiam

When I started as a Deputy Sheriff in 1980 carried a 39-2,two extra magazines and one set of cuffs. In 1981 a portable radio and a PR 24 were added.

Yes, I carry a lot more on my belt now than when I first started. Over the past thirty years I've had to expand my waist line to make room for it all.

This photo reminds me of the "flat-foots" who walked all over Kingsville in my much younger days-minus the Tommy. They looked alot like this one.

Yeah, and that's why back problems are all too common among patrol officers.

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- Change it back -

I had a revolver, a cuff case, a sap in my pocket, and at the end a pair of speed loaders. no portable till 1968 and then it looked like it was used on Pork Chop Hill in Korea.. And i thought i was weighted down..

Was one of those on the bike frame a pee bottle?

Yes the things carried on a duty belt have multiplied. Right before I retired last June we had to start wearing body cameras. The ones we were blessed with had a power pack that was worn on the belt. It was tough finding room for this thing, and running the wires up to the camera. Even with the extra room my waistline provided I had a hard time working that one out.

I agree with your observation about kids' first impressions of LEOs. Their early interactions with Officers will stick with them for a long time. In the late 90s I had a conversation with a well known motorcycle "club" leader. (I was riding a Sheriff's Office motor, which happened to be a Harley.) He was telling me about as a kid seeing motor officers riding their Harleys, and talking with the cops who walked the beat near his house. He said he had a lot of respect for police officers when he was younger and remembered those encounters to that day.

Some of the most rewarding times I had, later in my career, were working community events with other Deputies and Max the wonder horse. The kids and their parents loved seeing us and we spoke to a lot of them about all kinds of things. Bicycle, horse, or on foot patrol, when cops get out of cars they are more approachable and can create positive memories that carry over to adulthood.

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

The modern duty belt typically has a sidearm/multi-retention holster, spare magazines, cuff case, radio, ASP or baton, pepper spray, Taser, and usually a key ring and small case for latex gloves. Then there are the keepers to affix it to the under belt and of course the under belt itself. I gave up carrying a knife on the belt when the pocket clip models became popular. There is also the ballistic vest, and if the department allows it, a back-up sidearm.

Then there are the incidentals like your notebook, traffic templates, pen and pencil set, leather gloves, cell phone and now a camera set up, your freshly laundered uniform, and if the "cop gods" hate you, a uniform hat. With inclement weather, add rain gear and/or a jacket or coat.

I was in patrol my whole career and when I retired I was never so happy as when I hug that duty rig up for the last time. One more piece of technology for the duty belt and they'll have to go to bandoleros.

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1962:
1. gun belt
2. holster
3. revolver
4. double cartridge dump pouch
5. 12 round bullet loops
6. hand cuff pouch
7. handcuffs
8. baton holder
9. baton
10. convoy blackjack in right rear pocket

What are traffic templates ?

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

A drafting template for police scene sketches.

http://bear-aide.com/wp-content/uplo...-SET-HR-SQ.jpg

For a slightly different take on the "Duty Belt", this photo was in an article in New York Magazine, with my SIL holding the AR.

Is that gear for going into the sewers after those big NY rats?

Just kidding of course. Is your SIL working port authority? I'm guessing with the terrorist threat they'd have a specialized unit to check the docks, pilings, ship bottoms and other underwater places for bad stuff...

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

NYPD Harbor Unit. They do all the stuff you just mentioned. Their beat is 176 miles of shoreline and 576 square miles of navigable waters down to the sea bottom. They search it and secure it.

It's not surprising that he being the son of a cop, and growing up on the water, wound up in Harbor. But a source of pride and amusement in the family was that part of his duty rotation was Air/Sea rescue, jumping from helicopters, and he hates heights. But he's overcome it, and been decorated multiple times for lives saved in awful circumstances. This was one of those times. SAILORS SAVED!
NYPD copter rescues 4 Navy men - NY Daily News

SIL on far left. Suit is Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik.

*** Several years ago I located a equipment company that had suspenders for the equipment belt. The older officers loved the suspenders as it took a lot of weight off their lower backs. The younger officers were more concern with their image then their lower backs

My Dept would not allow suspenders.But now that we can use outside carriers for our armor.I started wearing the Back Defense suspender under my carrier and they don't mind.Several of the young officers made fun of me.But now I see several of them doing the same thing.Old guys really are not as dumb as some young officers like to think.

My Sam Browne carried a Model 19 revolver in a Jordan style holster, a handcuff case with handcuffs, and a 12 loop cartridge carrier. I added a folding Buck Knife with a locking blade in a leather pouch with a snap cover. And I thought that was quite a load! Our uniforms called for the shoulder strap that crossed the body front and back and was anchored in front and behind the holster location on the belt. I thought it was a pain until I tried carrying without it in place. It actually spread the weight of the revolver off the right side of my body. We were taught how to use that shoulder strap to our advantage if someone grabbed hold of it from front or behind. You had to be ready for that to be practical, but if you were, you could make the person regret doing so.

I am astounded at the load that is carried on a uniform belt today. I don't know how you find the specific item you are needing in a hurry, and I sure don't know how you get in or out of a howl car, much less sit comfortably in one for the hours required.

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So long ... Ken

I can't imagine why any department would oppose the use of load-bearing suspenders. Makes no sense at all to this old non-LEO with a bad back and legs.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Lol! I went to my doctor for an appointment a few years ago and the nurse insisted I get weighed. I was in uniform and asked if I needed to take my gear off. She said no, there wasn't anywhere to put it. When I saw my doctor he was amazed I'd put on 30 pounds! I told him it was my gear and he scoffed. I removed my gear and re-weighed. I was right.

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