To suit up or not to suit up.

I can only give my opinion on this and it's only my opinion. When looking for an answer concerning a question that has been asked, look at the number of years the person answering the question has in this business. There are some very knowledgeable people here that have done and seen things that some can't even imagine. If you read enough you'll be able to see the real deals vs the some day, real deals.

Don't take anything personal, these guys are straight talkers and when a serious topic comes up they seldom play word games. My butt is draggin right now but I'll answer this post in a day or so with my opinon. In the meantime, remember we aren't Law enforcement and like one poster stated, some state laws will dictate what is legal to wear.

_________________
Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

Hey Chris, Don't ask a question then tell someone how you want it answered. This forum doesn't work that way.

Take care

_________________
Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

I never used to wear a vest until someone very close to me was shot and killed picking up a meth addict fairly recently. Now I wear one everytime I go out. I wear one in a outer carrier with patches that say surety agent across the front and back.

I wear a outer vest carrier for two main reasons.

1. Comfort, if you are watching a house for a few hours it can be very uncomfortable wearing a vest. For me it's easier just to throw on the vest immediately before we hit the house.

2. Outer vest carriers come with many pockets. I can throw my cuffs, taser, radio, mace, batan, etc. into the vest and it's all there in one spot. No need for a utility belt.

Also, the vest have very large spaces for you to patches on to identify yourself. In Florida that's very important to me because EVERYBODY has guns. If something happens I don't want them to be able to say I didn't identify myself. Not to long ago the Jacksonville sheriffs office shot a few bondsman because they say they thought they were burglars. I don't want that to happen to me, so I will go the extra step.

Please excuse any typos, I am writing this on my iPhone.

_________________
Eric Vigil
Monroe County Bail Bonds
10 High Point Road
Suite A
Plantation Key, FL 33070
Office 305-451-2593
Cell 305-766-1710

_________________
Heritage and Profession Together

J.G. Marshall
MARSHALL FUGITIVE SERVICE
Lic. # 2008-392
Moderator


Its the Irish in my mind that keeps me sane,
and the Irish in my heart that keeps me strong.

Marshall, you're always on top of things. Glad you're here.

_________________
Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

I don't own a vest, no taser, no clubs, no radios, limited cameras and nite vision stuff and no pepper spray, although I do own a lime green water pistol filled with Clorox... ... only a bondsman but do most of my own pickups... live in a very rural area... most have guns, lots of them... but they know I do too... but I always approach low key, very low key... 12+ years in this business... count on one hand the physical confrontations involved in.... usually have a gun but it is concealed and although I have had my hand on it a few times... never drew it... I am extremely good at talking them in.... no force used but if I think it is needed... I just call Scott or some others I know.... and to my knowledge, none of my skips have ever given anyone a problem... is this unusual... you betcha.... can't explain it but that is the deal with me at least. I am old and fat and look totally harmless... (which can actually be very helpful in this business)... oh, and I have never been accused of looking like or acting like or identifying myself as LE.... and that is important.... also , never been mistaken for a burglar...

There are so many variants to this question, none are totally right or totally wrong... each has a different application and a different MO... which I think is all you were asking.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Thank you for the question Chris, it is a very good one. Let me first say that what you wear or carry on you batman belt is a personal choice and how you wear or carry it may be governed by state laws. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe in your state the bail enforcement agent regulations require you to be in identifiable clothing that clearly lets all you come upon know who you are when during recovery work.

Now personally I wear a vest most of the time whether it be concealed or not. While I am a very serious proponent of low impact recovery and law enforcement in general I am not a damn fool. I know firsthand that there are dangerous people out here may be willing to take your life to avoid going to jail. With that said I not sure there is any one answer to your question, it depends on your state laws and what your employer wants you to wear. As long as your employers policy does not tread on any laws you will have to remember who pays you for your services.

_________________
Domestic Security Investigations
P.O. Box 4462
Rockville, MD 20849
Tel: 1-800-387-0787
Anti-Moral Majority Club President
"Fear not the unknown, Fear the person who controls the unknown" Gene 7:14

I think that sums it up totally.... as usual, DSI puts it out there on the money, you have to do what you feel is correct for you personally. My post may seem a bit 'flip' but true, never had a bad situation arise from a recovery... of course, even with over 12 years in this business.... I am only a bondsman so my actions have probably been somewhat mundane... if they look like their gonna get a bit exciting... I call in the big boys.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Thanks! DSI, you are correct you must wear "clearly identifiable" clothes on ANY recovery. La also permits open carry (concealed by permit only). We recover for alot of bondsmen and we always seem to get the difficult or volatile skips. Well over half of our recoveries are narcotics related, about 80% of those are meth related (both possession & distro) even alot of the cosigners & affiliates are meth heads. I'm in the deep south and a big majority of the public carry. So it's like a roulette wheel on alot of these cases. The agent I'm apprenticing with has been shot at (not hit thank God) 3 times since January. I was with him on one occasion (a 16 y/o BM with a .22 mag revolver). Weapons were drawn but no shots were fired from our crew. Apprehended with a foot chase after he emptied his weapon. The scary part was he approached from bushes 75 yds to our rear and the first clue we had was on the first shot. We spend 10+ hrs a week at the S.O. Range and practice alot of shoot/no shoot scenarios. The previously mentioned incident could have been much worse for either party but self discipline and a level head prevailed. Some of our bondsmen have told us that they're scared to go on recoveries and that's why they call us.

I know I may be opening a can of works by asking but I'd like to know what you guys would've done in that scenario. Thanks!

_________________
Chris Anders
La. Licensed Private Investigator
Apprentice Fugitive Recovery Agent
K-9 Trainer
U.S. Army Veteran
(318)237-5598

I was a street Cop for twenty years here on the left coast. I retired and got in to this business. I treat everyone the same. They are all armed, have Aids and Hep C. About a year ago I was looking for a guy that had skipped on drug charges. The co-signer, his mom, was a former Miss Australia. They live in a two million dollar beach house in Huntington Beach. She told me I might find her son helping paint a famous Doctors home. I found him standing in the front room of a fabulous beach house holding a quart of paint. He saw us and ran. I caught him just as he made it to the sidewalk and took him to the ground. He did something that had never happen to me in twenty years of working some of the toughest streets in the state, he grabbed my gun. He tried as hard as he could to get it out of my holster. He paid for that.
My point is you never know who is going to try and kill you. Wear body armor, carry a gun. It’s not a game or a stupid TV show.
And yes paint went every were. On my vest, in my hair, ruined my pants. Funny pics afterword.

_________________
SheepDog562
All over the left coast.
Anytime, anywhere.