If you had to jump in the water...

[eyildiz]

you'll have your duty belt off prolly, but what about the vest? I doubt u'll be taking that off and all....

so if you go in with that, and the vest gets soaked, afaik the vest is now ruined.

ya think your dept will issue you a new one?

[crass cop]

If I have to jump in the water it will be to save a life. Thats my job. [I]MY[I] dept wouldnt have a problem with shelling out an extra grand to replace it. The life is worth a hell of a lot more than a vest.
It most likely wouldnt be that time consuming to take it off, though...an extra couple of seconds.

[HotSoup]

I wear an outter vest carrier so it wouldn't take anymore time to take the vest off as it did my gun belt.

[eyildiz]

I wear an outter vest carrier so it wouldn't take anymore time to take the vest off as it did my gun belt.

good point...

[mdrdep]

Our boat crews wear an outter vest carrier and quick release nylon gun belts just for this reason.

[Minnesotan]

So you would just abandon your weapon when you jump in? I understand saving the life is top priority I'm just curious. I've always been taught to never abandon your weapon but mine is owned by Uncle Sam.

[andy5746]

So you would just abandon your weapon when you jump in? I understand saving the life is top priority I'm just curious. I've always been taught to never abandon your weapon but mine is owned by Uncle Sam.

"Sorry, I couldn't save your husband's life because I couldn't abandon my weapon"

Please, re-read what you wrote, realize how naive you sound and think long and hard about your next question...

[NORCOCOP]

I am normally pretty close to my vehicle unless I am in a foot pursuit, so I would dump as much as I could into the truck and jump in. But it is situation dependant. If the water is moving and they are being swept along as opposed to trapped in a vehicle or something the situation is going to be different. I am not going to care about equipment or policies if someone is going to die and I can stop it.

[JKralC104]

I've been in the water with gear on and I won't do it again. IF I go in the water, it'll be with nothing but pants on.

[blackhorse]

I'm in the Marine division and we don't wear vests when we're patrolling on the boats just for that reason. If you make a determination to go in the water, you have about 1/2 a second to shed your pistol belt and go. No time to take off your shirt to get to a vest. Usually stays in the unit, when I come off the water, I put the vest on.

[Minnesotan]

"Sorry, I couldn't save your husband's life because I couldn't abandon my weapon"

Please, re-read what you wrote, realize how naive you sound and think long and hard about your next question...

We are told here that if someone is drowning in the water and we are on the harbor boats that we are NOT to jump into the water because of the 240b machine gun and our sidearms that are on board. We are not to abandon our weapons. So, it maybe "naive" but it is policy.

[blackhorse]

We are told here that if someone is drowning in the water and we are on the harbor boats that we are NOT to jump into the water because of the 240b machine gun and our sidearms that are on board. We are not to abandon our weapons. So, it maybe "naive" but it is policy.

That's not a bad policy either. Per my previous post, you have about a 1/2 second to make a decision whether you're going in or not. Would I jump out of my boat to try to rescue an adult man or would I throw him the donut ring and pull him in that way. Probably wouldn't jump in for an adult, but for an infant or young child, I'm going in the water, no questions asked. You also have to consider if you're the only person on your boat or not. You can't just leave your 24 foot cruiser sitting idling in the water. Maybe a small 16 ft flat boat, but not a cabin cruiser. When / if we go in the water, that the reason we wear quick release nlyon gear and no vest when on the boats.

[KapsFB]

I wear an outter vest carrier so it wouldn't take anymore time to take the vest off as it did my gun belt.

Aha! I knew there was a reason for this!!
http://i38.tinypic.com/167po44.jpg

[mdrdep]

We are told here that if someone is drowning in the water and we are on the harbor boats that we are NOT to jump into the water because of the 240b machine gun and our sidearms that are on board. We are not to abandon our weapons. So, it maybe "naive" but it is policy.

All of our boats are two deputies at least. Our boat operators are also trained rescue divers.

[1SuperTrooper]

We just had a guy about a month ago that had to jump in after someone...He was first on scene. There was no one that he could secure his gear with, so he jumped right in. The department wound up buying him all new items no questions asked i.e. cell phone, vest, a uniform, and I think maybe a taser. Small price to pay to save a life. He got a metal of valor by the way.

[ItIsWhatItIs73]

We were taught that going in the water after someone is a last option, but if we need to the instructors told us to take our gun belt off and throw it into the water. In my dept we work with a partner who I guess could secure your weapon but I don't know any cop that would let his partner jump into the river and not be there right next to him.

[slamdunc]

The life is worth a hell of a lot more than a vest.

I second that. Worst case, I ask for a new vest (if it actually damaged it).
If they refuse, one of my great friends would probably either write a letter to the editor or something like that; I would end with a new vest, anyway.
I don't know any cop that would let his partner jump into the river and not be there right next to him.
That is exactly right.

[G-MAN]

I wouldn't have a problem jumping in with everything on to save someone's life. You take a gamble on getting your stuff stolen or destroyed....only issue really would be the Taser as everything else including the Glock would be fine.



G-man
1*

[crass cop]

agreed....we have "throw bags" in our cars, so that would be my first option. We dont have a 240LB machine gun, though, (dammit!),

[DARE_SUPPORTER]

We did water training at the academy to kind of prepare for what it could be like in full uniform with shoes and duty belt on, when hitting the water.

[wirefire2]

So you would just abandon your weapon when you jump in? I understand saving the life is top priority I'm just curious. I've always been taught to never abandon your weapon but mine is owned by Uncle Sam.

Except that we wear 20lbs of leather gear that will sink you like a rock. And I can lock stuff in my car.

[mdrdep]

I wouldn't have a problem jumping in with everything on to save someone's life. You take a gamble on getting your stuff stolen or destroyed....only issue really would be the Taser as everything else including the Glock would be fine.



G-man
1*

That's okay if you can touch bottom, but if you have to actually swim the belt and gun will drag you down. I have a partner that is an expert swimmer. He damned near drowned when he fell into water with his gunbelt on, that's without having to wrestle a drowning body too.

[mdrdep]

We were taught that going in the water after someone is a last option, but if we need to the instructors told us to take our gun belt off and throw it into the water. In my dept we work with a partner who I guess could secure your weapon but I don't know any cop that would let his partner jump into the river and not be there right next to him.


As a two man crew you will actually do better with one going in the water and one staying on shore to help drag everyone out.

[Mabbottusmc]

If I have to jump in the water it will be to save a life. Thats my job. [I]MY[I] dept wouldnt have a problem with shelling out an extra grand to replace it. The life is worth a hell of a lot more than a vest.
It most likely wouldnt be that time consuming to take it off, though...an extra couple of seconds.

Jumping into water is the job of a life guard. I have never received training on water rescue.

[crass cop]

I have in the Boy Scouts several years ago.....I would rather try than sit and watch someone drown, (its a HORRIBLE way to die).
We, (LEOs) are usually the first on scene, mainly because we are mobile and not waiting at the station for a call, (like the firemen/medics). I personally would not be ble to watch someone die without at least trying to save them...thats just me, though. I joined the job to help people, like most of the others. The fast car, gun and whoop *** are an extra.

[Deputy4137]

I'm a crappy swimmer. Jumping in the water full gear will just give the next responding officer TWO people to rescue!

[S.O.444]

I carry 50-ft of rope in my patrol car so hopefully I could throw them a line without having to get in the water. If I have to jump in, the belt is coming off.