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 [...]
A SHOOTING STORY | Should I Feel Bad About Not Feeling Bad?
You could see it in his eyes; he was definitely one mean old SOB. The business ends of two Beretta 92F’s and one MP-5 were pointed at him from about 10' away, and yet he [...]
ORGANIZATIONAL TERRORISTS | Is This A Life Worth Living?
I’m pretty sure every organization has them. They may be called countless different things depending on where you work, but I refer to them as “Organizational Terrorists.” No matter what the name, we all know [...]
Home Defense
Given current and emerging threats such as the open U.S. Southern border and crime surges throughout the major cities, law-abiding citizens have a commensurate and justified concern about rising home invasions. What are some recommended [...]
“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 [...]
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 [...]
TRAINING WITH A FLASHBANG | Getting The Most Bang For Your NFDD Training Buck
The noise flash diversionary device (NFDD), also commonly referred to as a flash sound diversionary device (FSDD), diversionary device, flash grenade or flashbang, is an essential tool of the trade for tactical teams. NFDDs [...]
CIVIL UNREST AND RIOTS
When people think of prisons, one of the images that often first comes to mind is a riot. To be honest, this is not an unrealistic line of thinking because unrest does tend to [...]
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 [...]