What's your loadout?

Hastings wrote:Haha, that's fantastic! Bravo!
To each his own!

No, it is an example of how not to get yourself locked
up. I am not telling you what to do, but that vest you wear with the
American flag and federal eagle can get jammed up in ways you do not
want to experience. If you don't believe me, just ask some other folks
on here and see the response you get.

Just my professional opinion.

_________________
Heritage and Profession Together

J.G. Marshall
MARSHALL FUGITIVE SERVICE
Lic. # 2008-392
Moderator


Its the Irish in my mind that keeps me sane,
and the Irish in my heart that keeps me strong.

Marshall is correct. Honestly, I did not look that close, at the vest in your pictures. I just saw the equipment and noticed "That looks alot like my stuff". My vest is a plain jane vest....the only marking is a Yellow Velcro "Recovery" that goes on the back......which I hardly ever remember to put on the vest. I look at it no different than someone using rank as part of thier job title or placing blue lights & sirens on thier vehicle. It just becomes something else that will have to be explained to a judge, one day. this is why I say that I go out "Light Duty (Concealed) always, Often medium (but should say Hardly ever and only adds the Duty Belt) and Never tact out (because I have known to many to get jacked up over a perception)".

_________________
********************
Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

I will post my gear tomorrow as I am exhausted ....my Friday & Happy Hour today was ruined by having to post a bond earlier only to get back to the beach to just about walk into Happy Hour then the Jail Called and my Deft. caught an additional charge so I had to go back & drop another power.. then .. get back to the beach again .. to find out one of my Dec 2010 deft's out on my bond was arrested today sooo back I went to the jail to do a Bond Surrender.. now I am back home and this Fireman I know calls me to advise me his brother was just arrested for some traffic warrant .. so I will be headed back to the jail sometime within in the next few hours I guess to post his bond... guess I cant complain .. I am making $$.. thankfully...

Tomorrow ... I will get my gear all nicely arranged and you can look and admire .. or just shake your head .. it is not too much different from what all you guys have already posted..

Vest (Heavy Duty) or Medium Duty Vest depending on the type of pick up (Velcro Patches "SURETY AGENT" front and back ..Badge Clipped onto Vest sometimes..Long Sleeve Shirt with "Surety .. Agent" down each Sleeve for the Chilly Florida Nights.. a 9mm in my holster under my shirt as you are not allowed to have it displayed..3 Extra Magazines... X-26 Taser attached to vest in a blackhawk serpa holster (Bill's Influence ).. Mace.. ASP.. SureFire Flashlight ...Flex Cuffs.. and Real Cuffs.. Disposable Rubber Gloves..sometimes.. a Mossberg 500 .12 Ga Shotgun.. or Sig 556 Rifle with (2) 30 round magazines side by side and 2 more in pouches.. for the really bad pick ups that I dont wanna get out of bed to even do, let alone think about... cause my cop superman saving the world days were over a longggg time ago....

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



"Surprise Sex is the Best Thing to Wake up to, UNLESS, You are in Jail... "

I agree with the guys here also, usually we'll go out as incognito as we can, because it's bad enough we're being sent into the roughest spots in Phoenix, Tucson (which is mostly rough), or worse the open desert...where the nearest town is a minimum of 30 minutes away, and the local sheriff tells you there's a 45 min eta on all calls. You already stick out like a sore thumb and you're on your own....good luck.

My Taurus PT140 Millennium Pro is 99% of the time with me, the only time it's not is on my full time job (on the rez), where it's not allowed unless I register it (and I've been too lazy to do that), two pairs of cuffs, plain overt vest, sometimes radios.....that's about it. I bought patches for the vest, never put them on. Another guy I know out here put patches on his vest that say "Agent", because we not only get to do that out here, many agencies prefer we separate ourselves from local LE as much as possible, let alone most of them have no clue what we are doing, but they want to help...as long as they don't have to sign anything. I throw my range bag in my truck, which has spare ammo, a Hi-Point .45 ACP, my old 3D Maglite (from my days of "LE saving the world" like Jeff, also LONG time ago), plenty of 12 GA shotgun shells (for the off occasion I bring my Mossberg Maverick 80 "modified but legal" shotgun). My partner brings a pair of cuffs and his Glock .40 and that's it, and we're always concealed until needed. We do have badges, usually on the belt or under the shirt also until needed. Clothing is typically jeans and T-Shirts unless we're meeting bail bondsmen at the office....then it's nice slacks, dress shirt or polo, no weapons, badge and ID in wallet. Summer's coming, and those 120 degree days are going to beg for Bill's wardrobe.

I understand and acknowledge your concerns with my patches, I have had zero issues with them and law enforcement (so far and hopefully never). Most of the time, law enforcement in my area doesn't have any idea what we do, and I get a chance to explain our responsibilities and limits.

As for my American flag, I am a patriot. I would wear a flag on every piece of clothing, if possible!

I think that there is a balance between being clearly identifiable as a FRA and NOT a LEO. I prefer to be safe and protected, rather than sorry. If someone sees my back patch or reads the patches on the front of my vest, the risk of being ID'd as law enforcement is slim to none (of course there are plenty of idiots out there who I could tell firmly that I am not a LEO, and they'd still think I was the CHP or something, but those aren't reasonable people.)

EDIT: Upon further review, I have removed the circular patch off the uniform, as it was in violation of some US CFR. I'll contact the patch's manufacturer and advise them of this.

Just a quick little clarification for any "new" readers on here... do not misread my posts... I always use a bit of humor (which is certainly debatable) when I write but I try to relate pertinent info... there is usually an underlying madness to my scribblings... (also debatable)

As bondsmen we want to be seen and identified... but my take on Recovery is a bit different and is rather touchy to say the least... "Dog" is quite visible because he is promoting a TV show... my approach is somewhat more covert... to the point of being actually the "other way".... sometimes so ridiculous that the perp has no idea who is approaching. That is just my MO... and will not work for everyone... just my MO normally.

Please understand one other simple thing... I can be very serious and dress quite accordingly when I am in another someone's AO or if I am in a new area where LE does not know me. I can be quite professional if need be... just wanted to point that out so you new folks wouldn't think this is the way to do it.................




I actually have a nice suit that I bought at J.C. Penney's in 1972 (had to let it out several times and even now I cannot button it... but.... ) and I have a pair of black dress shoes and 3 ties... so I can look quite sharp when need be.... oh, I also have several pairs of black socks...(I only wear white socks with my New Balance tennis shoes)... and I do actually have two bullets for my gun.

You know I can't make a totally serious post...............

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

_________________
Heritage and Profession Together

J.G. Marshall
MARSHALL FUGITIVE SERVICE
Lic. # 2008-392
Moderator


Its the Irish in my mind that keeps me sane,
and the Irish in my heart that keeps me strong.

Sorry It took So long .. Been busy with my Business and my Social Life ...then Bail Bonds Biz.. No disrespect to anyone here.. as the Bail Bond Biz is not my first line of work .. as I promised .. here is some of my gear ....

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



"Surprise Sex is the Best Thing to Wake up to, UNLESS, You are in Jail... "