Quick question for policeman/infantry?

While on duty, how much does your EDC slow you down?
I mean ... a leatherman, wallet, sidearm, flashlight, cuffs, clips, taser, keys, knife, belt, vest ...
That sounds like alotta stuff.

I'm a police officer in the UK so carry a lot less kit than American cops but my full kit is:

Body Armour with radio clipped to left breast and earpiece. Two abdominal pockets, one has my smokes, lighter, leatherman, AA Maglite and lock knife. The other has my pocket notebook and pens.

Belt has rigid cuffs with leather harness, ASP baton, leg restraints and EDC torch (when it works).

So my EDC practically has no impact on my duties, I'm carrying 20 pounds of kit anyway.

How much does it slow me down?

A lot. 24 pounds of law enforcement equipment on my 130 pound body, when not carrying a long gun or night vision goggles. Four of those pounds alone are the Danner Acadia boots on my feet. Carrying weight like that at the end of your legs is some real exercise.

It sure beats my Army days, though, when I carried twice as much, and ran Ranger Challenge 10K races in uniform with pack and rifle uphill. That's after about 6 other exhausting events like land navigation. Most Ranger Challengers become Infantry officers and head off to Ranger School. Some were already Rangers, Green Berets and SEALs.

I ran down a 19 year old wearing a t-shirt and running shoes a week ago. I didn't grab him, I just ran next to him and he stopped when he realized he wasn't going to outrun me. I have yet to have any suspect flat outrun me.

I have about 25 pounds extra not including lights or knives. It slows me down, but I really don't care. I'm not that fast anyways. The slower I run the more action my K-9 gets. He's the fast one at 31mph. I'll get there, safety first........

fubar said:

I'm a police officer in the UK so carry a lot less kit than American cops but my full kit is:

Body Armour with radio clipped to left breast and earpiece. Two abdominal pockets, one has my smokes, lighter, leatherman, AA Maglite and lock knife. The other has my pocket notebook and pens.

Belt has rigid cuffs with leather harness, ASP baton, leg restraints and EDC torch (when it works).

So my EDC practically has no impact on my duties, I'm carrying 20 pounds of kit anyway.

Click to expand...

Sorry, off topic, but why are you allowed to have a Leatherman, and a locking knife, as a police officer, but regular civilians aren't?

The same way I can go through red traffic lights, carry a firearm and offensive weapon - all in the course of my duty. I never carry these when I am not working.

John_Galt said:

Sorry, off topic, but why are you allowed to have a Leatherman, and a locking knife, as a police officer, but regular civilians aren't?

Click to expand...

You might defend yourself against a criminal.