Aaron :: Blue Sheepdog

Author Archive for Aaron – Page 2

Defective Ammunition – Checked Your Ammo Lately?

by Aaron

October 24th, 2011

[Ed. note: Defective ammunition is relatively rare, but it does happen. Aaron's experience is not unique. Make sure you check your ammo for damage to prevent potentially dangerous problems.]

Recently I attended an Advanced SWAT course that our regional Tactical Officers Association offers each year. During the week of training there are several different range courses that teams were put through. While training on the Tactical Pistol course our team we were being pushed hard to get through the 4-hour block of training. When the course of fire was completed we had just enough time to load magazines and get back on line.

To facilitate the ease of loading, our team emptied dozens of boxes of ammunition into a couple of military ammunition cans and an empty cardboard ammunition box. Grabbing loose ammunition, and trying to hurry on reloads just about created the perfect storm for a catastrophic failure.

The following pictures are of one such .40 caliber cartridge that I pulled out of the can and thankfully noticed before loading into a magazine. One side appeared fairly normal, the other side … well something went horribly wrong. This was Speer 165 grain FMJ training ammunition, but I’ve seen manufacturer’s defects on other rounds too.

Categories Firearms
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D.U.I. Investigations – Final Safety and Other Considerations

by Aaron

October 6th, 2011

Image courtesy of Jeffrey Smith

[Ed. note - This is the final part of a six part DUI Training series. Prior articles covered One Leg Stand, Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, Vehicle in Motion and Personal Contact.]

In my previous articles on D.U.I. investigations I tried to refresh and condense the basics of locating, contacting, and testing suspected impaired drivers. In no way should an officer read over my articles and feel like they’re trained up on NHTSA approved D.U.I. investigations. To get proper training you need to attend a 24 to 40- hour course that specifically teaches the NHTSA approved principles and includes practical exercises.

My hope is that the articles will encourage those who do not have that training to obtain it, and to renew the interest of those who have been trained to once again go on the hunt for those careless drivers that wreak havoc on our roadways.

This article is meant to look outside of the standard training and refresher information and consider officer safety and other important considerations when conducting D.U.I. investigations.

Categories Patrol, Traffic Stops
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The Need for the Patrol Rifle – Tactical Patrol Part III

by Aaron

October 3rd, 2011

[Ed. note: The Need for the Patrol Rifle is part three of a series on Tactical Patrol. The prior articles are Tactical Patrol Mindset and Patrol Response to Critical Incidents.]

The use of a patrol rifle is not a new concept. In fact, when you think about the “old west” the image of a lawman with a trusty Winchester lever-action is the standard. The 20th century witnessed the creation of some of the most deadly criminals to ever prowl our country. Names like Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, and Al Capone. This was the era of the “Tommy” gun, even BAR’s, and of course shotguns. Those heavier weapons ended the careers of many criminals.

After WWII times were good, America was growing, the Baby-Boom generation was in full swing. Then the 1960’s came. The Civil Rights struggle, the progressively unpopular Vietnam War, and the emergence of radicals saw America suffer home-grown terror from groups like the KKK, the Black Panthers, and the Symbionese Liberation Army.

During this time America had its first, real taste of an active shooter when a murderer mounted the bell tower at the University of Texas in Austin and shot multiple victims before two brave patrolmen and an armed citizen raced up the tower and ended his reign of terror. The racial, political, and social violence led police departments to look for a way to counter this new era of deadly threat.

Categories Firearms, Firearms Training, Officer Safety, Patrol
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DUI Training – One Leg Stand

by Aaron

September 12th, 2011

[Ed. note - This is part V of a DUI Training series. This training article is on the Walk and Turn test. Prior articles covered Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, Vehicle in Motion and Personal Contact.]

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Smith

The One-Leg-Stand (OLS) test is the final validated test in the NHTSA approved battery of three sobriety tests. Like the other two tests, the OLS is a divided attention test, meaning the subject being tested must divide their attention on several different instructions to successfully complete the test.

Operating a motor vehicle safely requires the driver to divide their attention (multi-task) on a continuous basis. You should familiarize yourself with with this concept as it helps a judge or jury understand that these tests are not meant to “fail” the tested subject, but are meant to gauge their ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time – something a sober driver does all the time.

Categories DUI Enforcement, Patrol, Training
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Patrol Response to Critical Incidents – Tactical Patrol Part II

by Aaron

September 5th, 2011

Photo courtesy of Trung Nguyen

[Ed. note: This is part two of a series on Tactical Patrol. The first article is Tactical Patrol Mindset.]

In this article I’d like to discuss a few of the most common critical incident calls where understanding the priority of life is critical to making a proper police response, especially for the initial patrol officers on scene.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

This is probably one of the most frequent calls police receive, and also one of the most dangerous. Patrol officers should understand that it is the priority of life, along with the exigency exemption to the 4th Amendment, that allows officers to force their way into a residence to investigate a domestic violence report should someone refuse their entry. The courts are saying that the “victim” is more important than any privacy rights a suspect might want to enjoy, even in his own home. Understanding the priority of life gives patrol officers the confidence to act and to act quickly to properly handle domestic violence calls, and provide assistance to victims.