Recommendations Sought: Police Academy Graduation Gift

[theGinsue]

On Thursday, January 23rd my son-in-law will graduate from the Colorado Springs Police Academy. (Yes, I'm very proud - and nervous for him)

It just dawned on me today that I need to get him a graduation gift. I'm at a loss for what to get him and only have a week to do it.

Some things that are off the table:
1) A back-up handgun. He just bought a backup handgun which he qualified to carry on duty so he doesn't need another.
2) Duty gear. Speaking with a CSPD Lieutenant this evening confirmed that pretty much any gear CSPD Officers do/might use on duty is now being issued to them. (Exceptions: a suspender/harness device that links to the vest and helps hold up the duty belt which helps relieve back strain. Also, when he started at the Academy I bought him the larger handcuff keys which are easy to use with gloves on, so that's out.)
3) Just-in-case knifes. I took this off the table because he'll be carrying a new Leatherman (Christmas gift) and any other knives are more of a personal preference item.
4) Alcohol-based items. He's not really a drinker and has young kids in the home so something like an engraved crystal decanter set would be worthless to him.
5) Larger wall hangings/items. They live in a small home with limited space so something large would be obtrusive and police themed wall hangings in the home would be an ever-present reminder of the job even when he'd need time to just forget about it for a while.

So, any ideas?

[.455_Hunter]

If he is a shooter, perhaps a classic Model 10 Smith & Wesson police style revolver (10-5 to 10-8), potentially engraved to honor the event. Negatives are cost and finding a nice one in time.

[FoxtArt]

What about optional armor like side plates? May not wear on duty though (comfort/weight etc.) another option might be a nice e.g IIA up-armored leather jacket for the "off duty" side. Just throwing darts without a lot of thought into it here.

[theGinsue]

Those negatives are huge plus the one where my wife would sh!t if I spent that type of money....but, damn, I like this idea.

[FoxtArt]

Thinking for another second...

If you could find something like the old sig-tac concealed carry jackets (leather) then send that off for armoring, that would end up being a heck of a nice gift that would last a long, long long time. And most of an officers life is spent without any kind of ballistic protection... so it would get used in more than one way.

(ETA: also good for a motorcycle, among everything else)

[theGinsue]

I had considered getting him better armor (I've been thinking about that since going to Ark Tactical this past summer), but he and I discussed better armor last week and he's currently content with what will be issued (Shield 616 is really taking care of our officers).

Any idea where one could find a "IIA up-armored leather jacket" that could be here by next week?

[FoxtArt]

A cursory search shows a lot of places online down to a $599 range (ETA: for IIIa actually) - question is how quickly they ship, which depends if they are actually stocked, and I doubt any are - they probably individually armor each one per order based on the limited market. (no first person experience there though). Downside is almost all / maybe all are not going to be CCW compatible. It is possible to buy a CCW jacket and then have that armored - no idea on price, but probably pricey. The Sig Tacs were originally like $250 new, and were awesome for CCW, but they long went bye-bye. (I still have mine). So my recommendation for modern products also lacks first person since mine aren't mfg anymore. The jacket could also be gifted first ,with the armoring contact, pre-paid to send it off so the jacket at least can be received if things looked dire too [shrug].

[Bailey Guns]

A really good flashlight. A street cop can never have enough good quality flashlights.

And congrats to him for graduating!

[MrPrena]

Besides off of those lists:


Set of good pen and pencil. Stuff that will work at -10F temperatures. More belt keepers?
Only thing about belt keepers are you gotta know the belt patterns (bw, plain, nylon, etc).

[Great-Kazoo]

What about optional armor like side plates? May not wear on duty though (comfort/weight etc.) another option might be a nice e.g IIA up-armored leather jacket for the "off duty" side. Just throwing darts without a lot of thought into it here.

Excellent idea. Some sort of off duty style.