On Monday I received my black, leather, basketweave Bianchi Triple Threat open-top mag pouch (Product # 29, size 03) and man, what an item.  Probably the best $40 from my uniform allowance I've ever spent.  Mags are very accessible and seem secure at the same time.  I carry a personal RRA 9mm carbine in the squad with me on duty and the Triple Threat holds 9mm SMG mags perfectly should the need arise to carry an extra.  Definitely something you folks might want to look into if you've got the itch for something new to buy that's actually useful.  Just beware, Bianchi makes one in Pleather that isn't exactly the same animal, doesn't look as good and the back comes up higher than leather one making the mags a bit more difficult to grip.

On another topic, if you snack at work, what do you choose to consume?  Do you buy food on the road (fast-food), at convenience stores, bring stuff along from home, etc?

If you're looking for something that's not loaded with fat, eats like a candy bar, and actually tastes good, I've found the Snickers Marathon Energy Bar.  I've only tried the Chewy Chocolate Peanut variety but it tastes close enough to a regular Snickers that I really don't want to venture into new flavors.  7 grams of fat and it's actually substantial.  They cost about $.82 per bar if you buy a box of six at Wally World and can be found in the supplement section of the pharmacy.

What about beverages, do you drink free fountain pop/ coffee only on breaks, buy bottled pop at gas stations, bring your drink from home?

One suggestion that may be obvious for bottled pop, buy the 24 oz. 6-packs at Wal-Mart or your local grocery store for $.50 a piece, sometimes cheaper if you can find a sale, instead of $1.25+ 20 oz'ers from the local convenience store, your wallet will thank you.

Finally, I seem to really be cheerleading for Wal-Mart but I'm in no way affiliated with them, they just happen have some good deals on things.  I may also seem to be drunk as goofy as this post is, however I'm stone sober and actually at work getting ready to go home.  I thought I'd stop in, make a comment and ask a couple of questions that have been on my mind for no particular reason.

Thanks for reading and if you've got some money saving tips to share, please do,
Scott

I don't snack too much in my car.  Snacks don't really accomplish anything but maybe 5 minutes of enjoyment if you're hungry.  I normally fix a sandwich or 2 before work, then hit a restaurant for dinner several hours into the shift.

I keep 24 ounce Pepsi bottles on hand that I fill up at home before work.  2 liters can be hand for $1 each, sometimes less, which is what I buy to fill them with.  Fountain drinks are a catastrophe waiting to happen.  I once spilled an entire 44 ounce Pepsi into the console of a pool car I was driving at the time .  I won't do that again.  The even funnier thing is it was my LT's car, who was off on vacation at the time .

While you're on the topic of random thoughts I keep all my frequently used gear stowed in a medium Alice pack, seat belted into my front seat.  Much cheaper than those front seat organizers and they hold a ton of gear.  The pockets on the front make great drink holders.  I use a compass pouch for my cell phone.

Snacks are usually power bars, or the snickers marathon bars.  All the flavors are pretty good, except for the blue-protein ones, they taste kind of chalky.

Drinks, mostly ice water, with a maximum of 1 soda a day if I'm in the mood for it.

Actual food, either grab something on the go if I'm on midnights, or if I'm working days or evenings I go home to the wife and kids and eat there.

I mix up a jumbo ziploc freezer bag of my own trail-mix and bring some to work each night to munch on.  For drinks I usually go through one of those energy drinks in a can durring a shift.  One of the pockets on my bag belted into the front seat works great as a drink holder for it.  Other than that it's just my water bottle from home.  I try to stay away from the pop.  That shit will kill you.  For dinner it's 1/2 priced Subway.

When you're on patrol and you see some of your local frequent flyers hanging out but doing nothing overtly illegal, do you ever stop and just talk to them?  Ask them what's new in their lives, etc, or do you feel this if a forbidden type of interaction?  

I'm not saying head down to the local bar and throw a few back with them, just stop and talk for 10 mins or so.

Just wondering,
Scott

How come every time I put in a dip, have to go potty or need some food, the bad guy shows up or the car that needs stopping gets stopped?

Saving money- packing a cooler with breakfast and lunch, and loading up the old Camelbak.  I swear more money is spent on food.  

I carry a nalgene bottle with my water from home.  Filtered through home system

Food.  30 min for lunch I try to swing by the house. When I can.(rare occurance)

Speaking of clothing allowance.   I got a Insight Tech M3-X weapon light to replace the M-3 that now resides on the shotty.   Very nice light.

I went to Walmart yesterday and didn't buy anything.   Believe it or Not.

I'll stop and talk to some of my regular/non-violent types when I see them out and about.  They generally know what's going on.

Does anyone listen to those learn spanish cd's or cassettes while on patrol.

I always stop and talk to the regulars at work when its obvious they are not doing anything.  I feel that if i do this and make it a habit i can build a rapport with them.  That way they tend to give you some handy info without them even knowing it.  Also when you do catch them doing things they are not supposed to then they get complacent and it is easyier to make a case on them.  You can even play the nice guy and while taking them to jail by telling them you are just doing your job.  It is amazing how much information you can get from these people just by talking to them and they dont even realize they are giving you information.

I caryy an igloo insulated thingy i got from wal-mart for 4 bucks that has a spout to drink from. It hold about half a gallon. I fill it with ice water before work and it stays cold forall of my 10 hr shift.  I make it a point to only drink water during my shift to avoid dehydration.

I like all the water recommendations, I really should commit to only water.

At this point, I do one 24 oz. Diet Pepsi and once that's empty I refill with water, usually once but sometimes twice, from the drinking fountain in city hall.  It's tough though because for the rest of my shift I'm stopping to go to the bathroom all the time.

I like touching base with my regulars, although I'm positive my regulars are nothing like yours.  Mine are low-level, non-violent types as I'm in a small town, not the hardcore cop-haters you guys probably deal with.  I figure if I can get them to see me as a human being, maybe the night they're standing over me with a gun in their hand, I might have an extra second or two to get to my duty Glock or back-up.  Perhaps stupid thinking on my part but they always treat me with respect even when they're being cited/arrested and it's not because they fear me.

Thanks for the replies so far,
Scott

Quoted: When you're on patrol and you see some of your local frequent flyers hanging out but doing nothing overtly illegal, do you ever stop and just talk to them?  Ask them what's new in their lives, etc, or do you feel this if a forbidden type of interaction?   I'm not saying head down to the local bar and throw a few back with them, just stop and talk for 10 mins or so. Just wondering, Scott

Often enough that most of my regulars expect it.

Joe

Quoted: When you're on patrol and you see some of your local frequent flyers hanging out but doing nothing overtly illegal, do you ever stop and just talk to them?  Ask them what's new in their lives, etc, or do you feel this if a forbidden type of interaction?   I'm not saying head down to the local bar and throw a few back with them, just stop and talk for 10 mins or so. Just wondering, Scott

Yes,  our captain wants a lot of street checks.  I talk to guys all the time.  I have this one guy that atleast half of patrol has arrested for DV (we arrest his wife for it all the time also).  We are on a first name basis, big guy, always drunk, never has fought with me (waiting for the day and always ready for it).

No it is not bad,  I just write a quick street contact report afterwards.