Riot Police Gear

Of the different types of police gear that is used for offense and defense, one of the most conspicuous is the riot police gear. It consists of things like riot shields, riot helmets, reinforced vests, and non-lethal weapons like batons, pepper sprays, whips, and tasers.

A mob that is rioting is generally so frenzied that they are most of the time beyond reason. Lynching and arson exist at least on the fringes of rioting if not at the center stage itself. While this is so, police cannot shoot at a protesting mob as they can do at suspects of a crime who are resisting arrest, as rioters are not criminals and are most of the time unarmed. Because of that, police gear related to mob control is mostly tools for self-defense.

A riot shield is an important item of police gear for mob control. Riot shields come in various shapes and may be rectangular, round, or the wrap-around shield, which curves around the user. A rectangular shield will be a minimum of 20" x 36", covering the head and body of the user or it could be larger ones of 24 x 48. Round shields will have a diameter of 24" or above. Riot shields are mainly made of clear polycarbonate, though sometimes it is made of light metal as well.

Though bulletproof riot shields are also available, it is by and large rare. This police gear item is mainly designed to protect the user by deflecting the shrapnel or other things that rioters may throw. Most riot shields will have two handles where the user puts in his left arm through one handle and clutches the right one. Some may have an additional smaller handle as well. Riot shields have a symbolic cultural presence being frequently used in movies, games, and sometimes by rioters themselves.

In riot police gear, riot helmets are for protecting the head from projectiles and shrapnel, the way riot shields are for protecting the body. It is padded to ensure user comfort, and will have a chinstrap to fix it in place. Some riot helmets will have an extension to cover the back portion of neck as well, and there are also ones that are fitted with microphones. Visors of riot helmets are generally designed to be moved up and down as necessary.

Gas masks may also be part of riot control police gear if the area where they are operating is polluted or if there is a spill or leak. These masks could be simple nose-mouth coverings to filter off impurities, or could be more elaborate contraptions covering much of the face in case the threat level is high. Since riot control police use many non-lethal controlling agents like tear gas, water cannon, pepper spray etc. they themselves require a lot of protection from these things.

Other police gear that are conspicuous are EOD suits used by members of the police's bomb disposal squads who have to check or defuse unexploded bombs, and chemical suits worn while checking chemical spills and leaks.