Train To Win The Fight, Not a Contest
One of the most difficult things for police firearms trainers to do is stay focused on practical training. Too often, training is focused on what will win contests. It's one reason why I cringe when too much time is spent with a timer. Used properly, it's fine, but some instructors are more concerned with how fast something happens versus how it is done. More importantly, what is being timed may be meaningless on the street. [...]
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 long as humans have been around. It has nothing to do with your clothes or [...]
A New School Year And A New Mindset — Preparedness For Teachers
My wife is a schoolteacher and is just starting her 23rd year in the classroom. As one of my primary responsibilities, I have been training people in active shooter preparedness for over a decade. I spent the majority of my last six years as an FBI agent traveling across the [...]
Suicide Is Not Painless, It Is Permanent
It was eight or nine nights after an event I was involved in. The community activists, the media (local and national), and several politicians had gone absolutely sideways and turned into a mob. The only thing close I had seen in my career was an unintentional fatal shooting several years [...]
The Role Of Inert Weapons In Law Enforcement Training
The use of inert training weapons is paramount for ensuring safety while honing critical skills. Two prominent brands in this field are Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP)Red Guns® and Ring's Manufacturing Blueguns®. Both are meticulously crafted durably replicas of real firearms, constructed out of rugged polymer with steel reinforcement. They [...]
Umarex T4E – Ready For Force-On-Force
Since the Circuit Court's ruling in Popow vs. Margate (476 F. Supp. 1237 (DNJ 1979), the courts have been telling us that we need to conduct relevant training. That training needs to address decision-making and judgment. The left side of the frame and slide along with the factory sights. [...]
Banning Targets?
Since at least 2013, a tremendous number of agencies have suffered from “Good Idea Fairy” visits. I’m specifically addressing those “good ideas” that will reportedly fix society’s ills but have little to no factual foundation. Generally, these stem from politicians “doing something” to fix a problem. Some of these include [...]
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 should say, how they were given. (Note: this is not a criticism of the officers, [...]
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 police officers only had a revolver with a total of 18 rounds and, possibly, a [...]
Police Week — Our Losses From 2023
This is the yearly Police Week, which includes honoring those officers we have lost. Across the country, there are countless events commemorating officers who have died on duty or were murdered because of their chosen profession, their uniform. Some of these events are local, at an agency that has lost [...]
The Danger of Higher Ready Positions
There’s a balance to maintain between safety and acceptable risk We can agree that there's room for a variety of techniques in firearms training and law enforcement tactics. However, we must also honor fundamental principles. One of these is safety—an important consideration in all law enforcement operations we cannot ignore. [...]