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. The dispatch information might even lull officers into canceling their cover (or second) units. In Close I’m going to use “we” a bunch because I [...]
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 [...]
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 be as good as you can be. However, it is equally unrealistic to expect every [...]
Trends In Police Training — Part 1
This was the second year that AmericanCop has been a co-sponsor for the Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) during the SHOT Show. LEEP is a long-running, law enforcement-centric version of SHOT Show University, focused on the business side of SHOT. In conjunction with sponsoring LEEP, AmericanCop was asked each [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]