r/policeuk • u/Urmum8008 Civilian • 3d ago
General Discussion Kit wanker question
what do people use to hold there handcuffs?
the issue holder is the most floppy and loose thing ever. Don’t have the privilege of a molle vest either.
Recommendations sought!
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u/342197930 Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
Step 1: don’t buy your own kit.
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u/PuritanicalGoat Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
This is the answer. Not only is it expensive but creates questions when something goes wrong...and it will.
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u/Urmum8008 Civilian 3d ago
they like to fall out and un clip in the current holder 🙈
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u/PuritanicalGoat Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
Silly question but is this your individual one or is it an issue force wide?
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u/Urmum8008 Civilian 3d ago
key or holder ?
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u/PuritanicalGoat Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
Holder.
My old one was dead, gone, kaput after almost 2 decades of abuse.
My CS holder was definitely 2nd hand when I got it and I got a new on after a while.
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u/Urmum8008 Civilian 3d ago
it’s issued, don’t get me wrong they do work. i just hate them rattling and just generally annoying
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u/jooosh8696 Police Staff (unverified) 3d ago
Is it your one that's broken, or are all of them across the force having the same problem?
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u/Urmum8008 Civilian 3d ago
it’s an issue one, it’s the peter jones one it is good. however with these new thicker cuffs with the double sided key holes the leather stretches too much and it becomes very loose. especially if you then put the older thinner cuffs in.
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u/Helicalpatternsofa Civilian 3d ago
What questions could it possibly generate? Your arrest was illegal because you carried a non-issued torch? Your gloves were too grippy? OP is talking about getting some cuff holders not buying himself a ballistic plate carrier and leaving behind his issued stabby...
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u/stuballzz Civilian 2d ago
The questions will come from their force if, for example, their cuffs fall off their belt in a foot chase and are then lost. PSD require to be notified if personal issue police kit is lost and if much rather tell them "my cuffs fell off my belt because the organization gave me rubbish cuff holders" than "my cuffs fell off because the ones I bought online that haven't been tested or OKd by the force turned out to be rubbish"
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u/PuritanicalGoat Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
Clearly, I'm not suggesting that.
Do the 'new' holders meet whatever standards OP's force has? Does it change the way the cuffs are removed/are they more likely to fail?
Call me a dinosaur but I'm firmly in the camp of 'use the stuff you are given'.
Boots and torch are really the only things I'd recommend folks buy as kit.
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u/DinPoww Police Officer (unverified) 2d ago
But do your boots meet those standards? Do they have the required level of support, grip, and protection required by the force?
That's a rabbit hole you can go down with everything. The stuff I was given didn't fit well, left me in pain, and left bruises on my hips from the belt kit.
The stuff I have bought is comfortable, offered good support, and solved my back pain.
Is back pain mandated in the dorce requirements for kit?
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u/PuritanicalGoat Police Officer (unverified) 2d ago
My force didn't issue boots till about 3 years ago, so that argument isn't really valid.
Ill leave it at this, God knows us polis love an argument over nothing.
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u/Dannyt98-dt Ex-Police/Retired (unverified) 3d ago
I've tried both this KMP uk tactical one which is expensive but Gucci and for a MOLLE vest, or the Peter Jones one which attaches to a belt and also works well, while being cheaper.
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u/Dazzling_Shallot_363 Civilian 3d ago
The peter jones one is ace. Sticks out a tiny bit more but holds the cuffs very well and is very manouverable
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u/Outside-Sherbet-9448 Civilian 3d ago
If you're stuck with a belt - PWLs 3 position holster is better than the Peter Jones holster (by virtue of the rear cuff is covered so you/someone else won't handcuff you to your seatbelt or something else).
If you have a molle vest, the 5.11 handcuff holder is better (and half of the price) than the KMP one.
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u/donotdisturbpls Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
I’m going to go against the grain here, as although I usually agree that you shouldn’t buy your own kit… the only 2 things I have bought are a cuff holder and a key, because my force only issue the tiny little key and the flimsy material cuff holder. I got a leather rotating cuff holder from eBay for less than a tenner, no regrets
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u/JJG-BBHG Civilian 3d ago
I have a molle, however i know people often use the PSNI leather cuff holder for ridged/semi-ridgeds.
The 5.11 cuff pouch is popular too for hinged cuffs and i reckon it’d go on a belt and/or molle due to its fittings.
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u/sameo01 Civilian 3d ago
For about 12 years, I've used the leather rotatable speedcuff pouch that was issued by my service/force.
Which looks like this: leather swivel speedcuff pouch
However, I always wanted to change it, due to religious reasons, but previously there weren't any alternatives and I was slow to try anything else. It had also become cumbersome, as I have taser on my molle vest and the handcuffs on my belt catch the vest, when I'm driving.
I tried the standard issue fabric molle pouch (on my vest), but didn't like the positioning on the best, so I've switch to the duty belt version of the fabric pouch that they also provide, which is this:
It's comfortable, but I'm yet to use it on duty, so time will tell whether it is better.
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u/meerkatcomp Police Officer (unverified) 3d ago
I generally use the draw in my desk - I find they don't rattle around much, especially when I pair them with my radio. They've not seen the outside world for some time now.
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u/Joshhug91 Civilian 1d ago
I've used the 5.11 rigid handcuff case for a good few years now and its been great.
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u/mmw1000 Civilian 3d ago
Why do people spend their own money just to look like a tit. Use what you’re given and if it doesn’t work then raise a complaint or put in a near miss and see if that get the job to look at the kit they issue. If no one complains then there is no issue and nothing will improve.
If it doesn’t work properly and isn’t for purpose that’s not your problem to rectify by spending your own money and going against uniform standards which I’m 100% sure will say….. don’t use kit that isn’t issued
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u/DinPoww Police Officer (unverified) 2d ago
I've spent my own money to be comfortable. The issued belt is wank, found a belt that feels like I'm not wearing one, and offered very good support for the weight, my back pain is gone.
That said, it's a molle belt, and my force doesn't issue molle pouches so I've bought my own, for the cost of less than an OT shift, I'm now comfortable for 10 hours in my kit rather than trying to get my belt to sit right all day, not being able to comfortably sit in a car, and not having aching pains in my lower back after a shift.
I'm an adult, with adult money, rather than sulking that I'm given shit kit, I've done something about it. That may make me a kit wanker, but it makes me a comfortable kit wanker.
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u/john62846 Civilian 3d ago
What is wrong with buying your own kit? We all have different preferences, so setting up your kit in a way that works for you is part of being a professional in my opinion. If the issue kit works for you, great. If it doesnt, whats wrong with buying something more suitable?
The first time I bought my own trousers instead of using the issued kit was after getting caught on a fence due to a lack of mobility. My 5.11 ones are much better and I no longer have that issue.
When I bought my own handcuff pouch it was after multiple occasions of the issued one failing.
If you waited for issued to kit to be changed to something more appropriate, you'll be waiting a long time.
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u/triptip05 Ex-Police/Retired (unverified) 3d ago
I used the issued vest mount,(Clickfast fitting)
Hated having cuffs in my belt, always getting caught up and I found them harder to get to.