Fitting the Bill: The Importance of Proper Sizing and Customization in Riot Gear

The people who make decisions regarding protective clothing, accessories, and equipment for law enforcement would be well-served to look beyond standard metrics. Safety ratings, stab resistance, and the ability of riot gear to withstand a hard impact are crucial.

When an officer needs to run down a violent offender, the last thing anyone wants is for a dangerous criminal to escape because personal protective clothing hinders pursuit. If you are tasked with purchasing personal protective clothing, accessories, and equipment for a department, consider how properly fitting riot suits factor into your decisions.

Poorly Fitted Riot Suits Put Police at Risk

It’s important to consider the line of riot gear used to protect law enforcement. A product line must meet the minimum safety standards established in the industry. These items typically involve weighing the level of protection from sharp objects, blunt force trauma, fire, and others that pose a clear and present danger to health.

However, these are ways that improperly fitting protective gear may put officers in harm’s way.

• Upper Body Agility: When areas around the elbow and shoulder joints are restrictive, wearers struggle to defend themselves during violent encounters. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 57 percent of suspects involved in incidents requiring the use of force resisted or disobeyed a police command.

• Lower Body Agility: Industry-leading riot gear integrates strong, flexible mesh in the hips and knees. The reasoning behind this design element is to maximize the ability of officers to chase down perpetrators, members of violent mobs, and ensure dangerous individuals do not remain at large.

• Headgear: Helmets are a cornerstone of riot suit protection. Properly fitting helmets are crucial to absorb the blows from projectiles. If it cannot be strapped on effectively, the possibility of it coming loose puts men and women at risk.

• Body Armor: Patrol officers require riot suits with body armor plates that can be quickly upgraded. For instance, officers on bicycles may feel overburdened with thigh and shin plates. Having a place to insert these protections during extreme situations allows women and men to adapt to emerging situations.

Research suggests that poorly fitting riot suits can make peace officers vulnerable in real-life situations. The National Institute of Health (NIH) published findings that support this. Of the 16 studies referenced by the NIH, 88 percent “found that the fit of PPE had a statistically significant effect on occupational performance. Poorly sized PPE resulted in decreased range of motion, endurance, pulmonary function, and altered muscle activation.”

The data from these protective clothing and equipment studies include occupations such as law enforcement, military security, paramedics, and emergency services.

Riot Suit Customization And Meeting the Needs of Female Officers

Accommodating people with different body types is an underlying factor that agencies and municipalities must consider when onboarding a police protective clothing line. The number of female police officers exceeded 13 percent in 2021, and that number continues to rise.

The differences between men and women are just a baseline example of why police suits cannot be one-size-fits-all. Beyond gender differences, department heads are tasked with stockpiling riot suits that can adequately fit body types. This can include people who are taller or shorter than average, thick, thin, lanky, etc. Failing to account for even subtle differences can result in restricted mobility.

Choose Riot Gear that Fits Police Officers Perfectly

Haven Gear produces police protective suits and equipment that exceed National Institute of Justice standards. Our riot suits come in XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, and customized sizes to meet the needs of sworn law enforcement officers. Contact us today to learn more about our products.