One kind of flashbang manufactured by CTS Combined Tactical Systems
This week, a Charlotte-Mecklenberg, North Carolina SWAT officer was killed when a distraction device, or flash bang, detonated in close proximity to his torso. The Charlotte Observer reported that the 28-year veteran officer was de-mobilizing after a search warrant service when the accident occurred.
Approximately 45 minutes after the operation, the officer was in his driveway at home “attempting to render his equipment safe” when the distraction device inadvertently exploded. He suffered massive internal injuries and efforts to save his life were not successful.
Distraction devices are a commonly-used tool for SWAT to disorient suspects, thus giving the officers time to safely locate and overwhelm them in an attempt to avoid having to use lethal force. Carried in pouches either on a load-bearing vest or drop leg holster, flashbangs have saved the lives of SWAT officers, hostages, and the suspects themselves countless times.
The safety pin and activation spoon method of detonation is borrowed from military-style fragmentation grenades. Generally, distraction devices contain about 15 grams of flash powder. A fuse-initiated explosion of this powder emits approximately 175 decibels of sound and 6 to 10 million candelas of bright light for several milliseconds.
The solid metal body of the distraction device contains the brunt of the blast, but vents it in a single or dual direction so the audible report and blinding light are experienced. Flashbangs are frequently used in SWAT training scenarios to, in effect, desensitize the officers during their use in real operations. Because of the dangerous nature of these devices, their sales are restricted to law enforcement and the military, and officers and soldiers who use them are trained by certified instructors.
At this time, the cause of the detonation is not known, but regardless, it serves as a very sad reminder for us to handle our SWAT equipment with great care.
Randy is a twenty-three year veteran officer of a mid-size Florida police department. He served as a SWAT team officer for 21 years, to include 12 years as a team leader. His other duties included police K9 handler, FTO, and detective. Currently serving as a midnight shift sergeant, he is also his department’s SWAT Coordinator.
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I agree with Randy – What a horrible tragedy and the terrible loss of a career law enforcement professional. My prayers are with his family, his colleagues and the Charlotte-Mecklenberg community.
I provide my thoughts only in the hope that this senseless death of a veteran cop will not be repeated in the future. I cast no judgment on the officer or the Department.
One of the first things that jumped out at me was the reporting that this veteran SWAT officer was “attempting to render his equipment safe” in his driveway about 45 minutes after the call-out. Wouldn’t the “rendering safe” time best be served immediately after the call-out mission was completed?
NFDD’s (Noise Flash Distraction Devices) are regulated by our “big” brothers in the ATF. Each one must be accounted for, stored properly, and each one that is used must be logged out for the reason used. In reading of this incident I wonder if it wouldn’t be a better procedure to have NFDD’s stored in a proper storage container when not in use on call-outs or training.
As mentioned by Randy, these devices have a safety pin mechanism that comes from military grenades. Even when stored in pouches these devices have the potential of snagging on things as the gear is moved around – when the gear is on the officer or when being stored. Once the pin is pulled out it’s just a matter of when the device is removed from the pouch to make this situation repeat itself.
Although most of these devices come from the factory with heavy duty tape across the spoon handle as an additional safe precaution to the safety pin, many officers remove this tape when preparing to use the NFDD. We keep the tape on the NFDD body and return it over the spoon handle when the device is stored – can’t be too safe here. And each device is stored in an individual cardboard tube to provide a stable storage platform.
Keeping such devices on personal gear when not in an actual call-out situation presents unnecessary risks. It may be a great convenience, especially in Department’s where officers are expected to respond directly to call-outs with all their gear, but this tragedy reminds us that taking the extra precaution is worth the minor inconvenience.
Perhaps a better idea is to have NFDD’s, chemical munitions, and other specialty equipment stored on the Team response vehicle – such as the Bear Cat, or whatever a Department uses to deploy SWAT members to an incident. A Team member has the assignment to bring the Team vehicle to the incident scene, where specialty munitions can be distributed. Once the mission is completed, the specialty munitions are checked for safety (pins, tape, whatever) and stored safely again.
Just my thoughts on a terrible end for a career cop that had probably had dozens or hundreds of “safe” call-outs using the same storage methods.
May he rest in the peace of God.
[...] If you have not already done so, check out Randy’s prior article on flash bangs. [...]
[...] As I stated in the previous article, we must all use our SWAT gear with great care. [...]