Sponsored by Sirchie
By Laura Neitzel, Police1 BrandFocus Staff
Today’s turbulent environment requires law enforcement officers to be nimble and prepared for any situation. Every officer needs a riot suit that will fit and perform as needed, without question.
Traditional riot gear design is over 20 years old and requires individual sizing – which also means purchasing new gear for every incoming officer. Unfortunately, with tight budgets, continuous personnel changes and the need to deploy riot gear at a moment’s notice, some departments have been forced to send officers into the field with wrong-sized suits or no suits at all.
That’s why Sirchie, a supplier of a wide variety of law enforcement products, worked with tactical officers to develop a better riot suit.
“We saw in events in Ferguson and Baltimore that officers called in from the suburbs were not protected,” said John Roby, CEO of Sirchie. “Often, they had nothing but their standard uniform or a helmet at best. Sirchie is a true police partner, and we believe it’s our duty to provide officers with something that is affordable and most importantly, protects them.”
This collaboration led to TacCommander, an adjustable design that provides increased comfort and range of motion compared to the standard riot suit.
Even better, the suit comes in one size that can be adjusted to fit any individual officer. No longer does a department have to order a specific suit for each officer – with TacCommander, you can order as many as you need and adjust on site to customize the fit for virtually every officer, regardless of body shape and size.
Here are five ways the TacCommander adjustable riot suit provides the flexibility and convenience you want with the protection you need:
1. Adjustability
The TacCommander riot suit is adjustable from foot to neck without compromising protection or maneuverability. Instead of having to purchase a custom-sized riot suit when a new officer joins the force, you can now equip an officer who wears size small and an officer who wears 2XL with the same suit.
Hook-and-loop fabric fastener straps feed through sturdy D-rings to adjust to the width of your torso, legs and arms. For comfort and protection, the torso panel detaches into two parts so you can adjust the bottom torso length from the front and back and the upper torso length at the neck and shoulders.
You can also adjust the length of the lower arm plates to match your arm length and create a snug fit around your torso by adjusting the side straps. The two-part thigh guard has variable snaps around the hip piece to offer a close fit and flexibility. Even the connectors between the pads are adjustable, so when the entire suit is assembled it’s connected into one protective unit with a custom fit.
2. Protection
Sirchie’s new TacCommander riot suits include some innovative design elements that enhance officer safety. First, the suits come provided with full torso coverage with front and back blunt force trauma plates, but these can be upgraded with 10 x12-inch Level IIIA ballistic plates for extra protection.
To shore up points of vulnerability, Sirchie also added side deflector shields around the neck and reflective officer-assist straps on the front and back so a fallen officer can be quickly removed from a dangerous scene.
For added comfort, shield shelves on the thigh plates give officers a place to rest their shields and stay protected during lengthy operations.
3. Maneuverability
An ill-fitting riot suit can impede movement, putting an officer at risk. The TacCommander, however, is built with maneuverability in mind. The two-piece thigh shell offers more flexibility than other suits, and the adjustable connectors between pads allow for full range of motion. The D-loop and hook-and-loop fastener strap system in key areas makes for quick, easy and secure connections.
4. Comfort
When you’re called up for riot or crowd control, you know it’s likely to turn into a long and physically demanding day. The TacCommander suit is built to offer comfort as well as protection. At only 17 pounds, the suit won’t weigh you down when you need it to stand up.
Its patented hammock system in the knee guards and elbow cups offers shock absorption and comfort, and the 45-degree angle MOLLE system allows ergonomic, easy access to your attached gear.
5. Convenience
The TacCommander adjustable riot suit comes with a sturdy and versatile duty belt, but you can swap it out with your own if you prefer. The suit also includes features like built-in straps near the shoulders to hold your duty radio, plus integrated loops at the waistline to hold additional gear like restraints or a gas mask.
Each suit comes with its own ventilated carry bag so the gear will be aired out and ready to go for the next deployment. Whether it’s you or another officer gearing up for a potential confrontation, the TacCommander riot suit provides a perfect fit that offers comfort, maneuverability and full protection.