Detectives

[TheBronze]

RE: Hats

Ah...but I love hats! The natural head cover left me about ten years ago so I have to supplement or burn!

I rarely work undercover. I have the face, body and mannerism that just scream "COP" so its hard for me. The times I have work undercover I alway seem to play the part of a janitor for some reason. Don't know whats up with that but there it is.

I bought a new charcoal gray pinstripe today. Single breasted two button jacket. It's made out of a very light wool and felt really comfortable. I also got a taupe colored suit of a similar cut. Not really sure what weave the fabric is but it says its wool and rayon. Neither seem really very sturdy but then I doubt it will be a problem. On the occasions we serve warrants we wear polo shirts and jeans so it shouldn't be a problem. Now for the shoes....

 

[1961MJS]

Shoulder Holster

Hi

I see that many departments don't allow shoulder holsters. I give up, how do you draw from a belt holster while sitting in Bucket seats? I have a hole in my upholstery from my extra mags, and you could die of old age by the time I get a .45 out of a belt holster in my Subaru. I'm not an LEO, but I do carry, and I usually carry in the car. Do all police cars have bench seats?

Feel free to move this if it doesn't belong here.

Later

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Do all police cars have bench seats?

Bucket seats, with holes where the grips of your pistol, have worn through the fabric. Dodge Charger, Chevy Impala & new 2011 Caprice, and Ford Police all have bucket seats these days.

 

[John in Covina]

From the tip sheet.

One of the tips a detective had written in a gun magazine was back when they carried revolvers, he would keep a speed loader or speed strip of rounds in his jacket pocket on the holster side. That way when he pulled the jacket out of the way the weight of the speed loader would aid in the motion of the jacket. You can use a loaded mag for your automatic instead.

Depending on the department sometimes you can have a choice of weapon, in LA there are several weapons to choose from you just have to qualify with the one you want to use. If you have options you may be able to select the best for not printing thru your clothes.

Also, you want to be careful when practicing to clean the gun ASAP so you don't get "shooter's ink" on your clothes. You may have to change your regular cleaning chemical choices to protect your suits and jackets too.

 

[bil_maxx]

Regarding the shoes, Doc Martins are the way, as other posters have stated. I like the boots, I find them more comfortable. Either that or tactical boots if snow and ice are not an issue. They look formal enough with a suit and they are light. Wear dark athletic socks with them and work them in over a few weeks.

If you have to wear a tie, use a tie pin so that you don't get tangled in it. Another plus with the side holster, you don't have to reach across your tie. lol

 

[Sjoconn]

I am not a LEO, but military and often in civilian clothing. I ran across this article a long while back and have kept it bookmarked for reference. I hope it helps you out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/nyregion/04detectives.html?_r=3&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin


Best of luck,

Sean

 

[Falcon576]

Don't know if anyone's still reading this...

When I made dicks, I had to carry a 226 on the belt as well. Heavy. Plus a spare mag, cuffs, a phone. Very Heavy. Always sneaking off to reach through my fly for a field-expedient shirt-pull re-tuck.

Then I discovered THE HIDDEN TAILOR. It's a rubber belt with little nubs all around it. You wrap it around the tail of your shirt, nubs out. Pants on over the top. Works great. Really great. I've pretty much been wearing one every day for about 15 years. Works great with the uniform. I even wear it off-duty, with regular T-shirts under my concealing garment, with suits, everything. I carry every day and everywhere. The Hidden Tailor is comfy and it works.

Plus, you can kind of use it to fit the shirt to you by pulling access fabric to the back. I'm 6 foot, a 48 jacket and a 36 waist, so most shirts have a lot of extra around the waist for me. I think Quartermaster Uniforms have them.

Good luck and stay safe.

 

[Fifty150]

A good tailor will be able to fit your suits so your gun doesn't show. Make an appointment so that the tailor can be ready for you, and so that he knows you'll be there with your weapon & all your gear.

I get my work suits at Brooks Brothers. They've got pretty good tailors, and the cut is conservative.

Where I work, we do not wear suits except for when we go to court, or babysit some sort of politician. Consider working the streets in a suit. You'll stand out like a sore thumb. Only homicide guys wear suits because they have to make notifications. But while you're in a suit and tie, never button your coat. You need to be able to draw your firearm or get to your radio without anything in the way. Get a raincoat or trench coat with a removeable liner so that you can wear it on warmer days. If you wear body armor, then you'll probably never need the liner. You will need it if you plan on carrying an MP5 or shotgun. Wear braces to help keep your pants (and everything on your belt) up. In the old days, they used to issue Rocky Chukka shoes at our academy, and I still see guys polishing them up and wearing them with their suits. While most detectives respond to crime scenes after the crime has already occured, and there is no suspect or threat present, it still helps to have rubber soled shoes.

 

[John in Covina]

The better holster makers may be a resource on LE conceal carry plus there may be some LE online forums that have this info to share.

 

[Fifty150]

A good shoulder holster will take the weight off your belt. Or you can carry with an ankle holster. A lot of these options will depend on your build. Guys with a tummy may not be as comfortable with an inside the pants holster. The only thing that I don't like is the small of the back holster. It digs into my back when I'm in the car, and it's in a very awkward spot for defensive weapon retention.

 

[Fifty150]

Regarding the shoes, Doc Martins are the way, as other posters have stated.

Vibram bottoms can be added to any dress shoe. I've done it with all of mine.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Wow, what an interesting thread! I'm not a cop, nor do I carry a concealed piece, but it occurred to me that wearing and belt and suspenders might work well if you're required to wear a firearm holstered on your belt. I'm pretty sure I've seen old pictures of LAPD detectives who did that.

From the stories my friends grandpa told, back in the day, a plainclothes LA policemen's gear usually only consisted of: a sidearm, often small snub-noses chosen for their light weight; extra rounds in outside jacket pockets; cuffs carried looped through their belt; and maybe (unofficially) a blackjack, switchblade, or brass knuckles. I had no idea modern detectives have to carry so much stuff!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I always wanted to be in law-enforcement, particularly a detective. I love law-enforcement, Crown Victorias, guns, and suits. I always figured I'd be a perfect fit lol

 

[John in Covina]

That is an interesting topic to compare what regular police carry on their belt now versus back then AND how is / was that paired down for detective work or undercover?

 

[martinsantos]

This kind of clothing, TheBronze?

http://www.life.com/image/50606480

(murder of Albert Anastasia, 1957 - photo by LIFE magazine).

I wish you a lot of luck in the new assignment!

I'm a police officer here in the Los Angeles area and recently received an assignment to detectives. I've never had a job that required me to wear a suit and tie on a daily basis so this is all very new to me. I'm a very traditional guy and want to look it while on the job. The only suits I have right now are a gray pin strip and a blue flannel.

What kind of suit(s) would be good for working in and carrying my gun under the jacket? Are pleated trousers still okay these days?

What kind of shoes are comfortable, classic, and can take a beating?

Thanks, I love this forum!

 

[Erik]

Since you might be still building your plain clothes wardrobe, I'll offer this advice: Joseph Banks. They offer suit separates, 1.5 inch belt loops, and frequent sales. One of those sales happens to be in full swing as I type. If you miss it, fear not. The next will be along shortly.

 

[Erik]

Oh, with price in mind: Perry Suspenders are a plain clothes favorite among those who need them. And packing tape, or similar, protects many a suit from the wear from the tools of the trade.

 

[Kirk H.]

That is an interesting topic to compare what regular police carry on their belt now versus back then AND how is / was that paired down for detective work or undercover?

I can tell you that when I started out 21 years ago I was issued a k frame revolver, a double speed loader pouch (we had to purchase our own speed loaders), handcuff case, radio, a large flashlight holder, and a wooden baton. Now I have OC spray, semi auto, small flashlight, hand cuffs, radio, ASP Baton, taser, double mag pouch, and a cell phone. I am out of room on the belt to place anything else.