OFFICER SURVIVAL | What If Grasshoppers Had Machine Guns?
I often flashback to certain past events in my life, like Marine Corps School of Infantry (SOI), circa 1989. I was an 18-year-old Private sitting with the others in my platoon, paying close attention to [...]
Situational Awareness: Condition Orange At All Times?
My partner and I were working the graveyard shift and had taken a coffee break in a restaurant. We were engaged in an intense discussion about something so important I can’t remember what it was, [...]
Street Cop Tactics
Over the years, I’ve watched what’s been written about tactics and their application by cops. I noticed much of the material is geared toward SWAT and specialized units. Perhaps this is because the perception is [...]
THE ARROGANCE OF IGNORANCE | Are You That Good … Or Just Lucky So Far?
There’s an old saying you can’t fix stupid, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep trying. I started pondering that issue the other day, following an interesting discussion I had with an officer. He’s one [...]
“HOW’S THAT AGAIN?” | A Failure To Communicate
I’m a seasoned, okay, salty 26-year veteran of two major California law enforcement agencies. I’ve worked many aspects of the job — corrections, K-9, narcotics, traffic, auto theft, community policing — the list goes on. [...]
Being Mindful
Have you ever walked into a room on a mission to retrieve something important only to stand there and think, ‘What did I come in here for?” how many times have you held your keys [...]
School Violence
"Sometimes we are responsible not because we are to blame, but because we are the only ones who can change it." [...]
Incident Control
Recent events have proven that bad things can, and do, happen to good people. An increase in crime, including home invasions, attacks on vehicles, and other violent physical assaults, are not part of some fiction [...]
CONCEALMENT GUT-CHECK
Carrying a gun off duty is a prudent practice, now more than ever. Cops should carry guns everywhere they are legally permitted to do so. Some thought, however, needs to go into executing the concept. [...]
COOL ON THE RANGE DEAD ON THE STREET | A Hard Look at Shooting Techniques
This first technique is one that seems to have, just in the last year or so, become very popular amongst; shall I say; “tactical youtubers”. (Those who make “how to” tactical shooting videos). Just [...]
INTEGRATED COMBATIVES | Why You Should Always Bring a Knife to a Gunfight
Although the primary reason law enforcement officers (and most people) carry knives is for their everyday utility applications, they have an important role to play in the defensive weapon toolbox, as well. We have [...]
BOOTLEG TURNS | Escaping The Kill Zone
It’s not common for us to think of a vehicle as a defensive tool; at least it is far removed from mainstream thinking. We view our vehicles in many different ways, some utilitarian and [...]
DOUBLE-DEUCE DRILLS | Real-Deal Rimfire Training
I have used subcaliber training to very good effect over the years. However, my approach was best summed up as using the reduced cost of .22 Long Rifle to allow a blunt-force smashing [...]
GUNS ACROSS THE BORDER | What Border Lawmen Used a Century Ago
Twice a year gun writer Dick Williams organizes a three-day theme shoot. Recently I attended one of these events at Gunsite. The theme was what handguns peace officers working on the Southern border used [...]
INTERMEDIATE SNIPER WEAPONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
Comparisons are often drawn between law enforcement (LE) and military snipers. Law enforcement snipers are dealing with significantly shorter ranges compared to their military counterparts. Although trained to do rural operations, most law enforcement [...]
BALLISTIC BREACHING WITH A SHOTGUN
Speed is essential in any dynamic entry. Breaching must be both rapid and effective. There are a variety of methods mechanical, thermal, explosive and ballistic that may be employed depending on what is to be [...]