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A paddy wagon is generally just a prisoner transport vehicle. It will have a locked (and possibly armored) back section with a caged inner door and solid outer door, with no access to the crew compartment. The back section can be divided in two down the middle with a grill, or be a single compartment, but it'll have some hard benches, and probably something to attach handcuffs too. Not much more.

The crew compartment is like to be pretty much like any other van's crew compartment, with the addition of the police communication gear.

Paddy wagon's aren't armories or supply vehicles, and it would be highly HIGHLY unlikely that you would find riot gear. There *may* be a shotgun in a mount next to the driver's seat, but that's not a given, and is probably less likely than in a patrol car. If there are chains and manacles, they're probably built into the floor and walls of the back.

Paddy wagons generally are called in to transport a prisoner who's already caught. They aren't used for chasing people down or supplying people for a seige.

J. Lionheart's sounds pretty acurate, although I have no first hand experience with them.

robtheman74 might be thinking of a Mobile Command Post, or a SWAT van. If this is the case, then yes, riot gear, tear gas, gas masks, assualt rifles, ammo, radios, radio batteries, shotguns, sniper rifles, radio base station, radio repeater, satalite uplink, computers, porta-potie, and hazmat gear might all be on the menu. I don't have details or specifics though, and my list may not be perfectly accurate. For instance, SWAT members may be responsible for bringing their own weapons, I'm not sure. There's also the possibility that the equiptment varies from department to department, and state to state.

Just to jump in the previous descriptions sound pretty darn accurate and I'd go with them.

The few Prisoner Transports (Actual name for Paddy Wagon around here) Ive had experiance with are basically enhanced cargo vans with metal benches in the back, a caged door inside and a standard swing door on the back. No access between cargo and crew except for a small window they can look back into. AFAIK: Only equipment in the cab is a radio, fire extenguisher and first aid kit.

And as for the expereince its not what you think. I used to be a security offcier and was in training to be a cop. Couldnt get that emotional wall up and stay impartial.