Load outs

[Rupert]

Some years ago on another forum, a Police officer from an English rural force gave a list of the stuff they carried in their cars, which might be a useful addition to the lists we're making here of carried gear.

A couple of people asked me recently what is kept in the back of our patrol cars (allegedly for gaming purposes), so I thought I would share the answer here.

Unlike fire engines and ambulances, most patrol cars contain nothing interesting whatsoever. Ours have the following:
A toughbook or Mobile Data Terminal (which doesn't work and won't until they get round to selecting a new service provider)
A car radio with press-to-talk button on the steering wheel and a handset in the footwell of the passenger seat (replaces the AM/FM radio so no listening to music)
A glass hammer/seatbelt cutter
A-Z directory for the county
Roadside breath test device and spare tubes
Digital camera (for quick crime scene photos)
Shovel and broom (for clearing debris of roads)
First Aid kit
Major Incident Kit (scene log, search record, spare evidence bags, gloves, etc)
Fuel dipping kit (theft/misuse of agricultural diesel is common in our area)
Roll of police tape
"Authorities Aware" stickers (for putting on broken down/abandoned vehicles)
Traffic cones
Accident signs
Tape measure
Throwing line (for water rescues)
Fire extinguisher
Leg restraints

Most police officers also stick their own kit bag on the back seat. Mine contains:
Spares of every ticket book and form we use
Pens
A couple of bottles of water
More evidence bags and a couple of knife tubes
A spare box of latex gloves in my size
My black anti-puncture gloves
Jacket
Hi-vis jacket and trousers
Some extra first aid kit, plus Ibuprofen and Immodium
Up-to-date copy of Blackstone's Police Operational Manual (lots and lots of laws in a thick but easy to reference book)
Spare torch
Batteries
Flat hat
Snood
Woolly hat
Kindle Fire loaded with books, films and TV series (for seals and road closures)
Dog lead (for strays/lost dogs)

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Some years ago on another forum, a Police officer from an English rural force gave a list of the stuff they carried in their cars, which might be a useful addition to the lists we're making here of carried gear.

For really rural areas, possibly add a horse bridle (for stray horses), some sort of large animal lead (for other stray livestock), and possibly wire cutters and a bow saw for cutting wood (useful for cutting tree branches which have fallen across the road). Snacks, a few trash bags, a spare emergency blanket/signal panel, and a pair of bolt cutters might be useful kit for any police car.

Perhaps add a discrete "relief bottle" if you're likely to be stuck in a place with no toilet facilities.