When I showed the Cop Tool to my friend Joe—who happens to be his department’s firearms training officer—he responded with one sentence: “I’ve got to have one.”
Designed for use as a seat belt cutter, knife, and a scraper, the Wilson Tactical Cop Tool is an innovative approach to the concept of the duty knife. Unlike the blades on most true fixed or folding blade knives, the blade of the Cop Tool is meant for cutting clothing, banding, and hacking away at things that snare you or an accident victim, not slicing a piece of cheese.
Of course, the Cop Tool is not the first police knife designed specifically as a rescue tool. But it is a good one. What’s most surprising about the Cop Tool is its compact size. And considering all the gear you now carry on your duty belt, compact is a good thing. The size also reduces the chances of breaking the tool when it is used as a pry bar; yes, this knife is designed to be used as a pry bar.
The Cop Tool is a solid piece of steel wrapped with para-cord to give the user a solid grip in all conditions. Just forward of the wrapping are indents for your thumb or finger to give you a leverage point to prevent you from engaging the blade with your thumb or finger.
The Wilson Tactical Cop Tool has received two thumbs up from all of the cops I gave it to for evaluation. They were even happy with its pricing. It retails for less than $100. Check out Wilson Tactical’s Cop Tool; I think you’ll like it.
Wilson Tactical
Cop Tool
Blade Steel: D2
Hardness: RC 59-60
Blade Length: 1.75 inches
Overall Length: 6 inches
Price: $99.99
Eye Safety Systems
Interchangeable Component Eyeshield
More and more officers are becoming aware of the need for eye protection while on duty. What I am talking about is eyewear that provides true ballistic protection for your peepers and prevents damage from spit, debris, fingers, liquids, etc.
Eye Safety Systems (ESS) is a leading manufacturer of ballistic eyewear. Its Interchangeable Component Eyeshield (ICE) is very popular with the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. And with good reason. The ICE has a lot of great features. It not only offers an RX insert for users who wear prescription glasses, its arms are also adjustable for length and inward angle. Lenses or “shields” are offered in a number of colors to meet lighting conditions, including a laser protective shield. The ICE is available in two- or three-lens sets, which come in a soft case and includes a head strap; not bad for less than $55.
I found the ICE 2.4 to be a comfortable pair of glasses. The lenses interchange easily and the RX insert is very secure in the frame. To ensure that the glasses stay on during strenuous activity, I recommend that you use the provided head strap. Otherwise, the Mil Spec, ANSI-rated ICE shields tend to slide around on your face when things get physical.
ESS
ICE Shields
• 2.4mm Lenses
• Extra-Wide Field of View
• Interchangeable Lenses
• ANSI-Compliant
• Mil Spec
• Rx Available
Price: 2 Lens Set $44
3 Lens Set $52
PowerFlare
LED Flare System
PowerFlare is just what the name implies, a high-visibility electronic flare. What caught my eye about this product is just how bright the light system is and how quickly its LED lights change pattern. The light combinations available and the product’s ease of deployment—turn it on and toss it down—are also great selling points.
The PowerFlare is a very versatile lighting product. It can be used to mark accidents, landing zones, DUI checkpoints, etc.. It can even be used under water to a depth of 300 feet.
Another reason to change from an incendiary flare to an electronic flare is for environmental and safety considerations. An incendiary flare can react with various hazardous materials, creating a fire and a larger problem. Some states also consider the ash from a chemical flare to be environmentally hazardous, and it must be cleaned up. In contrast, all you have to do after using a PowerFlare is simply pick up the PowerFlare and shut it off when you’re done.
PowerFlares cost considerably more than traditional chemical flares. But they are safer to use and don’t have any environmental impact. Also, in the long run, they are actually quite economical. The rechargeable version will run up to 100 hours. Compared to a standard incendiary flare, a PowerFlare will pay for itself when used for just 24 hours.
And I dare you to try and break a PowerFlare with anything other than a hammer or a firearm. They are virtually indestructible. I know: I tried to break one by throwing it off a wall, dropping it from a second story window onto the driveway, standing on it, and jumping on it. In the field, PowerFlares have been run over by fire trucks and still kept shining bright.
PowerFlare is available in many configurations. The case can be yellow, orange, or olive drab; the lights can be red, amber, blue, green, white, or infrared (for use with night vision). PowerFlares can run on CR123A batteries or on rechargeable batteries.
PowerFlares are now issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Erie County (Pa.) Sheriff’s Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.
PowerFlare
Electronic Flare
Lights: Multiple LED
Power Source: CR123A or rechargeable batteries
Price: $47.50
Burris
Xtreme Tactical SpeedDot
The Burris Xtreme Tactical SpeedDot (XTS) is one fine red-dot sight. The XTS that I reviewed was the XTS135, a designation that means it has a 1-power, 35mm objective lens with a 3 minute-of-angle dot.
Burris offers rings/mounts in four heights to better fit the XTS to your specific weapon’s system. I mounted the XTS on my DPMS Panther Arms M4 with the medium mount; it worked well because my M4 has flip-up sights front and rear.
The XTS offers the user 11 brightness options. I found that the high setting was too bright and opted for the lower settings. One great feature is that the elevation and windage adjustment caps are secured to the sight’s body with polymer straps, making it more difficult to lose them. To protect the front and rear lenses, Burris includes flip-up front and rear covers.
In use, I found the XTS to be a very user-friendly sight. The lenses are clear, and the red dot doesn’t have the halo I have seen in many red-dot sights. Not having that halo effect makes it easier to make more precise shots since all you see is the aiming dot. Burris further enhances the scope’s utility by offering 65 minute of angle adjustment in any direction. This should allow you to mount the XTS on most any long gun and zero it once it’s mounted. The adjustments of the XTS are 1⁄3-inch at 100 yards or when zeroed at 25 yards, four clicks. I know the math doesn’t sound right, but it works.
The Burris Xtreme Tactical SpeedDot is an excellent scope for any duty rifle.
Burris
Xtreme Tactical SpeedDot
• 11 Brightness Settings
• 1X Magnification
• 35mm Objective Lens
Price: $365 (rings/base $44)
Woolrich
Elite Tactical Pants
If you spent your fall and winter in the woods when you were growing up, then like me you probably owned the Woolrich red and black check wool hunting suit or its tan chamois shirt. The company has been making hunting clothes for more than a century. Now, Woolrich is making law enforcement apparel, and I was curious to see if this local company (Woolrich is based in central Pennsylvania near my home) could bring the legendary toughness of its hunting clothes to law enforcement apparel.
Woolrich’s Elite Tactical Pants have many features that make them suitable for both off- and on-duty work. The pants have a partially elasticized waist for comfort. Its pockets are placed to allow easy access when the wearer has a sidearm in a concealed carry or tactical thigh holster. There are also front thigh pockets that will hold any handgun magazine or a 20-round AR-15 magazine, and the belt loops will accommodate a two-inch belt. Elite Tactical Pants are available in standard cotton canvas and lightweight poly/cotton ripstop fabric.
The best way to test a pair of pants is to wear them. So I gave a pair to my friend Brian, who serves on the Port Authority Police of Allegheny County, Pa. He says the pockets are well suited for carrying gear that he uses as a K-9 handler and that access to the pockets with duty gear is not hindered.
Woolrich
Elite Tactical Pants
• Available in Cotton Canvas or Cotton Ripstop
• Black, Sage, Khaki
Price $49.99 cotton canvas
$59.99 Cotton Ripstop
