At some point in their career, virtually every Special Agent will participate in a search warrant.  Some agencies much more than others, but this is a regular investigative action for most criminal investigators.  Always having a G-Car stocked and ready to go will save 1811's a great deal of preparation time the night before a search warrant.  Keeping an individually assigned evidence kit is nice for obvious reasons and even if it isn’t your warrant, it is not uncommon for the case agent to forget to bring a box of rubber gloves or extra bags.  You can usually build your own evidence kit with items from your office supply closet and evidence room; and an old roller travel bag can easily be repurposed as an evidence kit.  Having a couple of buccal swab kits in your car never hurts for an unexpected arrest or when someone just forgets to bring one.  A vehicle power inverter can be a huge help and is definitely needed if you do any sort of on-scene computer forensic work.   A basic tool kit can help with breaking into a safe or with minimal repairs to a door after breaching.   It is required for law enforcement to secure an unoccupied home at the end of enforcement activity (Meaning:  If no one’s home, you can’t just break the door and leave it open.).  Having a hammer and a couple of nails can be the quick fix needed to secure the front door.

     Most offices or investigative groups will usually share breaching tools and a shield.  However, if they have enough funding or an agent wants to spend their own money, it’s always nice to have a personal set readily available. Obviously, this depends on the size of an assigned G-Ride, since bulky equipment requires more trunk space.   Finally, after handling random people and searching through their homes, make sure you have hand sanitizer readily available!  Upon leaving some search warrant sites, you might even want to have some disinfectant spray or bug spray as many locations can be infected with all sorts of pests (which you do not want to inadvertently bring home). 

     When Special Agents are on the go and don’t have time to stop, it’s always nice to have extra water and snacks in the car.  At a minimum, water bottles in the back seat and a couple of protein bars in the glove box will keep you going.  Having a whole case of water bottles in the trunk additionally makes it easy to share because invariably someone won’t have their own water supply at a search warrant.  Sunflower seeds make a great snack, last forever sitting in the car, and can also help keep you awake trying to get those darn seeds out of the shell.  If you’re a dipper, then you probably don’t have to be reminded to have an extra can since it also helps keep you awake (disclaimer:  I am not encouraging tobacco chew products!).

     If you are prepping for a surveillance operation during the summer, then pick up a couple of large Gatorade bottles to go with the water. The electrolytes don’t hurt, and the wide mouth opening makes for a great urine bottle in an emergency.  Having a sturdy plastic bottle with an accompanying solid screw top is a good idea for obvious reasons.  This is not a glamorous suggestion but such scenarios are reality for certain types of operations. 

      Not everyone is going to need all the equipment in this article but at a minimum I always have the required gear to jump into a stack and conduct search warrant on short notice.  Your agency policy might not require it, but having your vest and duty belt (or whatever you need to make entry) is always a must in my opinion.  I treat these items like my gun and badge.  If I’m on duty, then I have my prepped vest and duty belt with me locked in the vehicle safe.  If you jump into another Special Agent's vehicle for transport or for a knock and talk, then at a minimum, take your prepped vest with you and throw it in their trunk, even if you don’t plan on using it.  This is just good practice and ensures you can quickly go from a plainclothes agent with minimal equipment (likely only firearm and cuffs) to a decently equipped agent (vest carrier should have proper markings, extra magazines, flashlight, cuffs) that is now able to quickly deal with more complex situations. 

     Like everything in life there are always exceptions and depending on where you work/live it might not be a good idea to keep some sensitive items in your vehicle.  Most offices have secure parking, but if you don’t live in the best area and your neighbors learn what you do, don’t be an easy target.  Be extremely mindful of how you carry your equipment into the house.  Don’t advertise what you do by carrying easily recognizable law enforcement gear to the front door every day.  Unmarked law enforcement vehicles are routinely targeted by criminals for the gear! 

G-Car Abuse

     Unfortunately, one of the most common ways for Special Agents to get into serious trouble is by abusing their G-Cars.  Although many local law enforcement agencies allow several provisions for personal use, the federal government's policies are generally much more rigid and severely penalize any deviation.  Although, some agencies have limited exceptions for Special Agents assigned to austere or international locations, for the most part, personal use of a G-Car is simply not allowed and any uncovered violations will typically result in an automatic 30-day non-negotiable suspension. 

     Although it can be tempting to pick up children from school or a pet from the veterinarian on your way home, doing so can result in dire consequences to a Special Agent's career.  Both of these aforementioned scenarios are common ways for new Special Agents to get into administrative trouble and should be avoided at all costs.  Relatedly, using a G-Car at the end of a day to stop by for a happy hour or give a non-government employee a ride are similarly not permitted.  Although all of these scenarios are heavily covered at the basic academy, I have seen good Special Agents routinely commit such bonehead moves and get into an incredible amount of administrative trouble (some have even been fired).  As a rule of thumb, always* have a justifiable reason when using your assigned G-Car and simply plan ahead if you need to conduct personal errands (i.e. drive your personal car that day).  Problem solved.   

G-Car Maintenance

   The G-Car is one of your most important work tools and keeping it in good shape is vital to an agents success and even personal safety. No administrative clerk cares more about your G-Car than you. For this reason, it is imperative that 1811s conduct all preventive maintenance on time, quickly fix any defects (i.e., broken siren) and ensure vital safety components are in excellent working order (i.e., tires). I have encountered more than one buffoonish Agent in my career who dismisses such advice on the account that it is the "government's" car and responsibility; not taking into account that it is in fact the Special Agent's life and success on the line. Over my career, my properly maintained car has given me a tactical advantage on several occasions (i.e., high risk surveillance, emergent response). All Special Agents should diligently take care of their assigned vehicles, if only for the fact it might be the only vehicle assigned to them for years!