Review – Beyond The Muzzle
I’m part of a team that teaches instructor-level classes to law enforcement officers in California. Depending on the subject, these courses range from two to four days in length. While we keep the students very [...]
Peace Officer Memorial Week and Last Year’s Losses
Every May, memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country for officers we have lost in the line of duty over the past year at the local, state, and national levels. The biggest ceremony is in [...]
Start of Watch – Briefing
briefing noun brief·ing ˈbrē-fiŋ Synonyms of briefing : an act or instance of giving precise instructions or essential information Briefing is the foundation for a street cop's workday, like a good breakfast. My focus is [...]
Trends in Police Training – Part 3
Here are parts One and Two covering the Law Enforcement Education Program presentation at this year's SHOT Show. Good Enough? How good do you have to be? No one will argue that you should not [...]
Tactical — Not A Dirty Word
The word "tactical" has been co-opted by the sales industry and has largely lost its meaning. Tactical is not just a word you attach to something to sell; its meaning has driven success for as [...]
The Creeper In The Woods — A Lesson In Situational Awareness
After a recent run in the woods, I got to practice my self-defense skills. Here is what happened. Pulling into the parking lot, I looked around and noticed a man by himself. He was moving [...]
Giving Commands
Recently, body-worn camera (BWC) footage from a police department on the West Coast was sent to me. While the sender wanted to discuss something else, the commands given were of interest to me. Or, I [...]
Where Did These Words Hurt You?
Anytime two or more shooters get together, there will be disagreements, discussions, or differences on something, just like with any other group. The discussions between those shooters can be more spirited because of their emotional [...]
Tactical Anatomy
In recent years, tactical anatomy has had a renaissance. Some instructors are again emphasizing it while integrating it into their coursework. Others (like this author) make it a primary focus. What we have lacked is [...]
Pepper & Sticks
Change "The only thing cops hate more than change is the way things are." I don't know where to attribute that quote because I've heard it so much over the years. We tend to complain [...]
Giving Commands
Recently, body-worn camera (BWC) footage from a police department on the West Coast was sent to me. While the sender wanted to discuss something else, the commands given were of interest to me. Or, I [...]
It Has Happened Before — Norco
Today, patrol rifles are common in patrol cars. They are routinely issued to patrol, and often, most officers in an agency have a rifle. This was not the case in the 1980s. Back then, most [...]
Survival Medications: A Review Of Jase Medical Base Case
(Editor’s note – making preparations like these for yourself and your loved ones allows you to be better focused on the task at hand during a widespread disaster or emergency.) In this article, we examine [...]
Triage: Prioritizing Treatment In Mass Casualty Events
Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) are unpredictable events that can result in a large number of injured or ill individuals, overwhelming the capacity of local healthcare systems. In such situations, first responders play a crucial role [...]
Emergency Medical Response Is In Your Hands
In a world where uncertainty is the only certainty, medical emergencies occur without warning. Preparedness can be the difference between life and death. This is where the importance of first aid kits, trauma kits, and [...]
Alien Gear’s TAQ-STRAP Integrated Tourniquet
If there are ever any benefits that come from war, specifically protracted ground combat, it would be the advances in trauma medicine and equipment narrowly focused on life-saving interventions. On the equipment side, the acceptance [...]
Firearms Transition Training
A recent project I worked on made me think about what firearms transition training is, or what it should be. Transition firearms training occurs when an agency or organization moves to a new or different [...]
Trends in Police Training – Part 3
Here are parts One and Two covering the Law Enforcement Education Program presentation at this year's SHOT Show. Good Enough? How good do you have to be? No one will argue that you should not [...]
Familiarity Breeds Contempt — We Must Do Better
I stopped at my local gun store recently to check what they had in inventory. There was a newly released pistol underneath the glass; the guy behind the counter asked if I wanted to handle [...]
Inattention Or Just Confusion?
Over the past few (several?) years, the firearms training community has seen an influx of new and non-traditional students. These students are often new gun owners with minimal prior exposure to firearms. One frequent issue [...]