THIS IS FOR THE MEN AND WOMAN THAT SACRIFICE SO MUCH ALREADY, FOR THE ONES THAT WILL RUN TO YOU WHEN YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE COMES TRUE. FOR THE ONES THAT ARE WILLING TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LINE FOR A COMPLETE STRANGER.

WITH ALL THE STUDIES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT PROVE TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE HEALTH OF AN OFFICER IS COMPROMISED DIRECLTY FROM THE RESULT OF WEARING A DUTY BELT WITH THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THAT IS NECESSARY TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FULFILL. THEY DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE TO WEAR SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT ONLY MAKE THEM MORE COMFORTABLE AND EXTEND THEIR CAREER AS AN ACTIVE LEO, BUT WILL ALLOW THEM TO DO THERE JOB PAIN FREE FROM HIP AND BACK PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WEARING A DUTY BELT. THE TECHNOLOGY IS READILY AVAILABLE TO ALLOW THEM TO PERFORM THE JOB MANY ARENT WILLING TO DO. WHY NOT? GIVE THESE MEN AND WOMAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL BETTER WHILE PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES. 

Officers who carry most of their equipment – which often weighs close to 30 pounds – on vests rather than duty belts experience significantly less hip and lower-back pain, the study found.

“The findings are clear and they are significant,” said Dr. Jeff Janot, a professor of kinesiology and the faculty lead on a six-month study that involved UW-Eau Claire, ECPD and Mayo Clinic Health System. “While the vests weigh more, the weight is more evenly distributed so there is less strain on the hips and lower back.”

Researchers also determined that the vests do not limit the officers’ range of motion or create other issues that would be problematic for the officers from a safety standpoint, said Chantal Bougie, a senior kinesiology major from Oshkosh and the student lead on the research project.

“We didn’t find any unintended consequences from wearing the load-bearing vest that would cause health or safety issues for the officers,” Bougie said.

COME TOGETHER FOR THE ONES THAT COME TO YOU!