page_title: Police duty belt
section_title: Rigid
hierarchical_section_title: Police duty belt / Equipment / Handcuffs / Rigid
caption_attribution_description: English: Hiatts Speedcuffs in holster, as used by UK police. Español: Esposas modernas del Reino Unido.
context_page_description: A police duty belt is a belt, typically constructed of nylon or leather used by police and security officers to carry equipment easily in a series of pouches attached to the belt, in a readily-accessible manner, while leaving the hands free to interact. This belt can carry any number of useful items, ranging from handcuffs to guns.
  The Duty belt came into use in the early 1900s, in lieu of carrying the required equipment in greatcoat pockets or additional bags. These early types were almost exclusively made of dark coloured leather with simple pockets or clip systems attached, such as the Sam Browne belt. However, there are some issues with the use of a duty belt, with the large amount of equipment carried on modern duty belts often carrying more than 20 lbs of equipment. Many police officers develop health conditions, such as chronic back problems, as a result of this reducing the effectiveness of the officer.
context_section_description: Because of the rigid bar in this type of handcuffs, these tend to occupy more space on a belt whereas the chain link could be folded; the rigid type decreases the number of possible wearing positions. Typically, the cuffs are worn in a specially designed holster at a 45° angle, on either the left or right side of the officer, depending on whether they are left- or right-handed. These types of handcuffs are known as speedcuffs or quickcuffs, as the rigid bar design allows the officer to easily control the suspect and a much quicker placement on the wrist of the offender. Rigid handcuffs are most popular in the UK.
caption: Speedcuffs with a plastic grip fitted to allow easy manipulation and storage on a duty belt
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