In the comments section of a recent article on Police1, a reader advised officers to unsnap their holsters and take off their pistol’s safety when approaching a traffic stop. I disagree with the advice for a number of reasons.
1.) Unsnapping the holster makes the weapon less secure, and could allow it to be taken away (or lost) more easily in a physical confrontation.
2.) Studies have shown that officers who train to draw from a fully-secured holster are faster on the draw than when they unsnap a retention device. It appears that when the brain detects something that is missing — as in the case of an undone snap — it slows down the draw process. The change in the motor skills programming — things are out of sequence — causes the brain to hesitate.
3.) Studies have shown that moving is the best, first response to a sudden firearms assault. Coordinate that with your draw or draw once you are on the move or behind cover and you increase your chance of winning the gunfight.
As a firearms instructor, I teach a very simple concept when it comes to your sidearm: It’s either secured in your hand or secured in your holster.
If you have it in your hand, the thumb is locked down and in contact with the middle finger of the gripping hand — if the thumb is long enough to reach it. This is as secure a grip as you can get with one hand. I think this is critical since most officers who suffer a weapons disarm have their weapon out of their holster when it occurs.
The gun is always secured using whatever retention device(s) for all the reasons listed above.
Stay safe by staying secure!
