Terry, for those not familiar, was a Border Patrol agent who was killed with a firearm that the ATF allowed to be illegally purchased and smuggled out of the country in a criminal operation known as “Fast and Furious.”  Another US federal agent was killed in Mexico with some of the same guns the ATF conspired to smuggle, as well as hundreds (thousands?) of Mexican citizens.  The same guns are now turning up on crime scenes throughout the southwestern United States.

Deputy Chief Halligan (right) and his invention.

Police officers and deputy sheriffs are rarely firefighters, and yet in our lifesaving capacity we need some of the same skills. A mastery of the fire rescue Halligan bar is essential in today’s specialized law enforcement work.

FDNY Deputy Chief Hugh A. Halligan invented the Halligan bar in 1948, and it still bears his name. Halligan’s original bar was a single piece of drop forged 4140 steel, about 30” long, and approximately 8 ½ lbs.

A cross between the FDNY’s Kelly tool and Claw tool, the Halligan bar was lighter and much more versatile. The Halligan bar has become universal in fire rescue service and can be found on fire trucks all around the world.

Law enforcement began using the Halligan tool in SWAT operations decades ago, although, lacking a historical perspective, we have mistakenly called it a “halogen” tool or a “hooligan” tool (this name being derogatory in fire departments).

Well used old school Halligan.

The Halligan bar’s working parts consist of a fork on one end and a pick and adz at right angles on the other end. The adz is the curved blade that is derived from a woodworking shaper.

While a 30 pound door ram can solve most police problems with an inward swinging residential or commercial door, the Halligan bar and sledgehammer are needed to work an outward opening door.

Typically, to work an outward opening door, the Halligan tool operator places the adz in the doorjamb just above or below the lock(s). The hammer operator drives the adz into the frame. At this point, the Halligan tool is rotated slightly downward to spread the door and frame and the tool is then pulled away to open the door.

This entire operation is unfortunately done right in front of the door. If not accomplished with Speed, Aggression, and Surprise, the result may be unfriendly fire toward the operators. Officer safety demands this maneuver be practiced endlessly. By everyone on the Team.

In other uses, the adz can be used to shear off door handles and deadlocks, the fork can be used for general prying, and the pick can either punch out a deadlock or lever open a padlock. The Halligan is great for a window break-and-rake.

There are more uses and nuances to this tool than I can possibly describe here. This vast versatility has led the Halligan bar design to be basically unchanged in its sixty years of carry.

K-Tool Co. Pro-Bar 30 used by FDNY and NYPD (gray background).

We have found it invaluable to have our SWAT medics, who are certified firefighter/paramedics, perform as instructors on SWAT training days involving forcible entry. Prior to this practice, we did not fully appreciate the subtleties of using any of the entry tools or techniques.

Original Halligan Signature bars are no longer manufactured, but rumor has it that some are still in use at the FDNY. A similar bar, the K-Tool Company Pro-Bar 30, has been used by both the FDNY and NYPD for the last 30 years.

If you do not have a Halligan bar for entries, consult with your local fire department guys before you purchase one (there are differences), obtain the proper training, and perform repetitions.

Randall is a twenty-four year veteran officer of a mid-size Florida police department. He served as a SWAT team officer for over 21 years, to include 12 years as a Team Leader. He is currently the K9 Unit Sergeant and department SWAT Coordinator.

Ford introduced the CVPI, or product code P71, in 1992. Built in St. Thomas, Ontario Canada, the rear-wheel drive V8 sedan has been a staple of American law enforcement for almost twenty years.

Solid body-on-frame construction, a strong but thrifty 4.6L V8, the stability of a rear-wheel drive platform, and a long service life have given the CVPI near legendary status.

It is a testimonial to the enduring reliability of the CVPI platform that during 2011 departments across the nation attempted to stockpile them in the face of uncertain replacements. Fleet managers are wary of the new front-wheel and all-wheel drive Ford Police Interceptor.

Many remember the front-wheel drive Ford Taurus police cars of the 1990’s that had persistent problems with CV joints and boots. The old Tauri (?) just seemed to disintegrate under normal police use.

The future of the police car is in uncharted territory, as some see the Dodge Charger as having too small a trunk and front seat space. The Chevrolet Caprice has been a latecomer to the party, so it is still seen more as a “prototype” than a tried and true production vehicle.

Some agencies balk at the idea of equipping their rank and file patrol officers with a Chevy Tahoe, despite its cost and mileage parity with the old CVPI and the increase in officer safety of a larger vehicle.

Like any machine, the CVPI had its share of ups and downs. Pre-2005 models had issues with high-speed rear end collisions. Lawsuits followed. Redesigns addressed the problems, but there were fatalities.

Other complaints about bad wheel welds, faulty alternators, and weak fuel pumps may have had more to do with the sheer mileage and abuse a police car endures in its short but exciting lifespan than with the design.

I have logged hundreds of thousands of miles in a Ford Police Interceptor. I had many miles in pursuit, and many, many more miles running lights and siren. I was uninjured in two Crown Vic on-duty crashes. A CVPI is parked in my driveway as I write this.

I am supposed to receive my final Police Interceptor, which will replace the 2000 model I am currently driving, from the last 2011 shipment. So I guess I’m a little excited and a little sad.

I feel like I’ve viewed the highs and lows of America through the glass of one of these police cars. The last Crown Victoria rolled off the assembly line on August 15, 2011. The plant then closed.

Randall is a twenty-four year sworn police officer in a mid-sized Florida police department. He has been an FTO, K9 Handler, Detective, and SWAT Team Leader. He is currently the K9 Unit Sergeant and department SWAT Coordinator.

This is the last Crown Victoria to roll of the line. Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

The National Rifle Association’s Life of Duty put together an excellent video about Mawhinny.  The video includes interviews with Mawhinny and others who know him.  Mawhinny is humble, explaining that he was just a Marine who did his job.  I imagine that is how most of us see ourselves as well.

The Blue Crew is a new concept in police training and officer safety on the web.  Driven by member support, the Blue Crew site strives to provide excellent resources for its members and negotiates significant discounts with law enforcement trainers and gear providers.

The Blue Crew is a companion site to BlueSheepdog.com, offering additional benefits and unique content not available elsewhere.

Going forward, the BlueSheepdog.com website will remain as it always has: a free resource of police training, equipment reviews and law enforcement news.  We will still publish regular articles, send out newsletter and produce podcasts.  To really jump to the next level requires funding, and that is where the Blue Crew comes in.

The Blue Crew is a membership site, meaning paid subscriptions are required to access the content.  With your membership, you give us the ability to provide in-depth training videos, officer safety information and reporting from trade shows and training conferences that we otherwise could not afford to do.

Currently, we have video content scheduled for production on topics that include firearms training, defensive tactics, homicide investigations, concealed carry, off-duty survival and more. An in-depth series on getting hired by a law enforcement agency is in the planning stages as well.

Blue Crew membership doesn’t just get you a promise of future content.  You get immediate benefits as soon as you join.

Blue Crew Benefits

e-Books, Special Reports and Other Documents - We’ve put together a number of commercial e-books and other documents for you to download for free.

Videos - An archive of BlueSheepdog videos and an archive of “incident” videos from in-car cameras available for download and use in your training classes, PowerPoint presentations, etc.

Podcast Archive - Download the complete collection of podcasts .mp3 and .m4a formats – either singly or in bulk compressed .zip files.

Training Newsletter Archive - The BlueSheepdog training newsletters are archived here for easy download and reference.  These newsletters are not available for download anywhere else and contain unique articles not found elsewhere on the BlueSheepdog.com website.

Training Class Bulletin Board - Blue Crew members are able to post their training classes on a special section of the website.  If you are teaching or hosting a class, you can post the course information here, in front of other members who are frequently seeking out high quality training.

Discounted Training and Gear - Several major training providers and gear companies have thrown their weight behind the Blue Crew.  Recognizing how important the Blue Crew project is, these companies have stepped up and are offering substantial discounts on their products and services.

Our supporters include:

• Lifeline Training (15% discount on all training seminars)
• Tuff Products (10% discount plus free shipping)
• Public Grants & Training Initiatives (10% discount on all training classes)
• Safety Solutions Academy (25% discount on all training classes)
• Helix Arms (5% discount on orders $50 or more)
• Mil Spec Monkey (25% discount on all orders)
• DALTECH Force (20% discount and free shipping on the BULLBELT)
• Pistol Wear (10% discount)
• PoliceFunerals.com ($100 discount on book or DVD purchase)
• Dave Smith & Associates (10% discount on all training classes)
• TCB Firearms (free shipping, plus additional 10% off for all law enforcement, military & first responders)
• Dydrostorm (15% discount on all orders)
• National Rifle Association ($10 off annual membership)

We are currently in talks with even more companies that will provide Blue Crew members with discounts.  As we bring on new sponsors, we will immediately let you know so you can take advantage of all the discounts.  For more information on our business model, read more about our sponsorships here.

We believe the benefits outweigh the cost of membership.   We hope you will agree and choose to join the Blue Crew today!

Click the above image to watch the video.

Well, it may be cool to talk firearms and groundfighting, but here is one simple officer safety tactic you can use to staf safe:  wear your seatbelt.  Stats show that motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of death for police officers during the past 13 years.  Surveys show that 50% of cops aren’t wearing their seatbelts.

Need me to draw a picture?  I hope not, but consider that officers not wearing a seatbelt are 2.6x more likely to die in an auto accident.  The vast majority of you reading this will wear a bullet resistant vest on duty today, but about half of you won’t wear a seatbelt.  What are you thinking?

Worries about having to jump out of your car quickly are just an excuse for not putting on your seatbelt.   Try this…wear your seat belt and when creeping through a parking lot, unbuckle it.  As soon as you get ready to pull out onto a road, snap it back on.  It doesn’t take much time, and it can save your life.

I’ve been in two on-duty accidents, and both times the seatbelt saved me from any serious injury.  If you aren’t wearing your seatbelt, you aren’t preparing yourself to survive tonight’s shift.

Thanks to everyone who has sent me an e-mail helping me to find where the problems in the coding may be.  I sincerely appreciate it.

If you are having any additional problems, please let me know!

A side benefit to the newsletter is you are automatically entered to win this month’s prize: a Smith & Wesson Micro90 pistol light.

Don’t worry – no purchases are necessary, we don’t do anything unseemly with your e-mail address and no animals were harmed in the production of this newsletter.

Officer Involved Shooting

The dominant goal of citizen police academy programs is to get civilians to walk a mile in an officer’s boots. Thanks to the creativity of Force Science Analyst Steven Goard, those who attend the academy conducted by the Livermore (CA) PD walk an important extra mile–through the landmines of a simulated OIS investigation that tests their memory and perceptions of a personal controversial shooting.

The participants, including some police critics, learn first hand the vagaries of human behavior under pressure and the challenges of credibly defending a deadly force decision that may seem suspicious to outside observers.

“Invariably they’re shocked by the experience,” says Goard, who has now developed the OIS-investigation feature across 10 of his department’s citizen academy sessions.

Among many satisfying payoffs, he recalls the reaction of an African-American woman in her late 60s. “I feel guilty,” she told Goard as she shook his hand after the exercise. “For years, I’ve been skeptical of the police. I bought into the way the media report police shootings. I just didn’t have the knowledge to enlighten my thinking.”

Speaking for the Force Science Institute, executive director Dr. Bill Lewinski notes, “Part of our mission is to educate the public about the truth of use-of-force dynamics. Steve Goard has crafted a memorable way of doing that. It’s an approach that other agencies and the communities they serve could benefit greatly from following.”

At 38, Goard has been a Livermore cop for nearly 9 years, cycling through assignments in training, SWAT, sex crimes investigation, and patrol. An avid student of human behavior, he’s currently working toward a master’s degree in psychology. He’s read so deeply on the subject that his fellow officers have nicknamed him Bookworm. After FSI began offering its certification course in Force Science Analysis, he attended at his own expense to further pursue what he calls “my passion.”

Even before that training, he’d been integrating Force Science concepts into his department’s semi-annual citizen academy after hearing Lewinski speak at a seminar in nearby San Francisco. Further fueled by his Analyst training, he expanded and polished the initial content into its present format.

The citizen academy meets roughly 4 hours a week for 17 weeks. About half way through the term, after they’ve sat through use-of-force lectures, experienced a simulator exercise, and fired some of the department’s SWAT weapons, Goard introduces the 30-35 participants typically enrolled to a special force-on-force scenario.

Partnered up and armed with Glock Simunitions pistols in a shoot house built by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, they’re instructed to respond to a given 911 call and “handle the scene as you think appropriate based on what you’ve learned in class and as you think police officers should in real life.”

At the scene, each pair encounters role-players in circumstances that quickly evolve into a tense situation designed to make the “officers” feel threatened. Details vary, but the core action generally involves a subject pulling out a cell phone, reaching for a wallet, brandishing a toy gun (plainly signified by an orange tip ), gripping a power drill, or displaying angry gestures.

“Invariably at least 1 of the student partners shoots, and most often both do,” Goard explains. “When the scenario is at its highest peak, a safety officer standing directly behind them activates an air horn or fires several blank rounds at the floor from a .38 handgun.” Everything is captured from different angles by a battery of hidden video cameras.

Immediately after the scenario, the partners are separated and told that since 1 or both used deadly force, they will need to undergo a mini OIS investigation. They are then told to fill out a questionnaire or submit to an oral interview about what happened.

The questions are based primarily on information typically sought after a police shooting, according to what prosecutors and survivors of real OISs have told Goard. In part, these include:

• Describe the call.
• What did you first observe at the scene?
• What were the suspect’s actions?
• What did you do?
• What, if any, level of force did you use?
• If you used your firearm, how many rounds did you shoot?
• Describe the suspect.
• Describe the scene.
• What kind of weapon did the suspect display, if any?
• What did you feel or experience during the encounter?
• What was said by you and by the suspect?
• What did your partner do?
• Did you hear any loud noises?
• Did you see any guns with orange tips?

And so on. “We get a lot of blank looks or blank spaces on the questionnaires because they don’t remember,” Goard says.

That task over, with no further discussion “I tell the students that I’ll be doing a presentation for the class at a later date to discuss their scenarios,” Goard says. During off hours at home, he then carefully edits footage from the cameras to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of each encounter and burns all of them to a DVD that will later be played and given to the students.

The defining moment comes weeks later shortly before graduation day. Goard starts off with some important preliminaries. First, the students are asked to again write down an account of what happened during their scenario. Then Goard shows them dash-cam recordings from YouTube or PoliceOne’s BluTube of various “mistaken judgment” shootings involving cell phones, toy guns, and other controversial elements. “I ask them to comment, and they generally remark on how ‘really bad’ the incident looks and express doubts about the involved officers’ justification for shooting,” he says.

Finally, he plays the videos of them using force and compares what the hidden cameras documented with the articulation of events they gave. “You can actually feel the shock in the room,” Goard told Force Science News.

Certain consistencies arise class after class:

• After their encounters, “all the students report seeing a gun or seeing a gun actually fired at them, which prompted them to shoot,” Goard says. “Yet in the videos, they see themselves using deadly force on people with wallets, cell phones, drills, and unarmed.” One student described a role-player as threateningly pointing an automatic rifle; in reality the “suspect” pointed aggressively with his arm.

• “They’re also always surprised at what they didn’t see that was right in front of them, how much the mind ignores under stress,” Goard says. “Amazingly, none of the students recall hearing the air horn or the blanks being fired, nor do they complain about their ears ringing even though they didn’t have ear protection. And they never see the orange tips on toy guns. A common comment is, ‘I didn’t have time to pay attention to that.’ They were worried about whether they were going to die, not about looking for orange tips.”

• Typically, the students fire more rounds than they estimate in their reports. One who said he shot only 4 times actually shot 19. Some have inaccurately claimed there was no suspect weapon in their scenario and that they didn’t shoot at all.

• Some are sobered to see that they kept “shooting and shooting and shooting–maybe 6 or 7 additional rounds–even though the suspect was down and not fighting back.” Or that they shot a suspect in the back when they said they had shot him in the chest.

• At least 85% of the students find they haven’t given accurate descriptions of the suspect, of important scene elements, or of their partner’s behavior, Goard says.

• There tend to be major differences between accounts the students give when initially questioned about their shooting and when describing the event again weeks later. In some cases, their memories have improved significantly with time. But there have been instances in which students in their second telling describe scenarios they weren’t even involved in, having apparently internalized someone else’s experience during conversations about the exercise. There are also notable differences between the accounts partners offer about the same scenario, just as there often are between fellow officers in real-world shootings.

The inconsistencies and omissions open the door for Goard to confront the students with some of the suspicions officers under investigation often have to contend with in similar circumstances: Are you lying…conspiring…contriving amnesia…trying to cover up unsavory truths?

Goard completes his presentation by explaining some of Force Science’s research findings regarding reaction time, turning time, “excessive” shots, attentional blindness, and other behavioral phenomena associated with high-stress, life-threatening encounters. He also reports on the well-known studies of perceptual distortions conducted by Dr. Alexis Artwohl, a National Board Member for FSI and a faculty member for its certification course. “The students are always very surprised at how similar their experiences are to her discoveries,” Goard says.

“Overall, it’s quite a ride,” he concludes. “From the feedback we get, I do believe that the exercise broadens the citizens’ views of officer-involved shootings and opens their minds to the ways controversial shootings can be sensationalized. We’re only 35 miles from where the BART shooting occurred, so we’re very familiar with how police actions can get distorted.

“It’s interesting to hear data, but it’s always more powerful to get at least a taste of how data transforms into reality. And the fact is that these people may someday be jurors, judging a police-shooting case. Hopefully, they’ll remember their experience and cut a well-intentioned officer some slack.”

Goard left us with a fascinating footnote. He mentioned that the academy graduates often share the DVD of the scenarios that he gives them with civilian friends while explaining the cognitive shortcomings that were exposed during the mock investigation. “Sometimes those friends attend future academies,” he says, “and even though they’ve seen the scenarios they still make the very same mistakes when it’s their turn behind the gun.”

For more information, Steve Goard can be reached at: SGoard@ci.livermore.ca.us

For a complimentary subscription to Force Science News, an e-newsletter provided free by the Force Science Institute, visit www.forcescience.org or e-mail your contact information to: editor@forcescience.org

With more than 2000 students, I knew he needed some back-up on occasion.  As I entered his office, I saw him intently staring at the television and absently chewing a Twizzler.  He did not look up at me when I came in.

I sat down next to him and asked what was going on.  “Not sure,” he said.  It was about 8:50 am.  We began watching the terror attacks unfold.  At 9:03, we watched as the second plane hit the World Trade Center.  The Pentagon was next around 9:37.

Within an hour of me entering that office, the United States of America had woken to the power of terrorism.  The SRO got a call from the school’s administrative office.  Parents were panicking.

We abandoned the horror on TV and went to the school’s courtyard and pick-up area.  Students were moving about the school.  Several stopped to ask if we had seen what was going on in New York and Washington.  “It’s fine, you’re all safe,” was delivered with a smile.

A stream of cars, mini-vans, and pick-ups began to clog the driveway.  Scared parents were arriving to get their kids.  The SRO and I attempted to calm them, too.

I work in west central Florida.  I look back and I am amazed at how the fear of terrorism crossed distance and communities without impediment.  President George W. Bush was in Sarasota that day, not far south of my city.  I think that may have heightened the local concerns.

As that day wore on, I also saw the power of the Thin Blue Line to provide reassurance to a fearful citizenry, both where I work and abroad.  On that day, I felt proud to be a uniformed symbol of government.

In the wake of the tragedy, I think we were amazed at the outpouring of gratitude toward the nation’s police and firefighters.  I received many a thank you and handshake, and more than one offer to buy my meal, in the ensuing months.

I visited Ground Zero eight years later.  It was strange to stand where the stone had been cast into the water, generating the ripples we felt so far away.   I think it should be a pilgrimage taken by all first responders.

Regardless of the accomplishment or indignation we experience as police officers, I am proud to belong to the brotherhood of protectors who watch over our nation and risk the ultimate sacrifice.  I have a greater appreciation of it all since the events of 9/11.

Randall is a twenty-three year sworn police officer in a mid-sized Florida police department.  He has been an FTO, K9 Handler, Detective, and SWAT Team Leader.  He is currently the Midnight Shift K9 Sergeant and department SWAT Coordinator

If you read the July BlueSheepdog Newsletter, you saw an article I wrote about Line of Duty Death Forms.  In the correspondence I received about the article, I encountered a unique source of information about the arrangements for LODD funerals.

Planning for the Unthinkable:  A Law Enforcement Funeral Planning Guide is a book written in 2010 by Los Angeles Police Department Sgt.II  John C. Cooley (ret.) and Donna Wade.  Cooley was the LAPD Funeral Coordinator for over ten years.  Wade was a reserve officer specialist on his staff.

The book outlines every conceivable contingency for line of duty and active officer funerals, from preparations, notifications, motorcades, and graveside protocols to multiple officer deaths, female officer deaths, and special religious considerations.

At 292 pages, I found the book to be exceptionally in-depth.  This unfortunately comes from the real life experiences of the authors in arranging actual police funerals.  This information is so important, the authors have arranged a discount for BlueSheepdog readers.

In the introduction, the authors write, “We wrote this guide to offer law enforcement agencies the tools and resources necessary to formulate a comprehensive funeral protocol before the need arises.

When tragedy strikes, the plan can be efficiently executed, even through the fog of grief, anger and confusion, because those implementing it will have prepared for their roles long in advance, when clearer minds prevailed.”

Sgt. Cooley is a Certified Bereavement Counselor.  He gives free workshops anywhere in the Country, with an agency(s) covering just his travel, lodging, and food.  Departments can split the costs for a seminar.

Sgt. Cooley and Ms. Wade strive to be a resource “24/7/365” for consultations in the event an agency experiences a line of duty death.   Sgt. Cooley can be reached at policefunerals@earthlink.net.  Ms. Wade’s email is donnajwade@gmail.com.  Sgt. Cooley’s website is www.policefunerals.com.

Planning for the Unthinkable is available as an ebook or a DVD.  The DVD contains the ebook, videos of funerals, customizable Word Documents of 17 specific funeral checklists, bereavement books mentioned in the book, and free updates.  I thought the checklists alone were a great resource.

The ebook sells for $197.00.  The DVD is available for $225.00.  The authors have graciously granted Blue Crew members a discount of $100.00 off of either format.  (Not a member?  Sign up today – this book discount alone pays for the membership!)

In reading the ebook material, I was saddened that these events could be delineated with such precision but I knew that the details were born of necessity, duty and honor.  I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

I had several interesting email exchanges with Ms. Wade and I found her to be very knowledgeable and committed to helping the law enforcement community.  She feels the book can be especially helpful to small to mid-sized agencies that do not have a funeral coordinator or established protocols.

In one of the emails, she wrote, “Our aim is to make sure (departments) know how to plan and execute the most meaningful memorial possible, not only for the surviving family, but for the police family and community as well.”

Randall is a twenty-three year sworn police officer in a mid-sized Florida police department.  He has been an FTO, K9 Handler, Detective, and SWAT Team Leader.  He is currently the Midnight Shift K9 Sergeant and department SWAT Coordinator.

While New York Mayor Bloomberg excludes public safety from the September 11th ceremonies at Ground Zero, the National Rifle Association took a different approach. Instead of bringing politicians in for a photo op, the NRA is honoring public safety workers.

The NRA has worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement for decades. The media might prefer we forget about the NRA-law enforcement partnership that is older than many of us, but the NRA continues to honor police officers. The 9/11 revolver in the video is but one way.

The NRA’s National Firearms Museum has an entire collection dedicated to law enforcement.  Another moving tribute includes the gun and badge of Fairfax County Master Police Officer Michael E. Garbarino.  Garbarino was killed in an ambush in the parking lot of his own department.  Even though severely wounded, Garbarino was able to stay in the fight, directing other officers to the scene via safe avenues of approach, saving many of his fellow officers.

Give the above video a watch.  If you are ever in the Fairfax, VA area, you want to check out the NRA museum.