Up Close & Too Personal
Retention Position Work Why Despite what some on the errornet opine, we do get into confrontations at very close distances, under 3-5 yards, and even arm’s length. Many of those end up going to the ground as well. Again, in spite of what some commentators have to say. A disproportionate number of L/E deaths occur in close because we must close with BadGuys to pat search, Terry frisk them, and handcuff them. It happens to [...]
Small Unit Tactics for Patrol
principles /prĭn′sə-pəl/ noun A basic truth, law, or assumption. "the principles of democracy." A rule or standard, especially of good behavior. "a man of principle." tactics /tăk′tĭks/ noun The study of the most effective ways of securing objectives set by strategy, as in deploying and directing troops, ships, and aircraft [...]
Think About The Hands
Our hands do both good and bad things. On the BadGuy side of the equation, they are what is going to hurt you. Not her eyes, not his feelings. Their hands. They will push, punch, and grab. Find and employ a knife, a gun, a bat. Those hands will access [...]
If The Christmas Tree Is In The Yard
“Sheriff One, Frank 32, code 6 (back-up), there’s a Christmas tree in the front yard!” That was an evening! Street Cop Knowledge Back when I was a baby cop, I finished up my field training program on 12/15. A couple of nights later, I went to swing shift (the senior [...]
The Failure Drill — What It Is And Why It’s Critical
Recently, the pros and cons of Failure Drill again became a topic of discussion in the firearms training space. I have a good understanding of the subject. Instructor Development In 1989, I was assigned to my agency's SWAT Team as a Firearms Instructor. I was young and knew that, [...]
Partners – Time Can Get Help To Your Side
Good news - the number of murdered officers is down Year-To-Date this year (2025) when compared to last year (2024). However, it appears from media coverage that "we" are back to seeing attacks on L/E that potentially could have been minimized, if not prevented. Yes, I know there's a media [...]
Training for the Small Town
Small departments are the norm. How do you provide the ongoing, recurrent training every cop needs? The best number I have seen indicates that there are over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the country. Police departments, sheriff's offices, state police, parole/probation, and specialized agencies. It becomes interesting when you examine [...]
Training at Distance for Countering an Ambush
As mentioned in our Police Memorial Week article, ambushes are a common way of attacking officers. A number of these occur when officers have just arrived on the scene. These scenes involve calls for service that may not trigger a sense of heightened alert or the need for additional resources. [...]
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 busy and create numerous opportunities for them to develop and practice their skills as instructors, [...]
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 Washington, D.C., following several days of events. The culmination is the National Law Enforcement Officers [...]
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 on briefing for a patrol shift, rather than any of the pre-event, pre-operational sessions that [...]