Lessons Learned, Forgotten, And Ignored
It’s disappointing that we don’t pay better attention to our own history I am writing this just after returning from Las Vegas and the SHOT Show. An outstanding trip, a much-needed reunion with friends, and [...]
Christmas Stories From Patrol
Coming up on Christmas, I’m reminded of the ones I worked over the years. That got me thinking about good Christmas stories. Two stand out, one of which I’ll share here: a cautionary cop tale [...]
Set It & Forget It
Where do I set the dot? Is it like lights? Can it be too bright? Can you, or should you, tailor the dot's setting to the current lighting conditions? What about the situation? That [...]
From Familiar To Fatal In One Critical Second
A recent winter was a dark and bitter one for law enforcement, and the freezing cold had little to do with it. In Washington State, still mourning the murders of a Seattle cop on Halloween [...]
Is “Tactical” Overworked?
Is there anyone besides me who thinks we may have reached the point where “tactical” as a description of what we wear, carry and how we work is perhaps becoming just a bit overused? Or, [...]
CARS AND CRASHES | In ‘N Out
I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of cops dying. I hate seeing updates via ODMP.com (Officer Down Memorial Page) every time a cop is killed. In the last decade, I’ve been [...]
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. [...]
REALITY CHECK II | Plastic Practice
Probably one of the biggest shortcomings of law enforcement is the lack of training or time in the area of firearms. Mainly, it’s due to budgets, manpower and lack of range facilities. Here, I won’t [...]
The Behavior Management Psychology Of Patrol
The vast majority of what we do as police officers is to interact with people. So it’s safe to say our inter-personal and communication skills will dictate our effectiveness. Any of us who’ve been on [...]
SHOOTING WITH X-RAY VISION PART I | Vital Shot Placement In Dire Curcumstances
My partner and I just finished teaching an advanced pistol class. One of our students came over to me, frowning. “Doc, I feel a lot better about my shooting skills after this class,” he said [...]
ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW LIGHT CONSIDERATIONS
Low light. It seems either you enjoy working in that environment or you don't. I did, and I still miss the challenges. Anyway. Back when the world was flat and pterodactyls were our air support, [...]
DRY FIRING DONE RIGHT
If you have been shooting for more than a day, chances are you already know, dry firing can improve one’s marksmanship and weapons manipulation. So just how much dry firing does it take? To effect [...]
S&W 3RD GEN DAO’S | Autos For Revolver Guys
Smith and Wesson introduced Double Action Only (DAO) variants of their 3rd generation semiautomatic pistols in the first few years of the 1990’s. They were envisioned as a solution for agencies struggling with transitioning officers [...]
AMERICAN COP | Through The Centuries
My first trip to the American Pistol Institute (now known as Gunsite) was in 1976, shortly after it was founded by Jeff Cooper. When asked how many times I have been there I honestly answer, [...]
DESIGNATED MARKSMEN | The Need And The Training
The Designated Marksman (DM) concept is nothing new. “Sharpshooters” were used as far back as the American Revolution, with better shots assigned to target officers. My father jumped on D-Day with the 101st Airborne. One [...]