Police Bag
A police bag is a great way for police officers, EMT, first responders, firefighters, search and rescue and others to stay prepared while on the road. Police bags, or duty bags have tons of features that help you carry tools and gear that you use daily such as first aid kits, supplies and powerful tactical flashlights such as these from Olight. They have large pockets, lockable zippers, bottom stiffener panels to keep the bag open and more.
Most police bags or patrol bags come equipped with modular attachment points so you can customize and attach extra items directly to your bag. Each day is different and the best police bags allow you to organize the gear you need to be more efficient at your job or to simply be prepared for anything you encounter while traveling.
These police bags can fit neatly in your back seat for gear you need immediately or in your trunk for when you encounter an emergency on the road. They’re great for quick-grab gear that you need instant access to without searching through your vehicle.
Here are the best tactical police bags on the market:
Propper Patrol Bag
Propper makes incredible gear and their patrol bag or police bag is one of the best. It features various pouches for all types of tools and gear such as tactical flashlights that you use often. The interior is lined with see-through zipper bags that allow you to see where your gear is with a quick glance for when you need it immediately. The exterior material is rugged 100% 600D polyester and will last a long time through heavy-duty daily use.
You can customize this patrol bag to fit your needs with MOLLE and attach more pouches and tools such as flashlights, radios, pens, knives and other essential items. It has adjustable interior compartments to give you more control of your gear organization and can be strapped to your vehicle seat so you always know where it is.
The adjustable shoulder strap is long and has extra padding for when you need to bring your patrol bag with you. We like the Propper police bag as it has features that are perfect for anyone wanting a great way to keep their everyday carry gear organized and with them at all times.
5.11 Tactical Patrol Ready Bag 40 Liter
The 5.11 Tactical Patrol Bag is a great police bag and is designed to carry everything you need to get the job done. It’s made with 600D polyester and is tough as nails. You can easily customize it to fit your everyday carry needs. It has two side and end pockets that give you plenty of exterior storage space for larger tools and gear. The interior features multiple YKK zipper pockets for smaller items such as tactical pens and a customizable divider to organize your items.
This police bag gives you two water bottle pockets so you will always have water and won’t have to continually stop. This is a great choice for a police car seat bag because it’s a nice size without being overly large. The removable shoulder strap is comfortable and makes it easy to grab and go.
We like the 5.11 Tactical Patrol Bag because it has the features you need while in your patrol car or for those who like to stay ready at all times.
Hatch D1 Tactical Patrol Bag
The Hatch D1 tactical police bag is preferred by law enforcement officers, first responders and firefighters due to its dependability, ruggedness and spacious interior. It’s made with 840 denier, water-resistant nylon and other heavy-duty materials. You want a patrol bag that can handle the elements and protect your gear and equipment no matter what.
This bag does it all and has a large interior that can store plenty of gear. The interior dividers are adjustable so you can customize this tactical bag anyway you like. It features two zippered cargo pockets with numerous pen and pencil pockets. You get plenty of exterior zippered cargo pockets to store items you want to grab quickly such as a flashlight or weapon light and multiple open-top pockets to keep your gear and supplies as organized as possible.
We like the Hatch D1 tactical patrol bag because it has everything you need without breaking the bank.
Maxpedition Centurion Patrol Bag
The Maxpedition Centurion patrol bag makes a great police bag and is made from military-grade materials that have been known to outlast other bags. The modular attachment points allow you to carry even more gear and attach pouches. This is a great law enforcement patrol duty bag or first responder bag that can handle anything you need to carry. The 3-sided opening lid makes grabbing gear and supplies incredibly easy and the removable dividers give you multiple organization options.
This tactical police bag has molded plastic feet that reduce everyday wear and tear and give it more stability. It also comes with a shoulder strap with a tri-fold shoulder pad for when you need to take your bag with you.
The Maxpedition Centurion patrol bag is also great for hunting trips, gun range and traveling. It has plenty of cargo space to pack enough supplies for a few day trip. Many people use it as a range bag because it’s easy to organize various shooting supplies and ammo.
We like the Centurion police bag because it has tons of options and can pack enough gear for any trip or mission.
5.11 Tactical Wingman Patrol Bag for Passenger Seat
The 5.11 Tactical Wingman patrol bag is a perfect fit for law enforcement and others that need quick access to a lot of gear. It’s made from heavy-duty polyester and is designed to attach to your passenger seat. It’s easy to remove when you need to leave the vehicle and you can turn it into a patrol bag to carry your tools.
Organization is key when patrolling and this bag features dual-fold open platforms, adjustable dividers, see-through pockets, an organizer panel and plenty of pockets and attachments. In fact, this bag secures more gear than most other bags on the market. Simply attach it to the headrest of your passenger seat and you’re ready to go at all times.
We like the 5.11 Wingman Patrol Ready Bag as a police bag because it’s the ultimate organizational bag for your gear, tools, supplies and survival gear.
What is a Police Bag?
The term patrol bag covers a wide range of bags that are designed to secure gear often used by police officers, EMTs, First Responders, Firefighters, Search and Rescue and anyone else wanting to stay ready at all times. They have ample space with various pockets to store anything you can imagine.
Patrol bags are made to either attach to your passenger seat and open up to hold gear and supplies or to sit up in your passenger seat so you can always grab what you need.
What Should Be in a Police Bag?
There’s a wide variety of tools and gear you need to properly do your job, but you also want to make sure you keep yourself safe while patrolling the streets. The right gear and training can do a lot to keep you safe and always prepared.
No matter your career choice, you should always be more than prepared for anything you can encounter while on the road. While you may be issued a few items, you can always add your own to be even more proficient at your job.
Here are a few essentials you should have in your police patrol bag:
- Extra portable radios: you never know if your main radio will fail and it could lead to a dangerous situation if it ever does. Communication is key and it’s always a good idea to keep a backup portable radio in your duty bag.
- Flashlights: I consider myself overly prepared for most situations, but you can never have too many flashlights. Batteries die and flashlights fail, so it’s good to have a few backups in your duty bag. Plus, you may need to loan one to a friend. Here’s a list of the best tactical flashlights for any mission.
- Cameras: You always want to be able to document what you see such as a crime scene, car accident or other situations where you may need to grab evidence on the fly. Your smartphone has a camera, but you always want to keep an extra in your duty bag.
- Hand Sanitizer: It’s always important to stay clean and hand sanitizer is one of the best things you can keep in your vehicle. You probably encounter a lot of dirty individuals and situations and keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to stay healthy. You can’t do your job if you get sick.
- Multitool: the best multitools on the market have tons of useful tools that are actually quite helpful. You should find one that’s rated for heavy-duty use and can handle hard work without breaking. There are plenty of models that fill this need and have a blade, various screwdrivers, scissors, saws, pliers and other essential tools. We prefer multitools that have a hexagon sleeve for screwdriver bits since they are much tougher.
- Notebook: You never know when you will need to jot down notes on a crime scene or during an investigation.
- Police Duty Gloves: You must protect your hands while on the job. You will likely encounter situations every single day where you have to use your hands to touch something dangerous. We suggest carrying a few extra pairs of duty gloves and consider cut-resistant police duty gloves which are made with leather and Kevlar to protect your hands from knives and needles.
- Extra Gear: You can stash as much extra gear as you want in your duty bag. There’s plenty of room for night vision goggles, drones and other interesting gear choices.
Are Patrol Bags or Police Bags Only for Law Enforcement Officers?
While police bags are designed to cover the needs of police officers, they can be used by anyone who likes to be extremely prepared. Patrol bags or duty bags are perfect for the road because you can pack all the gear you need.
Many people use police bags as their daily bags since they have tons of pockets and can stand up without collapsing so you can easily grab tools or other gear.
Jerome is an avid outdoorsman who moonlights as an attorney when he’s not creating the world’s greatest online content.