Asp handcuffs video

Dressed to Protect -- Officers are expected to carry nearly 30 pounds

PEORIA - When Peoria County Sheriff Chuck Schofield first started his law enforcement career more than 41 years ago, his duty belt held no more than a revolver, bullets and a pair of handcuffs.

His training was on-the-job.

"It was no more than go get a gun and go report at such and such time," to ride along with a senior officer, Schofield said.

A far cry from today's men and women uniformed in blue in Peoria County, often armed with more than $4,000 in weapons and equipment - not to mention the six months and nearly $30,000 spent in education and field training before a rookie cop even sets foot alone on the streets.

"It's not cheap," Schofield said. But for a good reason, the sheriff added, recalling four decades ago when the only radios officers had were those bolted inside the cars that carried only a couple frequencies at best.

An officer's arsenal, including gun and holster, bullets, handcuffs, pepper spray, latex gloves, portable radio, asp, night stick, bulletproof vest, all-purpose knife and cell phone, is invaluable, he said - tools of the trade for a modern day police officer.

"Officer safety is the most important thing," the Sheriff said. "Providing that, I think, is sometimes a major challenge."

Totaling an officer's equipment, training and salary, a new recruit can cost upward of $60,000 in his or her first year alone - a formidable cost for any city or county department to undertake for a new hire.

One lieutenant quipped: "We provide everything but an officer's shoes, socks, underwear and gun."

Weight of the job

So where along the way did police begin to holster so much equipment - lugging an extra 25 to 30 pounds - where officers and deputies now are more akin to paramilitary soldiers and quasi-EMTs?

"Officers are more efficient than ever," said Peoria police Training Sgt. Tom Larson.

Modern day police have "evolved" with technology, he said.

"I remember there were times when 10 to 20 guys would be trying to get through on the radio at the same time," Larson said. Now multiple frequencies are used.

Semi-automatic handguns have replaced the six-shooter revolvers; outdated, bulky bullet-proof vests have been replaced by slimmer, lighter and more efficient Kevlar vests; pepper spray replaced Mace; the sap - a hand-held section of heavy leather encased with lead - was swapped for an asp, an expandable rod; car radios to portable radios; chain handcuffs to hinged, doublelocking handcuffs; and the addition of latex gloves and gas masks.

In the squad cars, the addition of laptop computers have given police the ability to check dozens of license plates for stolen cars or for other violations with little effort; check names and driver's licenses; and get directions to their point of destination. County deputies even carry along defibrillators and an AR-15, a semi- automatic version of an M-16.

In fact, more money is spent to outfit a car with computer, radio and video equipment than is spent on the car itself all totaling about $40,000. A car alone costs about $18,000.

"When I get into the cars - I never could have envisioned all this stuff 23 years ago," Larson said, adding he also remembered a time when there was more space available on an officer's duty belt.

Adding to the multi-faceted roles of police, Peoria now has access to chemical/biological suits.

The next technical advent for officers may be carrying hand-held electronic organizers - or PALM pilots - to replace handwritten police reports.

To keep up with the ability to use all this new equipment properly as well as to maintain a heads-up on what's to come, the Peoria police force averages 26,000 hours of training each year, covering approximately 250 topics, Larson said. That's about 100 hours of training per officer per year.

Nearly 1 in 4 Peoria police officers have "collateral" duties, meaning they specialize among several elite groups, such as the Special Response Team, the bomb squad, emergency medical treatment, accident reconstruction, photography or lab forensics, Larson said.

Still, many street cops say they don't mind the added equipment. Of course, it takes a while to get used to, but what the additions and changes boil down to is officer safety, they agree.

The cost of it all

Bartonville police Chief Brian Fengel believes his officers should be provided the equipment they are required to carry.

Currently, Bartonville police officers must pay for their own handcuffs, pepper spray, asp, flashlight, gun, shoes and other uniformed items, including some belt holders like a holster. The village in turn provides bullet-proof vests, uniforms, bullets, badges and an annual $500 for replacing and upgrading equipment and uniforms.

Bartonville's newest officer, 23-year-old Jared Roth, said he spent about $1,500 prior to his first day of work last year.

"It's tough for some of the younger, new recruits to come on and then be expected to spend that much money so they can go to work," Fengel said, noting it can mean the difference between a potential officer joining their department or going elsewhere for employment.

In Peoria County, virtually everything a deputy needs is provided, aside from the sidearm, which is common at most police departments, including the City of Peoria and Bartonville. Officers are given a list of about a half-dozen approved handguns and can purchase one they prefer.

This is done so that an individual officer can choose a weapon that best fits his or her hand and one that feels most "comfortable," Peoria police training Officer Jim Roland said.

Roland pointed out that Peoria provides police everything except handguns, holsters, shoes or boots, belt keepers and some of the other leather items located at an officer's waist-side.

Still, the ever-growing cost of equipment and technology that police use in their daily activities raises a valid question of how smaller towns afford a police department.

Fengel reasoned that many smaller communities usually act as "training grounds" for officers who, after a few years, often move onto larger departments who then save money by not having to spend as much on training.

Increased salaries and additions such as the village providing an officer's equipment may actually save smaller towns the cost of training.

All recruits go through police training, whether it's 12-weeks at the Police Training Institute in Champaign or 10 weeks of training at the Police Academy in Springfield. Illinois State Police officers attend a 26-week course.

For 29-year-old Brian Asbell, Peoria County's newest recruit and a winner of the Warren Award - given to an individual possessing the best qualities of a police recruit at the time of the academy graduation - the training in Champaign was three months of get-up- and-go.

The former Peoria County corrections officer said the paramilitary style camp training had him up at 5:30 a.m. with physical training and classroom work and back inside by 8 p.m. for 12 consecutive weeks.

"It was hands-on, learning by doing," Asbell said on his first day on the job with his field training officer while out at the Peoria County Jail.

Now, all suited up and in his gear, he said he's eager for the learning to continue.

He moved about almost mechanically, looking through the inventory of equipment hidden in little pouches and attached to his belt.

"It takes a little getting used to," he said.