Types of Retention Holsters for Police Service

The law enforcement duty holster is one of the most critical pieces of gear that a uniformed police officer carries. Because the holster is worn in the open on the officer's duty belt it must not only carry and physically protect the sidearm, but also be reasonably secure in the event that an assailant were to try to disarm the officer. For this reason duty holsters are available in a number of retention levels from the least secure level I to the most secure level IV or above. The many retention levels and features of these duty holsters can be confusing when it is time to buy a new one. The purpose of this article is to explain some of the more popular retention holster features and how they work.

Though at least some holster companies have specific tests that they require a holster to pass in order to be rated at a certain holster retention level, in general each advancing retention level indicates a specific holster mechanism or feature that is designed to make the holster more secure. Usually a more secure holster also requires more steps to be taken by the officer in order for the weapon to be drawn. For instance, with a level I duty holster such as the Safariland Model 2 the only step needed to draw the weapon is to unsnap the top strap of the holster with the thumb and pull the weapon straight up and out. To draw from a level III duty holster such as the Safariland Model 070 the officer must unsnap the top strap with the thumb while simultaneously unsnapping a second mid snap behind the trigger guard with the middle finger, then rock the weapon rearward slightly to release it from a built-in ejection port or cylinder catch (depending on whether the weapon is a pistol or revolver). One can see how the Model 070 would be a more secure holster in a violent confrontation than a Model 2, but also requires more steps for the officer when he or she needs to draw their duty weapon.

There are various mechanisms employed in the modern retention holster to help make them more secure. Most of these mechanisms require manipulation by the officer; however, a couple of them are passive and require no action by the officer. Let's take a look at a few of these retention features.

1. The top strap, Rotating Hood or Pivot Guard. These are all different names by different holster manufacturers for the part of the holster that covers the back of the slide or hammer of the weapon and secures it inside the holster. These always require manipulation by the officer to draw the weapon.

a. Top strap usually refers to a flexible strap made of leather, nylon or other synthetic material that secures the weapon with a one-way directional snap and is released with the thumb. When re-engaging the top strap the snaps must be lined up and re-snapped.

b. Rotating Hood is a Safariland term that describes an integrated semi-rigid strap or "hood" that is secured to the holster with rotating fasteners at both ends. When engaged in the upright position the hood covers the back of the holstered weapon and is secured by a spring-loaded actuator that is pressed down and simultaneously rotated forward with the thumb to draw the pistol. When the Rotating Hood is in the open position it is secured by simply pulling it back into the upright position where it will self-lock.

c. Pivot Guard is a Blackhawk term that describes a guard that pivots forward from the front edge of the holster. When a weapon is holstered and the pivot guard is closed it covers the back of the weapon. The spring-loaded pivot guard is released by pressing an actuator with the thumb, causing it to pivot forward and out of the way. Somewhat like Safariland's hood, to re-secure the pivot guard simply pull it back into the closed position where it will self-lock.

2. Safariland's Sentry. The Sentry is unique to Safariland retention duty holsters. The Sentry is a small accessory that locks the hood release in place until disengaged with the thumb. Once the Sentry is disengaged the hood actuator may be pressed down and the hood rotated forward to draw the weapon. The Sentry can be added as an option to many of Safariland's Automatic Locking System (ALS) and Self Locking System (SLS) holsters to increase the retention level of the holster. When engaged, the Sentry always requires manipulation by the officer prior to drawing the weapon.

3. Automatic trigger guard retention. These devices are integrated into the duty holster and are usually released either by pressing a spring-loaded actuator located on the top side of the holster closest to the officers belt with the thumb or by pressing a spring-loaded button on the outside of the holster with the index finger. One of the biggest advantages of the automatic trigger guard retention device is that it automatically engages the trigger guard of the weapon as soon as the weapon is fully seated in the holster and provides level I retention without the officer having to engage any other retention features that the holster may have. The automatic trigger guard retention device always requires manipulation by the officer when drawing the weapon.

4. Ejection port or cylinder catch retention. Also integrated into the holster, ejection port or cylinder catch retention engages either the ejection port or cylinder of the weapon and prevents it from being drawn until released. Release is accomplished differently with different holsters and either involves rocking the weapon rearward or pressing an actuator with the thumb. Like the automatic trigger guard retention mentioned above, ejection port catch is automatic on some holsters which is a big advantage in terms of retention. This retention feature always requires manipulation by the officer when drawing the weapon.

5. Hood Guard. The hood guard is also unique to Safariland. It is a rigid guard that is shaped like an inverted "J" and protrudes forward above the hood to help prevent an assailant from accessing the hood from the front side of the holster. The hood guard is a passive retention feature that does not require manipulation by the officer.

6. Holster tension screws. Tension screws have been common in duty holsters for many years. The purpose of a tension screw is to provide an adjustable level of tension on the weapon when holstered to keep it from falling out of an otherwise unsecured holster while moving. The tension screw will not retain the weapon in the holster if pulled on sharply but may keep it from falling out while running, etc. Once properly adjusted, the tension screw is a passive retention feature that does not require manipulation by the officer to draw the weapon.

The retention holster features discussed here are certainly not all-inclusive but they are some of the most popular. Most law enforcement retention holsters use more than one of these retention methods in each holster for increased security. No matter which retention level an officer chooses for their duty holster, it is vital that they understand how their holster works and becomes intimately familiar with its operation. In a violent confrontation their life and the lives of those around them may depend on it.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6267575

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