Being a Field Training Officer, or FTO, I’ve helped many new rookies and recruits setup their duty belts for duty. While it does seem a simple task, it can take some figuring out especially if you are coming from a background where you never carried any sort of duty belt (security, military, etc).
I will also say that one officers layout of a duty belt might not work for another officer and that continuous training is the only way to develop a plan that works for you. With that said, there are some general things that need to be on every officer’s belt. Some of these items might be better suited on an external vest, should your service policy allow you to do that. If this is the case, I will note it next to the item.
Firearm
This is an obvious one, if you have a duty belt you’re firearm should be in a holster on it. It should be positioned on your weapon side. From there it depends on the gun and holster, I carry a Glock 19 and have the Safari holster positioned slightly forward to make for an easier draw. Good practice is to have a keeper in front of your holster and one on the back. For the love of everything, please do not use a drop holster unless you are SWAT, TRU, ERT or another tactical unit where other gear will get in the way, thus making a drop holster necessary.
Spare mags
Great practice for carry your firearm spare magazines is to have it directly in front of your firearm in a position accessible by your support arm. This way during a reload you can keep your firearm up, use your support arm to draw the spare mag and load it into your firearm easily. If you do this make sure to mount the mag pouches horizontally. If you’d like it on the other side of your belt for weight distribution then mount them vertically so they can still be accessed by your support arm. Should you service policy allow it, you can mount these on your vest although I prefer to carry my patrol rifle spare mags there instead.
Handcuffs
I like mine in front of me so they sit right next to the belt buckle, on my weapon side (right). You want to carry your handcuffs in a position where they are accessible by both hands but easier for your weapon side, hence the location of mine. Should you have an external vest these can be placed on there. It is also possible to place them to your back, as long as they can easily access them. Please do not place them directly in the middle of your back on your belt as they then become a hazard should you fall on your back.
Taser
Like the baton, I suggest a cross draw for a taser. Do not place your taser near your firearm nor should you utilize a firearm draw for a taser. There are many videos out there that show exactly how bad of an idea this is. Like this one:
Baton
I like cross draw options so my baton sits on my support side, allowing me to cross draw with my weapon hand. I recommend this setup, especially to new officers. Please do not place your baton behind your firearm unless you have specific training. Also do not place your baton on your vest, I don’t care how much you’ve practiced, it’s impractical and a safety issue.
Radio
Good practice is to carry your radio opposite side of your firearm so that you can evenly carry the weight. This is strongly recommended or mount it on an external vest.
OC Spray
Always carry OC spray opposite of your firearm side, preferably further to the back so that it’s accessible by your support arm and can be done so in a discrete manner. Do not mount your OC spray behind your firearm as this gives the impression you are drawing your gun. Also do not mount this on your external vest as it cannot be drawn discreetly then.
Key Ring Hook
These are best suited on your support side, in between things they won’t get in the way off. I like carrying them on my support side, utilizing my support hand to carry/get them. This way in case of a situation my weapon hand is still free and I don’t have to worry about dropping keys to get my firearm or use of force. You can also set these up on your external vest if your service policy allows for it.
Flashlight
I carry mine on an external vest but there is nothing wrong with placing a flashlight on either the support or weapon side. If you can place it behind your firearm in a place so it doesn’t impact your draw, go ahead. Keep your head on swivel and stay safe!
Ben