SHOOT TO KILL | Explaining Deadly Force Can Be Tricky
This “bad guy” is presenting a very large target, so a center of mass shot would be in order. Kids can ask the damnedest questions. I’ve stood in front of a variety [...]
CARS AND CRASHES | Traffic Stops: Drive Side Or Ride Side?
We’ve all heard the two most dangerous parts of our job are the domestic violence (DV) call and the traffic stop. Parking in front of the DV house isn’t a smart thing to do and, [...]
REALITY CHECK II | Tier 1 Training Everyone Deserves It
In military jargon, Tier 1 or Tier 2 often designates the degree of funding a unit receives. The tier number also decides where these people fit in the big picture of real-world application. If the [...]
Qualification Vs. Training – Part 1
Qualify or Train? Is there one of these that a law enforcement agency is legally required to do? If not, what about ethical or moral requirements? If you said Qualify, well, you would generally [...]
Principles of Protection
Why reinvent the wheel when formal training in elite protective services began even before the introduction of the praetorian guard into the Roman Empire? The principles of protection are the same today as during the [...]
STREET LEVEL | Looking Versus Seeing: The Art Of Perception
You’d never tag Amy Herman as a law enforcement trainer. Tall, chic and sophisticated, you might guess she’s an expert on fi ne art, working for a major gallery or perhaps a Manhattan corporate attorney. [...]
Hands On!
The consummate professional does everything possible to avoid a violent physical altercation. Adopting an appropriate mindset and applying good situational awareness are integral aspects of being prepared. However, applying even the most diligent of proactive [...]
Predictable Patterns
Kidnapping is big business overseas, both inside and outside the continental United States. As a result, predictability is one of the most dangerous behavior characteristics you can exhibit, especially abroad. Customarily, beginning their attack at [...]
Like a box of chocolates – vehicle stops and approaches
“Life is like a box of chocolate; you never know what you’ll get until you bite into one.” Whether pro-active policing is still a thing or not, working street cops will make traffic stops. [...]
Review – Active Shooter Response Training: Lone Wolf to Coordinated Attacks
Once again, Active Killer events are back at the forefront of everyone's mind. While there are a lot of questions, there are not always enough well-researched and thoughtful answers. This article reviews author Scott Hyderkhan's [...]
CIVILIAN INVOLVED DEFENSIVE SHOOTINGS | Be Fair, Be Honest and Be Clear
Civilian who uses deadly force may suffer post-shooting trauma and civil litigation, and will most certainly be subjected to widespread, mostly unqualified second-guessing. The civilian usually has no standing legal immunity, and no agency, union [...]
Driving While Shooting – Just Because We Can, Doesn’t Mean We Should
We have seen numerous officers across the country engage in officer-involved shootings (OIS), firing rounds out of their patrol car's windshield. You can explain shooting out of the windshield if your car is either parked [...]
You Have Got To Stop The Bleeding – medical training and equipment
Which are you more likely to use: Medical skills? Defensive firearms skills? Before we look at the numbers, I’ll say that on the day you need either one, that skill set will be the most [...]
Dark Angel Medical Direct Action Response Training: Essential Lifesaving Skills
Basic first aid training was once considered sufficient for law enforcement officers. That is no longer the case. When survival is measured in seconds, will you know what to do? Just as we train for [...]
IMMEDIATE CASUALTY CARE IWB SERIES | Essential Trauma Gear Made Practical
Immediate Casualty Care was founded by Jon Grabo, a full-time firefighter and paramedic, to provide training and low-profile gear for private security, on and off duty first responders and the prepared citizen. Jon wanted [...]
A SILENT KILLER | Mitigating Exposure Risks from Lead at Shooting Ranges
The risk of lead poisoning is a very real safety hazard that every agency and officer needs to take heed of and take steps to mitigate. Every shooter does, as well. It’s a hidden [...]
Why? Why did they choose their gun? Why do they continue training?
Why anyone makes the decisions they make is an interesting topic. What are the Whys behind the firearm someone chooses, taking their first class, venturing across the country to train once, and then doing it [...]
Mantis Blackbeard AR-15 Dry Fire Training System: Now Available with Integrated MantisX
Although dry fire training is essential to improving one's skills as a shooter, dry fire with most semi-autos has its issues. Racking the slide or charging handle after every trigger press to reset the hammer [...]
A Practical Reload – topping off your pistol while retaining rounds
This third article will cover the mechanics of a tactical reload in both forms. The desired end state is a pistol, carbine, or sub-gun with a round in the chamber, a full magazine in the [...]
Working the Thumb Safety for new 1911/2011 Shooters
It has been interesting to watch the re-invention of STI into Staccato and, simultaneously, see the resurrection of a 1911-style pistol into the police duty-use world. I used a 1911 pistol on patrol and in [...]