alright guys, I need help finding something specific or a solution to making something into something specific. My department is authorizing LBE type vest for on duty. The only vest that has been approved so far is a vest that is non molle and the pouches are sewn onto the vest (sucks big time). So a bunch of us want a molle vest so we can move our stuff around the way we want but the chief in charge of approval says it cant have molle loops on the back because that makes it a tactical vest and not a load bearing vest (i dont get it either...i think he is worried about aggressive appearances). So I have looked all over the internet for a vest similar to the 5.11 VTAC vest but has NO molle attatchment spots on the back and have found nothing. Does anybody know where I can find something like this? Or does anybody think there is a way to mod a 5.11 VTAC to cover up the back molle attatchements? Thanks guys for any and all help.

I still have not found anything that has molle in the front but not in the back. I was thinking though that if we took a 5.11 VTAC and instead of just running the small panel on the top part of the back of the vest that says SHERIFF we  could just get a panel that covers the entire back of the vest (also covering the molle loops). I dont know if anybody has ever done something like this before but its all i can come up with right now seeings to how i dont think anybody makes a vest that fills my needs.

Try contacting the guys and HSGI.  They are partners here and on the web for them it has custom stuff.  Worth a try.

Tactical Tailor has a set of vests that are dedicated pouches on the front.  If he doesn't go for anything you suggest at least you have a variety to choose from.

The modular tactical vest that they make has a smaller-than-average panel of PALS webbing on the back, see if you can add some medical pouches and some hydration pouches to win him over.  It doesn't look overly ninja-like and it also has a set of retention loops at the bottom for a police duty belt to attach to it.

Unless you want to get stuck with a regular patent-leather duty belt until the second coming of christ...  You're probably better off explaining to him that PALS is an industry standard now.

I sent HSGI an email explaining to them my delimma and to see if they have a solution. I also printed out some picutes of the Tactical Tailor vest and will turn them in and see if they are not too tactical looking for the chief. Thanks for the help guys, any more ideas would be appreciated!