What Types of Equipment Do The Police Use?

If you are thinking of pursuing a career in law enforcement or simply wondering what kinds of tools police officers use when protecting your community, then you may have wondered what kind of equipment police officers use in their day to day duties. Police officers use many different tools in their daily lives, including different kinds of weapons, communications tools and various vehicles.

Communications

Police forces use radios, in their cars and on their persons, to communicate with one another to share information, co-ordinate work, and when they need to call for help quickly. Computers are also a large part of police communication. Computers aid police officers in the dispatching of calls, the completion of criminal background checks, and in the updating daily logs and other reports. Computers have even been installed in officer’s cars to make communication and daily work easier.

Weapons

Many police officers in the USA carry firearms, often handguns, in their normal, day to day activities. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, and New Zealand, however, regular officers do not normally carry firearms. Special units may have firearms, or regular officers may carry them under special circumstances, but it is not part of their normal equipment. Law enforcement groups often have special units which handle armed offenders and other dangerous situations where weapons may be involved. Using firearms or any type of deadly force is reserved as a last resort used only to save human life.

Police officers may also use non-lethal weaponry, often when dealing with less dangerous situations, such as riot control. Non-lethal weapons include:

• Batons
• Riot control agents
• Rubber bullets
• Electroshock weapons (like tasers)
• Pepper spray
• Shields

Vehicles

Vehicles are an important aspect of police equipment. Police vehicles are used for holding and transporting suspects, patrolling designated areas, and getting officers to and from crime scenes. Common police patrol vehicles are generally improved four door sedans which have been painted and had sirens and special police equipment installed. Unmarked police vehicles are also used, mostly stealth operations when showing a police presence would be detrimental to the situation.

Motorcycles are also used, particularly where cars are not able to go, such as narrower streets. Bicycle patrols are used as well, mostly in areas where open interaction with the public is desired. Law enforcement officials also use many other vehicles such as:

• Helicopters
• Airplanes
• Watercraft
• Vans
• Trucks
• All-terrain vehicles
• SWAT armored vehicles

Other Equipment

Police officers may also use fire extinguishers, defibrillators, flashlights, whistles, police notebooks, or citations.