Blue Sheepdog

Police officers have enjoyed the use of the Taser X26 (and the effective M26 before that) as an excellent intermediate force option that allows the quick incapacitation of an offender while minimize the chance of harm to the suspect and officers involved. Tasers tend to be effective where pain compliance techniques are not.
However, Tasers […]

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Since 1960, the National Rifle Association has supported law enforcement by providing firearms instruction to officers and training new firearms instructors through its Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD). To date, more than 50,000 instructors have been trained by the NRA.
In 2007, the NRA trained 2061 law enforcement instructors, a new record. 2007 was […]

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Based on several conversations I have had with some of my readers here and some people in the firearms industry, I have started a new firearms and gear site at www.GunsHolstersAndGear.com.
The new web site will focus on, that’s right, Guns Holsters and Gear. There will also be general shooting information, self defense articles, and […]

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One of the best things a person can do to improve their ability to shoot a handgun is to dry fire.
Dry fire practice allows you to concentrate on sight alignment and your trigger control without having to be at the range or spending money on ammunition. As they say, perfect practice makes perfect, and […]

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An interesting thing happened the other day. I was acting as cover officer on a call regarding a drunk vagrant. In addition to the me and the other officer, two firefighter-EMTs and two paramedics were on scene. The paramedics had already made the decision to involuntarily transport the vagrant to a nearby […]

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One of the books I got for Christmas this year was Armed Response: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Firearms for Self-Defense. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I found the writing style kept my interest and the content was well researched.
Armed Response is an excellent book that introduces the reader to the use […]

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I have updated the training classes page with more 2008 classes. I have a lot more law enforcement training courses to enter, so keep checking back.
Stay safe!

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In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection is a phenomenal book written by police training expert Massad F. Ayoob.
Ayoob wrote this book as an introduction to the defensive use of firearms. Ayoob discusses the legal implications and practical aspects of owning and using a firearm for self defense. […]

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One of the things that really gets me upset about a lot of the firearms training given to police officers, is the concept of a static officer vs. a static target. You know the training I mean: the officer stands on the line, waits for the command, draws his firearm, and shoots a […]

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The department policy manual is a good guide to doing your job. The manual is an excellent reference for topics such as the proper way to dispose of found property, where to place your ribbons on your Class-A uniform, or how to file a grievance. However, when a lawsuit conscious administrator starts typing […]

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I was reading Dave Spaulding’s Firearms column in the October 2007 issue of Law Officer Magazine, when I ran into an ingenious target system.
The target, Hard Head Ted, is a metal reactive target that can easily be combined with the Tac-Man 3D torso to create a realistic threat for officers in firearms training. What […]

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Research has shown that a significant portion of police involved shootings occur in “reduced light” conditions. Research has also shown us that a lot of the gunfights happen extremely fast, sometimes allowing the officer very little time to identify the threat, and formulate an appropriate response.
Dr. Paul Michel, a board-certified optometrist, is a former […]

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Several years ago, I read an article called “Use of Force and High Intensity Tactical Police Flashlights: Policy Concerns.” Since then I have seen it re-printed in various other locations.
In the article, R. Paul McCauley, Ph.D., a criminology professor at a Pennsylvania university, opines that

the use of high-intensity tactical police flashlights (HITPFs) is a […]

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An unfortunate reality exists: sometimes police officers are accidentally killed in training accidents.
The National Tactical Officers Association is a police organization that was established to foster communication between SWAT units. Since its inception in 1983, the Association has grown, and now offers advanced training, research, and reviews of tactical operations.
One of the services the […]

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It is well established that as police officers, we often work in diminished light situations. Even officers assigned to day watch have to go into dim areas, such as abandoned buildings, warehouses, and closets, looking for suspects.
Police officers have been trained, however, that using your flashlight can make you a target. Therefore, many […]

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