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Did you know that patrol officers are carrying on average 25 to 30 pounds of equipment on their bodies every day during work hours? So what IS all that stuff? Each officer is typically wearing/carrying:
- Standard uniform
- Body armor
- Duty belt
- Radio
- Cell phone
- Firearm + extra magazine(s)
- Taser (ECD) + extra cartridge
- Pepper spray
- Handcuffs (some carry 2 sets)
- Wood baton
- Knife
- Medical equipment (tourniquet(s), rubber gloves, combat dressing, gauze, Narcan)
Officers wear all of this equipment to be ready for anything at any time…but it’s a sacrifice. Carrying all that weight around day after day causes wear and tear on their knees, hips and lower back. And that’s also why you’ll notice more and more officers carrying some of their gear on a load-bearing vest rather than on their duty belt. The next time you stop to thank a police officer for their service, consider asking them more about all of that equipment they carry!