Everything a patrol officer carries — and why it matters

By Scott Feldman

Like almost everything else in life, the uniforms and equipment police officers wear and use have changed significantly for the average street cop over the past 75 years. I’m very proud of my law enforcement profession and of being a (now retired) colleague to the long lineage of Montgomery County Police officers who came before me — particularly uniformed patrol officers, who are widely considered the backbone of any police department, for very good reasons.

After seeing a photograph of an MCP officer from 75 years ago on the Montgomery County police history Facebook group, I was struck by the obvious differences compared to officers today. I want to highlight what the average modern-day uniformed patrol officer carries in order to be prepared to handle most situations while on duty. I’m hopeful that by writing something like this, the public — who may not otherwise know much about policing — will gain a better understanding and appreciation for our profession.

One important caveat: even though our equipment (and our training) has evolved by leaps and bounds over the years, the most important “tool” we carry — whether it was 75 years ago, today, or 75 years from now — has always been, and will always be, our brains. No amount of fancy equipment will ever replace the need for officers to think critically, communicate effectively and then act or react based on sound judgment, courage, training and experience.

The type of equipment an MCP officer carries is largely up to each individual officer, with the exception of required items such as a handgun, two extra magazines, a police radio, a body-worn camera system and handcuffs. Beyond that, what officers carry — and where they carry it — comes down to personal preference and is influenced by assignment, vest type, gun belt and uniform configuration.

I tend to be a bit OCD about being prepared, but many officers carry much of the same additional equipment I did. And yes, from personal experience, carrying all of this gear every day for years absolutely takes a toll on your back, neck, knees and hips. Of course, we also carry additional equipment in our marked cruisers for specific situations — but I’ll save that for another time.

Gun belt

1. Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic handgun. I added a Streamlight TLR-1 weapon light at my own expense. In my opinion, the department should purchase and issue a handgun weapon light to every officer, but at this time they do not.
2. Two additional 17-round magazines.
3. TASER X2 electronic control device (ECD).
4. Handcuffs.
5. Marked cruiser key fob.

Load-bearing, bullet-resistant vest

1. Front and rear ballistic panels, including a hard trauma plate.
2. Police radio.
3. Body-worn camera system.
4. Handheld rechargeable flashlight. I added a window punch to the base for breaking car windows in emergencies.
5. Pouch with two doses of naloxone (Narcan). I primarily carried this for self-protection and to protect fellow officers in case of inadvertent fentanyl exposure, but I did use it once to revive an unresponsive man who had overdosed on opiates.
6. OC (pepper) spray.
7. High-quality locking blade knife, which proved useful on numerous occasions.
8. Pouch containing domestic violence/victim information forms, notepad, pens, credentials, reading glasses, spit hood and cell phone.
9. Hands-free LED flashlight mounted to my MOLLE vest. Some colleagues thought this was a bit “squirrelly,” but I had wanted this option for years. There were countless times when I found myself working in the dark — providing first aid or CPR, searching a person or area, collecting evidence, dusting for latent fingerprints, or interviewing someone while trying to take notes — all while awkwardly holding a flashlight under my arm. Once I transitioned to the MOLLE vest, this mounted light proved effective nearly all the time.
10. “POLICE” identifier, name tag and ID number

Left cargo pants pocket

1. One tourniquet, two occlusive chest seals, one Israeli bandage and two ActCell bleeding control pads. I carried these primarily for self-treatment or to aid injured officers, but I also used them to treat civilian victims. A fully stocked first aid kit and AED were kept in my cruiser and used when appropriate.
2. Two pairs of latex protective gloves.
3. Trauma shears for cutting clothing from injured patients.

Right cargo pants pocket

1. Synthetic gloves for general use and warmth.
2. Extra CR123 batteries for weapon lights and a spare red dot rifle optic battery.
3. Hearing protection.
4. Two COVID masks.

Well, there you have it, my friends. My motto has always been simple: if you don’t have what you need physically on you when you need it, it’s useless to have it at all.

⚠️ A note on agency policy: The gear mentioned in this article reflects the personal preferences and experience of the author. Law enforcement equipment standards vary significantly by jurisdiction. Before adding any non-issued equipment to your kit, always consult your department’s General Orders or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

About the author

Scott Feldman began his police career with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department (MCPD) in 1990 and retired in October 2023 after having served 33 years. He served most of his career in uniform patrol — which he was most passionate about — but also served on two different plainclothes tactical teams, known as Special Assignment Teams, or SAT. About one month after retirement, he was offered a position as a civilian contractor Crime/Intelligence Analyst for MCPD’s newly formed Real Time Intelligence Center.

What gear do you carry? Share below or email editor@police1.com to share your uniform gear setup.

Police1 readers respond

• Mostly I’ve got it like that, but in my left cargo pocket I carry only a Ruger LCR 357 snub nose. Friend of a friend on the department was in a fight and the suspect was kicking his ass. On the ground, the suspect was punching with his right and trying to pull the cop’s pistol duties out of the holster with his left. He was about to knock the cop out. Fortunately the calvary arrived and the cop was OK. Since that day, he carried a pistol in his left (weak hand for most) cargo pocket. I use the Ruger because it has no exposed hammer to catch on something, fits well in my hand, easy trigger pull.
• I believe the following are vitally important: safety glasses, pocketknife or knife, gloves, flashlight, extra chargers (magazines), handcuffs, TASER, pepper spray, bullet-resistant vest, a spare weapon, a first-aid kit, spare batteries for the flashlights, paper and pen, and in my mind, a lot of patience and attention. I’ve been a police officer for over 37 years, I retired only 10 months ago. I miss it.
• Scott, I applaud everything you wrote. Finally, a cop who really liked to be prepared. You were me, just about 20 years younger. Like you, I was a “gear hound” and went for the stuff that made sense to me. Good choice on tha ActCel hemolytic gauze.