There are many trials that a patrol officer must face throughout his or her career. Not the least of these is trying to find a way to organize all the junk…uh…important documents and gear that you need on the job.
Over my career, I've tried a lot of bags. So I know how hard it is to find one that really can do the job. But a couple of months ago at the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) conference, I ran into something that I think you should know about.
My first thought when I saw Delta Tactical's new line of patrol bags was, "Where were these bags many decades ago when I needed them?" Over the years, I have used milk crates, plastic boxes, and purchased so many bags and gadgets for organizing the junk…uh…important documents and gear that I needed on patrol that I could have paid for several new guns with the money I spent on these things. And let me tell you, these Delta Tactical products are some great bags.
Delta Tactical offers two bags: the Ultimate Patrol Bag and the Ultimate Patrol Bag 2 (UPB2). Both are designed to fit specific needs. Personally, I have the Delta Tactical UPB2 for I like its design with an outside entry into a medium size compartment, ideal for a personal gas mask.
The first thing you need to know about Delta Tactical patrol bags is that they were designed by two of your fellow officers. Cops developed these bags, not product engineers, and they market them to cops.
And when it comes to patrol bags, only cops really know what cops need.
For example, my UPB2 has a storage volume of 3,500 cubic inches and features eight compartments on the outside. Inside, the bag is 12 x 12 inches, and it has Velcro-attached dividers that let you choose how to allocate all of that space.
And it can take a beating. It's made with black ballistic water-resistant nylon, and heavy-duty zippers. The frame is PVC so it will not collapse under normal use. And the interior compartments are padded so you can carry a laptop and other cargo that doesn't like to be banged around.
All Delta Tactical bags have a heavy-duty carry strap, that the passenger shoulder harness straps through to secure it into your passenger seat. Better yet, the shoulder strap actually keeps the top open, so all the top compartment's contents are visible and secure. Underneath the top are three more pockets.
I have already emptied out a large shoulder bag and a large gym bag that were in my vehicle. Now, all of the contents of these two bags are in my UPB2 and I have more room to spare.
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William "Bill" Harvey has been the chief of the Lebanon City (Pa.) Police Department since 2002. He is lead columnist on the Recruit Channel at PoliceMag.com and serves on the advisory boards of POLICE Magazine, POLICE RECRUIT Magazine, TREXPO, and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).
