Exterior vest carriers

[jcsdscott]

One of our local PDs has started doing it, and theirs is also light blue...well maybe french blue...either way the guys who have say they love it.

[jmur5074]

Second Chance's site says they can do custom colors for the uniform style external carriers so I assume they can match yours.

JG Uniforms offers two light blue colors, and I've heard they do custom colors.

I looked at JG Uniforms website, and their "bright blue" looks astonishingly close to ours...but without having it right in front of me I can't say for certain, which Chief won't accept. He wants to know without a doubt that it'll match.

Maybe JG will send us a sample vest or something.

[Dustoff262]

Keep in mind, the outer carrier shows a perp where you are vulnerable. It also gives a perp a handle to really grab on to. If he gets his arm around your neck from behind, he'll have plenty to secure his hand to as he chokes you out. If you choose to wear it, renew your hand to hand tactics. You dont want the type that has velcro at the shoulders, cause it can open easily and expose you unnecessarily if your are going hand to hand. Its a bit different fighting when you are rolling around with a perp. That being said, they are much more comfortable to wear.

[jcsdscott]

Thank goodness for forward thinking supervisors; a couple of months ago we were approved to wear exterior vest carriers provided they look like our duty uniform shirt. Well, for me elbeco won out over JG Uniforms with a price of $86...been wearing it for two weeks now and I love it.

[JeffW]

I am thinking about authorizing them for our officers. They will look like a shirt and in the same color as the trousers. Supposedly the vendor will have them in on the 14th of this month and they will outfit one person to wear test.

I figure anything I can do to get more officers to wear a vest, the better off we all are.

[GunmetalGray]

My academy partner and I are still waiting to receive ours that were ordered in June.

Meanwhile, our groups of 7 and 3 rookies that are fresh out of the academy already have theirs...

Guess I'll add it to my list of stuff to ask my Sergeant about on Thursday...

[gopherpuckfan]

jmur,

We were authorized near the end of last year to wear them. I'll have to double check the vendor (I think it's Elbeco) on mine, but it's dark blue and matches our shirts. I was able to take my whole vest (with carrier) and put it inside this, so it's very easy to remove for plain clothes or bike patrol duty. Minneapolis authorized light blue to match their officers' shirts. I have a buddy with them if you want his contact info to see who they use. The only thing I don't like is the bottom of it is fraying from rubbing on my flashlight on my left side (approximately my 8 o'clock). It's nice to take it off when I'm sitting down at lunch or in the office to type a lengthy report. Even if you guys need to stay with light blue, I'd see if Admin would re-visit this issue. The pros outweigh the cons.

[JohnSmith]

We are approved to wear these, but I just don't see the benefit. For the guys that love them, why?

[ex401mp]

My traffic unit is getting fitted for them tomorrow. A couple of people have been testing them and love them. The one thing I will like is being able to take it off in the summer when I am directing traffic in the 98 degree heat (and same humidity). Also, the people testing them say that when they get back into their patrol car, it is easy to loosen up for a few minutes to cool off. I like that already.

[keith720]

I've had one for over a year, and I'll never go back to the internal carrier. The comfort level is better, though it takes a little used to having it on the outside.

[jmur5074]

We also got ours approved.

Despite lots of bitching from almost every officer when the admin wanted light blue, we got navy blue approved and maybe only a 1/4 of our patrol guys got carriers.


Either way most of my shift purchase them from JG Uniforms.

The only thing I don't like about it is the carrier rides low in the front (despite the back panel fitting perfectly) so the top of my chest is more exposed than my internal carrier. But other than that I'm very happy with it, and will never go back to an internal carrier.

[keith720]

In hot weather, I flap my external carrier like a fat girl trying to get beads at Mardi Gras!

[jcsdscott]

In hot weather, I flap my external carrier like a fat girl trying to get beads at Mardi Gras!

Reps!

[gopherpuckfan]

We are approved to wear these, but I just don't see the benefit. For the guys that love them, why?

For the reasons I mentioned above. Plus, when it's cold, it's a great handwarmer. Also allows you to rub your nipples a bit throughout the shift. You know......if you're into that sort of thing

[jcsdscott]

Saturday I was assigned to a two car traffic crash. Standing out in the 80+ degree heat around ambulances, you know how it goes, on and on for over an hour, then to the ER to do the DUI part. It felt SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD to pop the velcro and let the cool air in while the steam rushed out.

[keith720]

Saturday I was assigned to a two car traffic crash. Standing out in the 80+ degree heat around ambulances, you know how it goes, on and on for over an hour, then to the ER to do the DUI part. It felt SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD to pop the velcro and let the cool air in while the steam rushed out.

It's almost like giving yourself a "Dutch oven," only good!

[ManImBored]

One of my partners got one. He says it is great and it looks good on him. Some of the deputies in our area started wearing them too. The only thing I do not like about the Elbeco vest is the badge part of it. If you take off the vest for any reason, you lose your badge and nametag.

[gopherpuckfan]

One of my partners got one. He says it is great and it looks good on him. Some of the deputies in our area started wearing them too. The only thing I do not like about the Elbeco vest is the badge part of it. If you take off the vest for any reason, you lose your badge and nametag.

You could always wear a secondary badge on your duty belt.

[abom334]

For the reasons I mentioned above. Plus, when it's cold, it's a great handwarmer. Also allows you to rub your nipples a bit throughout the shift. You know......if you're into that sort of thing

Oh Goodie! I have been thinking of ways that allow me to rub my own nipples on shift.

[keith720]

One of my partners got one. He says it is great and it looks good on him. Some of the deputies in our area started wearing them too. The only thing I do not like about the Elbeco vest is the badge part of it. If you take off the vest for any reason, you lose your badge and nametag.

i still wear my badge and nametag on my shirt. We have an embroidered badge and name on the vest carrier.

As far as providing a "target area", whenever I approach a vehicle, all they see is a target area!