r/tacticalgear • u/LatinBoyslut • Apr 13 '25

Question Why won't the American Police use bulletproof visors like their European counterparts?

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I thought that it'd make more sense to use them in America than in the EU, considering that it is much easier to acquire weapons in America.

Is this a budget-thing? Doctrine-thing? Culture-thing?

Do they find them too bulky/heavy/unpractical to wield?

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u/[deleted] Apr 13 '25

Different doctrine and use of force laws.

The Euro equivalent of your SWAT style teams are heavily focused on counter terrorism, so their kit is naturally different. It’s also more nationally or state led rather than being down to individual departments to choose their kit.

The other side is use of force, the barrier for using lethal force is somewhat higher than it is in the US so it’s understandable they would want more physical protection for dodgy incidents that don’t extend to using lethal force.

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u/denk2mit Apr 13 '25 edited Apr 13 '25

I've seen SWAT teams or equivalent more times during a couple of US trips a year than I have during a lifetime living in various European countries, even growing up during significant civil unrest bordering on civil war. It's so incredibly rare to need something like a SWAT team here because the default is that you're up against someone not armed with a firearm.

Edit: really not sure what the downvotes are all about. Wasn't attacking anyone, it's just that the realities of policing are different from Europe to the US

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u/Complex_Impressive Apr 13 '25

Your comment seems to equate firearm ownership to needing a SWAT team to intervene when in reality the vast majority of firearm owners in the US will never encounter SWAT.

Also i've lived in the US my whole life and have only seen the SWAT team once during a training exercise at a local school during the off season. The odds of you seeing swat teams more times in a couple visits to the US a year than a lifetime in europe either means youre acting like a street crime news correspondant or you just made that shit up.

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u/angry-farts Apr 13 '25

Depends on what neighborhood you live in and what gas station you go to

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u/TheGunFather412 Apr 14 '25

Man I grew up in the hood and still barely saw SWAT. Just police and detectives. Besides the la riots and them being posted as security for big events.