If you’re looking for a great EDC tool kit for police officers and duty use, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article I will review all the tools I use in this compact kit, which is best used for minor vehicle repairs, basic gun maintenance, and other DIY tasks. Keep reading for all the details.
If you’re a first responder or someone who likes to be prepared, it’s a good idea to have a tool kit around for basic tasks. However, it can be a bit of a double edged sword. Once your friends find out you’ve got a great tool kit, they’ll want to “borrow” it quite often!
I put this everyday carry tool kit together last year because I kept running into tasks which could have been completed with just basic tools. As a police officer these are things like removing stolen plates from a vehicle, or taking a look at a check engine light in your cruiser.
On the tactical side of things, I’ve used this kit of repairing simunitions guns, mounting optics, and other tactical maintenance tasks. Check out this quick overview below.
EDC Tool Kit for Police Officers / Tactical Duty
- Designed for Police / Tactical Needs
- Vehicle repair
- Firearms repair
- General DIY use
- Full EDC toolkit approximately $500
- Just the essentials kit for first responders under $200
- All items from Amazon.com
Before we get to the details of each item I need to point out that Tier Three Tactical is an Amazon affiliate. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we get a portion of the sale, at no cost to you. It helps keep the lights on here, and we appreciate the support.
I also want to point out this isn’t a first aid kit, nor is it something to carry in your cargo pocket, like a pocket knife. This EDC gear kit isn’t for for emergency situations. There are no glass breakers, or chest seals, nor medical supplies here. It’s more of an EDC maintenance tool kit for law enforcement officers.
If you prefer, you can watch the full video below. Otherwise you can find the all the details of the EDC Tool Kit for Police Officers in the next section.
EDC Tool Kit for Police Officers / Tactical Duty
This kit was inspired by several Youtube videos I watched, after deciding to put this kit together. I got several of the items from this specific video. However, his daily carry kit was more for general maintenance and electrical tasks. I find myself dealing with vehicles and guns much more often, so I made some changes. Let’s get to the details.
If you want to see the full list, for each item in the kit, you can find that here. It’s a Google sheet I put together with the prices current as of this writing.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL EDC TOOL KIT LIST AND LINKS HERE
Before we go any further don’t forget to join the email list below. I’ll send you the latest articles once they’re released.
Email List
EDC Tool Kit for Police Officers: Contents
The case itself is the Leatherman Adapt. It’s fairly expensive, but I’ve found that it’s well put together, and is the perfect size for all the tools in the kit. It doesn’t hurt that it’s weather resistant, and constructed of wear resistant nylon.
In the exterior pocket I keep some duct tape, and a magnet pick up tool. The magnet tool has come in very hand for dropped screws and bolts.
On the other side of the case is a small zip open pouch that includes a silicon work tray. It works great to hold screws and small parts. I keep a small pry, and snips in there. The most useful tool in that portion of the case is the screwdriver kit from Hoto.
This is a magnetic screwdriver kit that has small bits that are glasses sized. I use them for Axon sensors, when replacing batteries. Those screws are tiny, and most kits are simply too big. I highly recommend this screwdriver kit.
The Primary EDC Tools
In the main compartment I keep some great tools including: a 15mm socket, extra saw blades, and my favorite Knipex Cobra pliers. These are awesome, and grip on nearly anything.
The most important component of the kit is the Wera Tool Check Plus. This kit includes a small ratchet, and screwdriver, as well as several quarter inch sockets. The kit also includes about two dozen different bits from Torx, to Philips, and everything in between. I use this almost every time I grab the kit for things like mounting optics, and removing parts from a car.
I also highly recommend the Klein locking pliers, and the Black and Decker hammer. They’re both cheap and they are key for most fixes. I’ve used them in conjunction with the punches to do things like clean out stuck UTM rounds in simunitions guns.
For automotive tasks I highly recommend the Blue Driver OBD II scanner. It isn’t cheap, but it comes with a great app to help you diagnose check engine lights and other car issues. The app even recommends fixes based on what other users report. I’ve used this on my take home vehicle, and others, to help diagnose issues.
The last key piece of the kit is the extendable flex head ratchet. This ratchet extends to almost 9 inches, which is long enough for many automotive tasks. If you’ve worked on cars you know that you need leverage to break stuck bolts loose. These are great additions to your tool kit.
Total EDC Kit Price
I have a few other nice to have items including a Klein laser measure, WD40 oil pen, and multi-saw with handle storage. Between these tools, I’ve been able to do just about anything that doesn’t require a shop full of tools.
Now for the bad news, this complete kit costs just over $500, as of this writing. Remember, this is for every single thing on the list. Many of you can save a decent amount of money by removing some of the more expensive items. If you download the Google Sheet, you’ll see the list of just the essentials.
That list takes out the expensive OBDII scanner and Leatherman bag. This kit comes in right under $200. I think you could get about 80% of the utility from that kit as you could from the full kit. Now let’s get to my final thoughts.
Final Thoughts
It should be noted that I didn’t put this police vehicle kit together all at once. I watched a few Youtube videos and purchased just the essentials for tasks I knew I commonly couldn’t do. After a few months, I found a few more things that I needed tools for, and added those in.
I think it’s important to think about the purpose of your kit. For me, I deal with guns, and cars, a lot, with some general DIY tasks. This is why I’ve included these tools. When putting your kit together resist the urge to include tools for every conceivable task. Otherwise you might as well take your entire garage with you!
I would recommend starting with the essentials kit and then adding in a few pieces at a time. Similarly, I think it’s smart to resist the name brand urge. You’ll notice that I don’t include expensive tools like Snap-On, or Mac, in here.
There’s nothing wrong with them, but that level of quality isn’t need in an occasional use tool kit. I’ve also avoided very general tools like a Leatherman Wave. This kit is designed for more complicated repairs than those types of EDC maintenance tool kits are meant for.
I would also point out that I’m a relatively handy guy. I can do basic gun smithing, and vehicle repairs. I’m not a professional, and don’t need professional quality tools.
If you’ve got other ideas for a great kit, put them in the comments below. Otherwise let me know your opinion on this kit! Don’t forget to join the email list below!
Any links to Amazon, Brownells, Buds Guns, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, Optics Planet, or other manufacturers are affiliate links. That means that we receive a small referral fee if you purchase from them after clicking on their link. It costs you nothing, and helps keep the lights on here. Read this for more info. None of these products were paid for recommendations. Thank you for the support. It helps keep the lights on here.
