Are you shopping for good law enforcement boots? You might assume that any military combat boots will get the job done if you’re working in law enforcement. However, your duties in law enforcement have a stark contrast to that of military personnel, and the qualities that make good law enforcement boots are just as distinct. Having the right shoes for the job as a police officer is important for ergonomics and for safety. Before buying a pair of law enforcement boots, you should pay attention to our list of qualities to consider:
- Let’s start with the sole of the matter.
Army authorized boots are designed for multiple terrains, and so the soles are heavy duty with deep tread for achieving grip in sandy or muddy terrain. In contrast, law enforcement boots need to allow the wearer to achieve good and safe grip on concrete and asphalt, sometimes at high speeds. The ideal tread for law enforcement personnel are high traction work boots that cross between running shoes and heavy duty utility boots, so that high speeds can be reached when necessary. - Height matters.
- Boot material
The unique nature of law enforcement work requires unique material for appropriate boots. You want to look for boots that are made of a lightweight material that are easy to move in without adding undue stress to your back. Being rigid enough to offer support while being flexible enough to run in when you need to is a delicate balance that not many other industries require for their footwear.- Let’s talk about ties and closures.
The manner used to wear and remove your boots might be the very last factor on your mind, but it’s something to consider. In law enforcement, you can’t chance your boots not remaining securely where they should the entire time you wear them, yet in many instances, you’ll need to get them off and on quickly when you want. This is why many of the best law enforcement boots offer more than one way to put them on and take them off quickly and securely.
You might find the best boots for your line of work have both shoelaces and a zipper on the side, so that they can be tightened for optimal comfort, while also being able to remove them instantly if necessary.- Consider the specialization of the boots.
While working in law enforcement, it’s not unusual to come across hazardous substances and your need to be able to protect you from a variety of settings. The best law enforcement shoes are puncture proof when you are environments with broken glass or sharp objects. Some law enforcement shoes even offer chemical resistance, in case you are exposed to a substance that could be dangerous to your health. - Boot material
To Wrap it All Up…
While shopping for your boots, consider the story in Greek mythology of Achilles’ heal. Achilles was a born with the destiny to be a great warrior (much like your future in law enforcement). His mother, being like any mother, worried about his safety in the line of work (much like your mother does, we’re certain). In order to give him an extra lawyer of protection, she dipped in him magical waters that made him invincible. No arrow could puncture him, no sword could cut him, because of the magic waters he was dipped in. Achilles would still be here today, probably shopping for law enforcement boots right alongside of you, if not for one mistake his mom made: When she was dipping him in the magic waters, she held him by his heal. Since his heal didn’t get the magical protection, one day he was struck in the heal and died instantly. The moral of the story: Your safety depends on having adequate protection on your entire body, including your heal.
