Law enforcement professionals know full well that danger lurks beyond the more dramatic incidents that attract the lion’s share of public attention.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more police fatalities in the United States occurred on streets or highways than in any other place in 2014, the last year for which data were available. A motor vehicle was the primary source of injury in 41 percent of all fatal incidents.1
Deidre Goodwin has seen that danger at close range. Once, while directing traffic in a busy downtown Atlanta intersection, she had a close call that left her unharmed but changed her life nonetheless.
“We had a traffic light out at a major intersection in Atlanta,” Goodwin said. “The speed limit posted was 45 miles per hour, and the average speed was about 50. I and my colleagues were standing out in the middle of the intersection. I don’t know if the driver was texting or what, but I had to turn sideways to prevent him from hitting me.”2
After some reflection, Goodwin sold her house, cashed out her retirement account, and set to work on something that would keep her and her fellow officers safer while directing traffic or working in similar situations. The result was the HaltzGlove, a reflective glove that has earned a sterling reputation for its reflective power.
The HaltzGlove also reflects a wider need within public safety. In the law enforcement community, uniforms and accessories need to meet rigorous standards for safety and durability. But with so many purposes and so many possible tasks represented in such a relatively limited space, these items need to be more than functional, they need to be tactical. And with the job of law enforcement itself in constant flux based on wider societal changes, each item needs to check off more than just one box.
“The day we stop growing as a profession is the day we’re in trouble,” said Don De Lucca, public safety ambassador of Las Vegas, Nevada-based Wrap Technologies. “There’s only so much real estate on the uniform or the duty belt. You have to think: Would you use this? And how would you use this?”3
In the case of HaltzGlove, the answer to the first question appears to be a resounding “yes.” Goodwin’s gamble has paid off, and she has created a glove far more reflective than similar gloves. In the daytime, a HaltzGlove offers visibility from 1,000 feet away. At night, it is tested for 1,250 feet of visibility. “It’s easier for drivers to see you, and it’s easier for you to communicate with them,” Goodwin said.
The safety of both officers and civilians is the top mission for the BolaWrap, developed by Wrap Technologies as a fully nonlethal option for restraint. The BolaWrap discharges an eight-foot Kevlar cable that is designed to entangle an individual up to 25 feet away.
Weighing less than 12 ounces, the device can be affixed to a variety of places on the belt or uniform. Although a greater force option will inevitably be justified in certain cases, the BolaWrap is effective at restraining a person without using force of any kind. This, De Lucca said, can be especially valuable in cases when an individual may have difficulty understanding or complying with commands because of a mental health condition, which might explain why BolaWrap is gaining enormous popularity in agencies large and small around the United States.
“It fills a gap in policing,” De Lucca said. “[Police] have become the de facto social services. Some of the current options don’t look good in the eyes of the public, and just because you can use it doesn’t mean it’s right. Everything an officer does is seen one way or another. It’s good when you can gain compliance without pain. We use this so you don’t have to put your hands on them and secure them.”
Helmets are an indispensable part of the uniform, and Team Wendy, a manufacturer headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is adding functionality to the helmet, while removing guesswork.
“We see it as a complete system,” said Joe Nagy, Team Wendy’s law enforcement market manager. “Lots of features a la carte, rails, shroud, etc. We incorporate night vision, thermals, rails, and more. You don’t need a regular helmet and a riot helmet. It’s just one helmet.”4
Team Wendy offers several helmet models for law enforcement, with the top model being the EXFIL Ballistic. Standard with each helmet are an accessory mounting system, a Zorbium foam liner that allows for a communications headband, customizable comfort pads, and a lanyard-compatible Wilcox shroud.
Each helmet also features a boltless retention system that adjusts to each individual head shape for ideal fit and comfort. “Instead of two points of contact, it’s like a belt,” Nagy said. “It conforms to your head in 360 degrees. You find that true fit. That’s important when you’re the one who’s wearing it for hours and hours on end.”
Of course, the uniform itself has to have a tactical edge as well as function. Geography can make a difference in uniform needs, and Incline Village, Nevada-based Mountain Uniforms helps make sure each uniform is a fit, metaphorically as well as literally.
“Every agency has a different climate,” said Kim Stearns, managing director for Mountain Uniforms. “You have a breathable shell in Miami or Virginia and 200-gram insulation for North Dakota. They don’t have the option of getting a cup of coffee and going inside and staying warm like a regular consumer.”5
Originally founded as an outfitter for ski patrol units and similar applications, Mountain Uniforms now creates customized pieces for law enforcement. Police agencies can tailor their apparel to color, style, and climate to help create a unique “brand” for the agency that they can “lock in” with the company to use and reuse indefinitely.
“There is flexibility in design and construction, whether it’s fabrics, colors, or insulation,” said Stearns. “They can order the same uniform, season after season and year after year. They get to create the message and define how they want to look and what functions they need to do their job.”
Of course, not every uniform accessory needs to serve a tactical or safety purpose. As community leaders and protectors, it is important for officers to look the part and for officers to look their best at ceremonial events or any other time. Eiseman-Ludmar has long been a leader in dress uniform accessories, from shoulder boards to collar brass to patches. Eiseman-Ludmar offers all its products through its website, while continuing to accept telephone orders.
Whether preparing for a tactical operation, encountering extreme weather conditions, serving in the field, or participating in a special event, officers can stay safe and exude professionalism by choosing the right tools and accessories.d
Notes:
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities,” 2015.
2 Deidre Goodwin (founder, HaltzGlove), telephone interview, October 1, 2018.
3 Don De Lucca (public safety ambassador, Wrap Technologies), telephone interview, October 17, 2018.
4 Joe Nagy (law enforcement market manager, Team Wendy), telephone interview, October 12, 2018.
5 Kim Stearns (managing director, Mountain Uniforms), telephone interview, October 12, 2018.
Please cite as
Scott Harris, “Safety and Tactical Use Are Key to Accessories,” Product Feature, Police Chief 85, no. 12 (2018): 56–58.
