Law Enforcement Duty Holster Standard and Restraints Standard

Brian Montgomery, Physical ScientistOperational Technologies Division

Why Develop a Holster Standard for Law Enforcement?

• Weapon security is a major concern of the law enforcement and corrections communities

• There are no established industry-accepted standards for holster weapon-retention capability

• Manufacturers test and rate their own holsters, often based on number of retention devices or retention system complexity

• Without an industry-accepted standard, there is no consistency between manufacturers’ ratings

NIJ Duty Holster Standard EffortSpecial Technical Committee (STC)• Formed in September 2008• Responsible for developing the performance standard and related documents

for holster retention for law enforcement

Advisory Working Group (AWG)• Provides oversight/guidance to the STC during standard development effort• Comprised of senior-level personnel from the following organizations: NIJ,

NIST/OLES, DHS, FOP, NTOA, IACP, NSA and ACA

Steering Committee (SC)• Purpose is to provide overall direction of the effort and approve the

completed standard and related documents• Consists of the following senior advisors:

1. NIJ Deputy Director : Dr. Ellen Scrivner2. DHS Science & Technology Standards Executive: Bert Coursey3. NIST/OLES Director: Mark Stolorow

Special Technical Committee

* - Chair

Columbia County (GA) Sheriff’s Office Dayton T. BrownDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA)Firearms Training UnitFlorida Dept. Of Corrections Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (Prince George’s Police Dept.)IntertekLexington (KY) Metro PD *Metro Police Department (Firearms Training Unit)Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering CenterNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) (Upper Merion Township (PA) PD)NLECTC-NationalSeattle Police Dept. (Firearms Training Unit)Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)US Border Patrol

Purpose & Scope

• Purpose - Standard establishes the minimum requirements for duty holsters

– Form and fit, performance, and testing

– Documentation, certification, and labeling

– Must provide law enforcement personnel with the ability to securely carry, deploy, and re-secure their duty weapon

• The requirements for a law enforcement duty holster shall apply to holsters designed to provide retention capability from the threat of a handgun take-away.

Retention Devices• Original Plan:

A Classification Matrix with 24 classes

• Revision:Two Classifications:

Automatic Retention Devices - Retention devices that are engaged by the act of placing the weapon in a holster and that require manual disengagement.

Manual Retention Devices - Retention devices that must be engaged manually and that require manual disengagement.

• Final Revision:No ClassificationsThis standard shall apply to law enforcement duty holsters designed with manual and/or automatic retention devices.

Form and Fit Requirements• Retention devices must be able to be released while

establishing a proper shooting grip • Allow for both right and left hand (strong and support)

weapon removal• Designed to have either manual and/or automatic retention

devices• If the holster is adjustable, it will be tested to the

manufacturers specifications. If manufacturer does not specify, then it will be tested at the extreme ranges of the adjustments.

• Duty holsters may be designed with the ability to add or remove components/accessories. Any combination of components and accessories must be tested.

Performance Requirements

• Strength testing after exposure to high temperature• Impact testing during exposure to low temperature• Functionality testing after salt spray exposure• Functionality testing after sand exposure• Strength testing after fresh water immersion

Throughout the test protocol, holster must continue to exhibit basic functionality

Pull Force Directions Directional pull forces will be exerted on a non-functioning weapon seated in the holster

Test MethodsTest Methods Performed:

• High Temperature Strength and Functionality Test– A holster and inert handgun will be exposed to a temperature of 149 °F for

not less than 4 hours, then lowered to 120 °F, then perform a static strength test.

• Low Temperature Impact and Functionality Test– A holster and inert handgun will be exposed to a temperature of -40 °F for

not less than 4 hours, followed by impact testing.

• Salt Spray Functionality Test – 24 hour exposure followed by functionality test.

• Sand Exposure Functionality Test– Sand exposure followed by functionality test.

• Fresh Water Immersion and Functionality Test– 4 hour exposure followed by static strength test.

Fixtures

Impact Test Fixture Static Strength Fixture

Labeling • Information that must be provided on the product label

– Manufacturer's name, identification, or designation – Lot number or designation– Date of manufacture– Model, style, or serial number– The certification organization's label, symbol, or identifying mark

• Additional information to be provided to the user– Safety considerations– Limitations of use– Warranty information– Recommended storage practices– Inspection frequency and details– Maintenance and cleaning– Retirement and disposal criteria and consideration

Sequence of Remaining Events• Final Draft to be reviewed by the Advisory Working Group and

Steering Committee

• Comments to be reconciled from these 2 groups

• Documents review by OJP review process

• Documents will be prepared for publication by NIJ

NIJ Restraints Standard

Existing Standard• NIJ Standard-0307.01:

• Revised in 1982

• Only addresses double locking metallic handcuffs of a specific size

• Only 3 requirements - mechanical strength, cheek plate tamper

resistance, and salt spray corrosion resistance

• New technologies need to be addressed, i.e. non-metallic

• Other types of restraints need to be addressed, i.e. ankle restraints

• Previously no follow up testing was required after initial compliance

STC Member Agencies & OrganizationsOhio Department of Corrections – Office of Prisons

Colorado Department of Corrections

Prince George's County Sheriffs Department, National Sheriffs’ Association

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Prince Georges County MD Police Department, Fraternal Order of Police

Chicago Police Department, International Association of Chiefs of Police

Lenexa Police Department, National Tactical Officers Association

Intertek Testing Services (testing laboratory)

Dayton T. Brown, Inc. (testing laboratory)

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center – National

New Restraints Standard

• Establishes minimum requirements for the form and fit, performance,

testing, documentation, and certification of law enforcement and

corrections restraints.

• Covers wrist and ankle restraints only.

• 4 types of restraints based on operational use and material

composition.

New Restraints Standard

Restraint Category Number of Uses OperationUnlocking

Mechanism

Type 1

Typical Application: Mass evacuation

Single Multiple arrests, Direct Observation

None

Type 2

Typical Application: Mass evacuation

Multiple use (Typically up to 20

uses)

Multiple arrests, Direct Observation

Standard key

Type 3

Typical Application: Transport

Multiple use (daily usage, thousands

of uses)

Duty,Continuous Supervision

Standard key

Type 4

Typical Application: Transport

Multiple use (daily usage, thousands

of uses)

Duty, High Security,

Continuous Supervision

Non-standard Key

Type1

Type2

Type3

Type4

Restraints TestingTypes of tests under consideration include:• Workmanship • Operation• Strength (static load and dynamic load)• Impact resistance• Compression resistance• Cheek plate test

Conditioning prior to testing may include:• Ultraviolet Radiation• Decontamination solution exposure• Salt spray exposure• Sand exposure

Cheek plate test setup

Longitudinal test setup

Sequence of Remaining Events• Final Draft to be reviewed by the Advisory Working Group and

Steering Committee

• Comments to be reconciled from these 2 groups

• Documents review by OJP review process

• Documents will be prepared for publication by NIJ

Questions

Contact Information:

Brian MontgomeryOfficer Safety and Protective Technologies Program ManagerPhysical Scientist, National Institute of Justice Tel: 202-353-9786brian.montgomery@usdoj.gov