Off-duty: Carry one, carry all?

[SpacemanSpiff]

I fear I'm about to get hit with the red-tart stick because I'm sure this answer has come up before but I couldn't find it in a search.

Off-duty, do you carry cuffs with you? OC? The only reference I could find online was the 'carry one carry all' policy, which I assume supposedly means if you're taking your weapon, you should also grab cuffs. Personally, I feel that if I was in a position to act off-duty, I'd want the tools available to get the job done - i.e. cuffing the suspect.

Thanks.

[K-9MALY]

Why would you think that question would warrant a red tart? :confused: It is a good question. Off duty carry for me personally is always accompanied with cuffs. I never carry OC except for on my duty belt. I have cuffs in the car glove box also, along with extra magazines and two boxes of ammo. I am cognitive of the fact that I may come across a need to assist another officer someday off duty, so I also carry a box of 40 cal police ammo despite my duty weapon being a 9mm.

[ngcsubutterbar]

I fear I'm about to get hit with the red-tart stick because I'm sure this answer has come up before but I couldn't find it in a search.

Off-duty, do you carry cuffs with you? OC? The only reference I could find online was the 'carry one carry all' policy, which I assume supposedly means if you're taking your weapon, you should also grab cuffs. Personally, I feel that if I was in a position to act off-duty, I'd want the tools available to get the job done - i.e. cuffing the suspect.

Thanks.

No, I carry a gun. If I'm in a position where I have to draw my gun, getting cuffed will be the last thing the subject has to worry about.

[Ironhead]

No, I carry a gun. If I'm in a position where I have to draw my gun, getting cuffed will be the last thing the subject has to worry about.

+1

I don't carry off-duty to arrest people, I carry off duty to protect myself and my family from those I have arrested in the past that still carry a grudge.

I would also probably intervene in a violent felony I saw taking place.

If, however, the situation doesn't rise to the level of needing the immediate use of deadly force, my involvement remains at the 'be a good witness' level. Therefore I don't need cuffs, OC, or a baton.

[valycop]

I don't carry cuffs with me unless I'm on call and then it's badge, gun and handcuffs. When I'm not on call it's just the badge and gun; now if I'm jogging with the dog usually no gun, but I do carry my OC. Carrying the OC is more for driving off other dogs trying to pick a fight with mine then personal protection.

[phantasm]

Only my gun while off duty. I don't plan on making any arrests, only defending against immediate threats of serious physical injury or death.

[sparty]

I don't carry off-duty to arrest people, I carry off duty to protect myself and my family from those I have arrested in the past that still carry a grudge.

I would also probably intervene in a violent felony I saw taking place.

If, however, the situation doesn't rise to the level of needing the immediate use of deadly force, my involvement remains at the 'be a good witness' level. Therefore I don't need cuffs, OC, or a baton.

I agree. If you're off duty you're probably alone with no backup or easy way to call for backup. One never knows when the bad guy is going to have backup of his own. If I, a family member, or an innocent person is in danger then I'll act. It's better to be a live witness then a dead cop.

[Gooch]

I carry for personal protection and to protect my family if they, or I, are ever in mortal danger. I would think that having cuffs makes you better prepared to make an arrest and this might make you more prone to take police action when you probably shouldn't. Call it in an be a good witness is what I always tell myself.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Thanks for the replies all around. In reponse to K-9MALY, I just somehow couldn't shake the feeling that this was one of those questions that I should've easily found prior threads on (and you guys are an intimidating bunch!) :D

[jd524]

Besides gun and badge I always carry a whistle, compass, fingernail clipper, and tissues.

[nypd7748]

gun, shield/id card, cell phone

[K-9MALY]

Of course I would be the only one to carry cuffs here,:rolleyes: BUT, we in CBP are pushed and indirectly told to have them. More a habit for me really. Like was stated by the others, my weapon is for personal protection and back up to a identified officer in dire emergency only.

[ngcsubutterbar]

Of course I would be the only one to carry cuffs here,:rolleyes: BUT, we in CBP are pushed and indirectly told to have them. More a habit for me really. Like was stated by the others, my weapon is for personal protection and back up to a identified officer in dire emergency only.

Its no biggie, we're pushed as well just the other way. I'd get in trouble if I tried to do something where deadly force was not authorized.

[mcsap]

The most I would do is hold someone at gunpoint ( or shoot if I had to) while waiting for the on duty PD to arrive. Trying to cuff someone yourself while not in uniform , no backup with me places me at a significant disadvantage.

One of the bad guys friends may be at hand , may not know who I am and if they do will probably guess that I am off duty and alone. Again , the odds of being outnumbered are never good odds.

[phantasm]

Also I've seen it said (especially here in NY), if you aren't carrying your gun, don't carry your shield, only your ID.

Some perp robs you, see's your shield, decides to shoot you, but most don't know what the ID looks like. Within the last year we had at least one off duty incident like this, but the cop was armed, and was shot by and shot at the perp (but unfortunately missed). That cop lived. The same perp ended up killing another cop (Dillon Stewart) during a car stop about a week later, thinking that it was known that he was the perp that had shot the off duty a week earlier.