Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Why Riot Gear Is Crucial For Law And Order Units

By Ross Cogburn


The modern age has seen an increase in civil unrest everywhere in the world. Law enforcement agencies are frequently required to restrain large crowds. These crowds are normally citizens and it is not desirable to take drastic action. The fact remains that demonstrations can become violent and without proper riot gear, police officers are unable to either protect themselves or to control the crowds.

By and large, this clothing and equipment is designed to protect both the law enforcement officers and the crowd. It is, in nature, defensive, designed to protect the bodily integrity of the officers and to provide them with the means to prevent crowds from acting illegally or to trespass. That is why shields and body armor is so important to those that serve in crown control capacities.

Law enforcement agencies are not entirely without offensive resources. As a last resort, tear gas, batons and water cannons are employed to drowse the enthusiasm of riotous masses. In some extreme cases, it may even be necessary to use more serious measures such as rubber bullets. Only in life threatening situations will live ammunition be employed.

The uniforms worn by police officers in these instances are designed to appear official, even intimidating. In some cases the very presence of a formidable shield of crowd control officers is enough to prevent violence and riots. One of the main characteristics of such units is their ability to communicate quickly and efficiently.

Agencies use various other types of equipment to help them in their difficult task. Barriers care often employed to shut off areas and to keep crowds behind a certain line. Loudhailers are commonly used to communicate with crowds and in some cases surveillance equipment is used to identify criminals and known agitators.

Every government is sworn to protect their citizens and their property from undue injury and damage. When groups of people threaten the rights of other citizens, it is necessary to take measures to control the situation. Without riot gear, it would be almost impossible to control angry and rowdy crowds.




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