(Part 2) Best products from r/AskLEO

LEO spouse here.

My advice to you: read " emotional survival for law enforcement." Get a good understanding of hypervigilance. Understand that even when he's off duty he'll still be eagle eyed and spot things you wouldn't have noticed. Get used to sitting with your back facing the room when you go out to eat. Also, you may have to stop eating at your favourite pub because he's arrested half the kitchen staff.

When my spouse was on shift (he's a detective now), he enjoyed bringing in my cooking and his shift reported enjoying eating it. Give him some time to get settled into his shift and become more familiar with the force's operating procedures and his shift mates.

You can't go wrong with communication and that may be hard for him. There are going to be times where he doesn't want to, or he simply can't talk about what happened on shift. Also, it isn't your responsibility to carry the burden of those things and he probably won't want to unburden himself to you. Seriously though, reading the book can help a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-survival-law-enforcement-officers/dp/0971725403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421116153&sr=8-1&keywords=Emotional+intelligence+for+law+enforcement

My spouse says that is is important for him to maintain friendships outside of law enforcement. That gets more and more difficult as he becomes immersed in the "brotherhood." He won't work the same hours as other people and it might be difficult to schedule those social times. But those the importance of those friendships is that they remind him that he is not just a cop. If you don't work to maintain those friendships, pretty soon you'll find that the only friends you have are other LEO's and their spouses. While the LEO family ( and trust me, it will be your family) is great, it doesn't give your spouse a chance to put 'put down his badge.' He needs that kind of break for his own well being and your's too.

Disclaimer, I only patrol about a dozen shifts a month.

 


Pen-style cuff key in left shirt pocket, next to my Fisher Space Pen.
Rite-in-the-Rain notepad in the same pocket.
Whistle on a chain in right shirt pocket.
Good folding knife with seat belt cutter and window breaker.
Phone Charger.
Backup pocket-carry CREE LED flashlight.

You can buy all 7 films on blue ray for $25

I got paid to go to my academy, so that's pretty cool.

How about a motion activated sprinkler like this?
Activated Water Blaster - Animal Repellent https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078R6PRZ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VQtPDbFT9190X

something like this with someone trained to use them. I don't know what interface the on-person recorders use, so a custom device may need to be made

The biggest hurdle would be everyone following procedure, otherwise known as the reason for needing recording in the first place.

Assuming you're a writer, but either way, this series of books may be helpful to you. There are a ton of them and they seem to be geared toward crime/mystery/procedural style genre fiction.

Edit: I'm unsure if there is an updated version or a similar, more modern work. I just realized this has a copyright date of 1992.

Edit 2: I ain't a cop, just a former bookseller.

https://www.amazon.com/Altec-Products-Retractable-License-Holder/dp/B001E4E0ZW

Compliance is about more than just the fine.

Emotional survival for law enforcement: A guide for officers and their families https://www.amazon.com/dp/0971725403/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gdJ6Cb2V38NHD

This flashlight, Glock 27, this knife because the window punch is spring loaded (I have a scar on my thumb from using a standard window punch), something similar to this tourniquet, this bluetooth so I can listen to whatever I want, and in the winter a pen with gel ink because they don't freeze and stop writing in the cold.

This case is how I carry my Leatherman on my 2.25” belt.

This has come up on /r/legaladvice before and the conclusion was that unless extremely spicy food was something you normally ate, adding excessive spice with the intent to get someone else to eat it would still be considered booby trapping and against the law.

A bitterant spray, though...

Or even https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Hub-Adjustable-Safety-Leads/dp/B005U7ONFG/ref=pd_lpo_199_lp_t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y13HESEQ32YZ0Q446JTY which is $2

or

this https://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Adjustable-Vehicle-Seatbelt-Harness/dp/B014W40TSW/ref=pd_lpo_199_bs_t_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y13HESEQ32YZ0Q446JTY for $8.

I think you should purchase these and give them out.

Anyone have experience with Sudecon wipes?

https://www.amazon.com/ea-Fox-Labs-Sudecon-Decontamination/dp/B0094BFFQ0/ref=asc_df_B0094BFFQ0/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309807159760&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12071935469562193729&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9067609&hvtargid=pla-570512490436&psc=1

Here is the mobile version of your link

I'm old school and am rocking one of these both on duty and off unless I'm dressing up, and then I have one of these.

Absolutely this pen. Couldn't work without it anymore.

http://www.amazon.com/Zebra-Ballpoint-Pen-Retractable-11169/dp/B002JP1AH6

Waterproof notebooks

Nearly every PD has an EAP (employee assistance program) of some sort, an anonymous number they can contact in order to talk about the issues they may be having.

Many PD's have groups that meet, shooter groups, loss groups, etc.

I have posted it before and I will again each time because it is that good.

Emotional Survival For Law Enforcement is an awesome book. I bought a dozen copies over the last two years to give out to coworkers, new recruits, family members and those who just have issues dealing with stress. The book really explains a lot and what it does not explain it touches on enough that you can do the research for the answers on your own.

Education and understanding are the #1 ways to fight against mental issues, stress and depression specifically, that come from the job.

I have seen a lot, done a lot and been exposed to so many horrible things that I have no doubt if I had not read and educated myself on this topic beforehand I would have issues.

Saying you have a problem is not a sign of weakness, crying is not a sign of weakness. Last time my PD lost an officer I cried like a little girl, no shame in it, we are all human.