Among the greatest threats police officers face are suspects who are armed with a handgun. While there are behavioral indicators of an armed suspect and pre-draw indicators, an armed suspect may also have indicators present in their clothing.
“The First 3 Seconds” presented (through Safetac Training) by Trooper Kirk Hensley of the North Carolina State Patrol is one of the most informative classes you can ever attend. Here are nine clothing indicators of an armed suspect as outlined in the class.
1. One lower seam of a coat or shirt isn’t level with the other.
If a suspect is carrying a weapon in a pocket of their outer clothing, the weight of the weapon will cause that side to be lower than the other. When approaching suspects, check to see that both sides of the garment are hanging at the same level – an uneven shirt or jacket will indicate that a weapon may possibly be carried on the lower, heavier side.
2. The hood of a sweatshirt is pulled to a sharp point.
The weight of a weapon will cause the hood of a sweatshirt to be pulled down. Be tactically cautious around suspects who want to keep their hands at shoulder level or place their hands behind their heads – potentially giving them easier access to a weapon hidden in their hood. Make sure during arrest situations that suspects keep their hands up and away from their clothing.
3. An article of clothing that continues to swing after the body stops moving.
A weapon hidden in a pocket suspended by clothing will act like a pendulum when the suspect moves. When the suspect stops, the weapon may continue to move – swinging back and forth until it loses its momentum. You will see this in jacket pockets and loose-fitting pants.
4. Clothing doesn’t match the weather or environmental conditions.
Weapons need to be concealed to avoid detection by police. That need to conceal overrides the need for comfort, and on warm days a jacket or vest may be worn to hide the weapon, despite any discomfort caused by excessive clothing.
5. A coat that is unzipped, except for the last two or three inches.
A coat that is loose may flap in the wind or be brushed to the side by an arm while walking or running, potentially revealing a weapon stuffed in the waistband. By keeping the jacket secured at the bottom, the suspect is attempting to avoid that problem. Keeping the remainder of the jacket open allows a suspect to reach inside, rather than having to raise the jacket to access the weapon.
6. Clothing showing fiber stress or stretching.
The weight of a weapon causes stress to the fiber of clothing and can possibly stretch it. This weight can also cause the outline of a weapon to show when concealed under clothing. A word of caution – leather jackets do not show these signs. Trooper Hensley specifically mentioned this because of his work with motorcycle gangs and the difficulty of detection caused by this type of clothing.
7. Shirts that are half-tucked in.
A shirt can be kept tucked in on one side and untucked on the weapon side in order to ensure easier access to the weapon in the waistband. It is also done to avoid the weapon showing through a shirt that is tightly tucked into the waistband.
8. A dress shirt that is untucked.
When you dress up, you want to look sharp, even if you are a criminal. A dress shirt is normally tucked in. However, when there is a need to be armed, suspects will abandon fashion for function and leave their shirt untucked.
9. Sport coat pocket rising up.
When a suspect is carrying a gun in the side pocket of a jacket, the weight of a gun causes the pocket flap to rise up and away from the coat. This clue is most often seen during executive protection and court security details where more formal clothing is worn.
Trooper Hensley has spent a great deal of time and research – assisted by the Naval Research Lab – to verify his findings. Hensley’s hard work can help you better protect yourself and your community by getting illegally carried guns off the street.
This article, originally published 10/19/2015, has been updated.
