# Load Bearing Outer Vest Carriers



## Huntingcop

Hi All,

I am a patrol officer in a small department in MA, and we are trying to get our chief to agree to let us switch to load bearing vest carriers. He is a research driven individual, so what I am looking for is basically any research any of you might have come across supporting the health benefits of using a load bearing vest carrier. I would also appreciate seeing any proposals any of you have used to get load bearing vest carriers approved in your departments.

Thanks!


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## MPD703

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/229710.pdf

Don't know if this will help but you can try this.


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## Huntingcop

Thanks! The piece concerning the reasons to move away from the traditional belt definitely helps! Unfortunately some of our officers have tried the suspenders without substantial relief.


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## Hush

UW-Eau Claire research aims to improve police officers' health, quality of life
The Eau Claire Police Department is making a significant change to how officers carry their equipment after a UW-Eau Claire research team determined that load-bearing vests are a safe and healthier alternative to the traditional duty belt.Officers who carry most of their equipment - which often weighs close to 30 pounds - on vests rather than duty belts experience significantly less hip and lower-back pain, the study found."The findings are clear and they are significant," said Dr. Jeff Janot, a professor of kinesiology and the faculty lead on a six-month study that involved UW-Eau Claire, ECPD and Mayo Clinic Health System. "While the vests weigh more, the weight is more evenly distributed so there is less strain on the hips and lower back."


Matt Rokus, deputy chief of police, (left) issues Eau Claire police officer Mark Vang his load-bearing vest.

Researchers also determined that the vests do not limit the officers' range of motion or create other issues that would be problematic for the officers from a safety standpoint, said Chantal Bougie, a senior kinesiology major from Oshkosh and the student lead on the research project.
"We didn't find any unintended consequences from wearing the load-bearing vest that would cause health or safety issues for the officers," Bougie said.

Given the study results, the ECPD already has begun to transition some of its 100 sworn officers from the duty belts to the load-bearing vests, said Matt Rokus, deputy chief of police for the ECPD.

"The health and well-being of our officers is our priority," said Rokus, noting that lower-back pain is a significant health issue for law enforcement personnel everywhere. "This study shows empirically that transitioning to the load-bearing vests is the right thing to do for our officers and our community."

ECPD officers still will wear duty belts, but they will hold only guns and tasers. The radio, hand cuffs, flashlight and other gear officers always have on them will be carried on the vests instead, Rokus said.

Fifteen Eau Claire police officers volunteered to be part of the university's study. For three months, some officers wore load-bearing vests while the others carried gear on the duty belts. The officers wearing belts then switched to vests, and those wearing vests went back to belts for three mo.... CONTINUED IN LINK


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## Huntingcop

Thanks! That is perfect!


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