Maybe it’s your husband, your brother or your best friend. Regardless of your connection, you’ve no doubt noticed that law enforcement officers are a bit different than the rest of us. For most, their jobs are their lives, their identity and their pride. They live to serve. It should come as no surprise, then, that the most appreciated holiday gifts for police officers are work-related.
These gifts won’t just make your patrolman or your deputy happy. These gifts are tools that will be used day in and day out as they serve and protect. And they’ll think of you each time they pull out the gift.
1. A bulletproof vest. Many jurisdictions still do not provide what should be a standard issue. This can be costly, with prices starting at about $400 and going up to over $1,000. This is one of those rare gifts that can save a life.
2. A trunk organizer. These are like brief cases for the trunk and officers on patrol love them. Look for one that is portable, so the organizer can be put into the trunk at the beginning of a shift and taken out at the end. Trunk organizers are usually layered and have room for a first aid kit and larger items, while having pockets for smaller items.
3. The Shield. I know a lot of police officers and all of them love the FX television show starring Michael Chiklis. Four seasons are available on DVD at a cost of about $50 a set. The series is a gripping police drama, but it tends to be very graphic and violent. It’s not the perfect gift for everyone, but most cops will be so happy that they’ll immediately sneak it down to the den and start watching before the rest of the gifts is open.
4. A rain coat. Policemen just don’t look cool using an umbrella. Many departments issue ponchos, which aren’t much better. I recommend a good rain coat, specifically the Gall’s Rainsuit Jacket. This jacket has a hood that disappears in a collar zipper. The best thing, though, are the side vents which make it easy to get to your utility belt. Regardless of your choice, make sure it’s a bright color or has reflective stripes at the least.
5. A St. Michael medallion on a chain. St. Michael is the patron saint of law enforcement officers. With this gift, you’ll be sending a prayer with your policeman on every call.
6. The Galls Rescue Tool. This is like a Swiss Army knife for emergency responders. While most firemen and paramedics have these, many police officers do not. This includes a seat belt cutter, a window punch, a small hammer, a straight blade, a gas shut-off tool and an opener for oxygen tanks, plus more. It’s small and it comes in a pouch that hooks to a utility belt. It sells for $40.
7. Cell phone/pager pouches. These pouches, which are often under $20, allow officers to carry cell phones and pages on the utility belts that are part of their uniforms. While radios keep police officers in touch with other law enforcement, cell phones and pagers keep them in touch with family.
8. A pocket translating device. The right words can save or cost a copy his life. These devices make communication easier with non-native English speakers. The latest is the Ectacto Speechguard. This allows translates spoken phrases into 20 languages. The cost of close to $1,000 may be prohibitive. An alternative is the Whizcom Quictionary. This device looks like an ink pen. It scans written words and translates them.
9. A lithograph of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The lithograph is matted for an 11″ by 14″ frame. It’s a very touching tribute and will look nice at home or in an office. It’s $15 and it’s one of those unique double gifts: your police officer gets a nice lithograph while your purchase helps support the memorial. This is available from the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Foundation.
10. A patch. This sounds pretty simple, but patch collecting is a big hobby among the law enforcement community. These patches aren’t always for sale. Here’s how to surprise your police officer with some unqiue patches for his collection, or to start a collection for him. First, sneak a few patches of his department. Tell him your child needs them for a school assignment. While you’re doing this, select a few departments. Maybe it’s a large city like Los Angeles or maybe it’s a unique one with a special connection, like a badge from McNairy County, Tennessee – the county made famous by Sheriff Buford T. Pusser in “Walking Tall.” Then, call or write and ask if an officer would be willing to trade. You’ll need to start this plan in motion soon, though, if you want the patches back in time for Christmas.
Reference:
www.galls.com – leading supplier of law enforcement gear www.uscav.com – leading supplier of law enforcement gear www.amazon.com – has plenty of dvds of cop television shows, ranging from Andy Griffith to The Shield.
