What is Tactical Police Equipment?

What is tactical equipment and the purpose?

Tactical police equipment is necessary for self- protection of police officers that never know when they might have a life threatening encounter. Because of this, typical tactical police equipment might involve a bulletproof vest, a striker baton, and other protective items like pepper spray, tear gas guns and handcuffs.

These are the items of tactical police equipment that are most commonly thought of, but they also have gun belts, tasers, and other items for use in survival or tactical situations.

Special equipment such as riot shields, riot guns that shoot gas, rubber pellets or beanbags may be used, as well as riot helmets for full upper body protection.

What type of tactical equipment is used in the Police Academies and with Police in general?

Police academies use the same tactical equipment that the officers will need in the field. Training at the police academy involves some reality based training on offensive and defensive strategies.

Some law enforcement tactical gear might include MOLLE attachments, including pepper spray cases, handcuff cases, holders for expandable batons and flashlight holders.

Nylon pouches, bags and holsters, along with medical packs and MOLLE vests are popular for police in general. Of course, shooting gloves and cut-resistant tactile gloves are top sellers to police and come in a variety of styles including fingerless.

Most front line police officers are required to wear leather, but nylon is popular with tactical team and secondary patrols. The nylon is lighter weight and easier to clean and the MOLLE system for law enforcement is similar to that distributed to the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gun cleaning kits for lethal guns are needed and non-lethal guns such as CS gas and beanbags are used by riot police, as part of their tactical police equipment. A helmet, shield and body armour are parts of a SWAT or riot patrol tactical uniform.

What each type of equipment is used for - head to foot - Police / Detectives?

All of this equipment is for personal protection, especially is special tactical situations, such as SWAT teams, riot patrol or detectives on investigations. Every thing from the helmets used to protect the head, body armour and bullet proof vest to increase the chances of gun shot survival to the body, especially the chest area and steel-toed boots to provide a protective shell.

The miscellaneous tactical accessories such as shooting gloves, expandable batons, flashlight/strikers, handcuffs, pepper spray, tear gas and Tasers are part of a defensive or offensive strategy. Riot gear and guns are for special tactical assignments and entry tools and battering rams may be used by SWAT teams.

Pro / Cons of Police tactical equipment

The Pros of police tactical equipment are evident - they provide protection and allow an offensive attack when needed.

In order to have every advantage in life threatening conditions, the police tactical equipment is meant for defensive measures more than anything, as most officers don't like to use offensive force, unless the situation demands it.

The Cons of police tactical equipment are that it can be heavy and bulky to wear and carry around. Also, it can be extremely warm weather, but necessary to wear, regardless of the climate.

Top three manufacturers who sell tactical Police equipment to the 'common person'?

The general public has access to tactical police equipment from a number of manufacturers through the internet!

Top manufacturers of tactical police equipment are Blackhawk, Under Armour Clothing and Maxpedition Gear.

Websites where you can find some of these manufacturer's products might be www.lapolicegear.com, www.tradekey.com and www.chiefsupply.com.

Additional and pertinent info

Tactical police equipment is available to the general public at a number of military and army surplus stores, as well as online.

This industry has very affordable options for tactical police equipment and clothing. Of course, there are local retailers in larger cities, and there are also some that only sell to government agencies.

For self protection, there are many pieces of tactical police equipment that are good options and there are some that have restrictions, when it comes to purchase by the general public.

While some of the tactical police equipment may hardly give them an advantage over some criminal elements, it provides good general protection for this dangerous occupation and superior protection for the general public that purchases it for self-protection purposes.