I would say these carry methods tend toward the “holsterless” gun.  Two examples of this are the carry clip and the pocket wallet.

Carrying a handgun without a holster is nothing new.  Traveling back to the Old West, you may see revolvers stuck sideways in a belt.  Sepia photographs from those days are flush with cowboys, lawmen, and ruffians proudly displaying their guns this way.

Massad Ayoob wrote about a holsterless waistband carry method in 19^th century Mexico that let the civilian vaquero ditch his handgun, at the approach of the mistrusted Federales, without wearing the incriminating holster and belt.  It was called “Mexican Carry” and is not derogatory.

These things of the past aside, several companies are now marketing clips that can be affixed to the receiver of a handgun to allow the gun to be slid into a belt or waistband sans holster.  I find this to be very dangerous and ill advised.

This clip-it-in-the-waistband style was perhaps first popularized two decades ago by the Barami Hip Grip, which was a revolver handle with a slightly flared “wing” on one side which allowed you to tuck your Smith & Wesson or Colt snubbie in the top of the pants.

The modern adaptation of the Hip Grip has been a spate of clip carry accessories that bring this method to the auto-loading pistol.  Because more and more of these small guns are being toted, more of these products are making it to market.

The purpose of a holster is not only to protect the gun (from the owner), but the owner from the gun.  A proper holster, whether it is for the belt, waistband, pocket, or ankle, must cover the trigger and contain the firearm securely.  A clip carried handgun has neither and is several steps closer to a negligent, and/or lethal, discharge.

A cousin to this hazardous method of carry is the “Pocket Pal” or “Pocket Shot” style of handgun wallet.  Both of these are made for pocket carry of the gun, but leave the trigger exposed, so that the gun may be fired with the “holster” attached.

While this may seem safer than a clip because most of the firearm is encased, it still leaves the trigger accessible.  Not only that, but the reciprocal functioning of the pistol’s slide is dependent on the holster not interfering in the action.

I have doubts whether users of these pocket wallets actually go to the range and shoot several hundred rounds through their guns, which are now contained in two slabs of leather.

These shortcuts solve problems that do not exist for truly committed practitioners of concealed carry.  There is a dizzying array of gun holsters out there such that one can find that balance between safety, concealment, and comfort with just a little expenditure of time, money, and good sense.

Those in law enforcement and others licensed to carry concealed firearms must take their responsibilities very seriously.  We can be our own worst enemies.  Any measures that circumvent the safe carry of firearms are detrimental to life and limb and the trust bestowed upon us by our government.

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 actual Tacllet we are giving away. No, the gun and other toys are not included.

October is more than half-way into history.  Don’t forget to sign up for the BlueSheepdog Newsletter by the end of the month to be entered to win the Tuff Products Tacllet.

The newsletter is free and offers fresh content that you will not find elsewhere on the site.  For now, the only way to get the content in the newsletters is to sign up for them.

The Tacllet is an awesome bag for concealed carry.  You can get your pistol and a lot of EDC gear into one of these.  Read Randall’s full Tacllet review for more information.

Subscribe via iTunes

Off duty survival is an often neglected subject when it comes to police training.  In this podcast, I talk about some of the things you need to consider when you are off duty.

Among other aspects of off duty survival, I talk about:

• options for intervening
• firearms
• training your family
• what a family member should tell 911
• revenge attacks on officers

You experiences and ideas are welcome.  Please post your off duty tips in the comments section below.

Relativity Media contacted me and asked I pass along the below information regarding an upcoming TV show.  The show will profile police families in a positive light.  So, if you are interested, read the info and shoot them an e-mail.

Do you come from a long line of law enforcement officers? Do you work with your brother? Your wife? Your son? In the same department? Does it seem like the job is in your blood?

The creator of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, is looking to produce a new project showcasing police family dynasties. We are searching for families that have multiple family members working in law enforcement. It’s looking to be a positive portrayal of some of law enforcement’s finest officers. Our producers bring years of experience covering law enforcement, from the CBS newsroom to the critically acclaimed television documentary: 911.

Having worked extensively with departments for other types of positive programming, we know the pressures of the job and the benefit of having a family member who understands what it’s like. If you, or someone you know comes from a family of LE officers we would love to hear from you!

If interested send us a brief message at policefamily@rrstaff.com with some information about your family, a family photo if you have one, and the best way for us to contact you!

 

It is a violation of federal law for an off-duty LEOSA-qualified sworn officer to carry a gun within a school zone, which is defined in §921(a)(25) as “in, or on the grounds of, a public, parochial or private school” or “within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of a public, parochial or private school.”

This does not affect on-duty police officers.  Section §922(q)(2)(B)(vi) allows firearm carry “by a law enforcement officer acting in his official capacity.”

It is also lawful for holders of concealed firearms licenses to possess firearms in school zones, as long as the license is issued by the state in which the school is located, and the licensee’s qualifications are verified by that state.

Further, this federal legislation does permit for the transport of unloaded firearms in locked containers within vehicles on school grounds, where not otherwise prohibited.

LEOSA supersedes most state and local laws regarding off-duty LEO carry, but it does not override federal laws, such as the GFSZA of 1995.

The penalties for violating the GFSZA are a fine, imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.  Curiously, §924(a)(4) states that, despite the five year prison term, such a violation is considered misdemeanor for all other legal purposes.

By my read, we need an amendment to the GFSZA to rectify this situation.  The recent changes to LEOSA do not cover it, nor do I think that LEOSA would be the proper legal place for such an exemption.

Simply put, if you are off-duty, armed under LEOSA only, and on, or in 1,000 feet of, school property, you are in violation of federal law.  We may need to rethink that drop-off car line.

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.

Previously, Randall wrote about the updates to the LEOSA signed into law by President Obama.  I suggest reading his article, and then reviewing the NRA article.

Stay safe!

Richard is a police officer with a medium sized, central Florida department, and previously worked for a Metro-Atlanta agency.  He has served as a field training officer, court officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander, commander of a field training and evaluation program, and general pain in the butt to management-types looking to cut training hours.

In Part I of Flying with a Firearm, we discussed preparing for a domestic airline flight with a firearm in checked luggage.  I will now cover some of the things I learned when arriving at the airport.

First, you must go through the counter check-in procedure at your airline.  You may not declare the firearm at curbside check-in.  Once at the counter, tell the attendant that you are a police officer declaring an unloaded firearm to check in your luggage.

If you are traveling under your state’s CCF license or as a private citizen, I would tell them you are declaring a legal, unloaded firearm in your checked luggage.  By first stating you are law enforcement, or otherwise legally checking in, it seems to keep the drama to a minimum.

This is where things get interesting.  Some airlines will ask to see the unloaded weapon and inspect the packaging of the gun and ammunition, per Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations.  This is to be expected, in fact, appreciated.

At some airports and some airlines, I have found that they do not ask to see the condition of the gun or the ammo.  As a passenger, I find this disconcerting.  It seems each airport and carrier have different procedures, so go with the flow.

At all airlines you will be asked to sign a card declaring the unloaded firearm.  This card will be placed inside the bag, usually on top of the gun case.  This is all the paperwork you do.  You are now allowed to secure the bag.

Your firearm container must not be secured with a TSA, or airport universal, lock.  Your luggage, however, must have a TSA accessible lock or be unlocked.  Since you are not sending a gun through in unlocked bag, buy a TSA padlock for your luggage.

Most airports have a special airline attendant or TSA representative to walk you and your bag to TSA screening.  They will place your luggage in a screening machine while you are there.  Once it is examined, you are free to head to the airside.  Done!

In at least two cases, I was told the TSA luggage screening was on the other side of the airport and I would be contacted at the gate if there were a problem.  My bag was then either dropped on the conveyer with the rest of the luggage or carried away.

When you declare your firearm, other passengers in the vicinity of the counter may observe what is going on.  These are the same passengers who will disembark at your destination airport and head for baggage claim when you do.

When the airplane lands, I head for baggage claim with all possible haste.  I want to be there when the first piece of luggage slides on to the carousel and retrieve my bag before someone else does.

The reality is that my bag, whether it has a gun or not, is as likely to be lost by the airline as anyone else’s bag.  Because of this I would not travel with my platinum encrusted, finely engraved, super rare, and very expensive barbeque gun.  If I had one.

At Reagan International, my fellow officer’s suitcase did not appear on the carousel with the other passengers’ luggage from our flight.  He was…concerned.  After a half hour, we found it standing at attention with the other regularly misplaced bags.

You have attended your conference or enjoyed the wonders of the local theme park.  For your flight out, you are now headed back to a possibly unfamiliar airport, where firearms travel is concerned.  Prepare for all the steps above, but remember that things are different on someone else’s turf.

I discovered at J.F.K. in New York that Port Authority Police are called whenever someone declares a firearm at the counter.  If you are not traveling under LEOSA, or other NY recognized CCF situation, you are subject to arrest on the spot.

The Port Authority police officer that responded to my counter was very courteous once he had checked my credentials.  He even offered to jump us up in the TSA security line.

The steps to airline travel with a firearm are straightforward.  It is simple if you know and follow the regulations.  Some people print out the TSA regulations, and those for their specific air carrier, and take them to the airline check-in counter.

Remember to be courteous and patient, even if the situation becomes difficult.  Ask for a supervisor if needed.

At your trip destination, remember that you are responsible to abide by the local laws, aside from your rights granted by LEOSA or CCF reciprocity.

Safe travel.

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

My friend had flown with a handgun in checked luggage many times. All firearms must be checked in luggage.  I had always thought flying with a gun would be a hassle.  I decided to see how it really worked for domestic air travel.

The most important hurdle is doing your homework to package your gun and ammunition correctly, as defined by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations and by the rules of the air carrier on which you are traveling.

The firearm must be unloaded in a lockable, hard-sided container.  My first tip is that the plastic gun case your firearm came with may not be secure enough.  The regulations prohibit cases that can be “pulled open with little effort.

Even if you are able to padlock the manufacturer’s gun case, many lack the rigidity to keep the ends from being pried apart far enough to liberate your gun.  I recommend buying a metal case made specifically for securing a firearm.

Ammunition is the next issue to be addressed.  Ammunition must be stored in cardboard, wood, or metal containers specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.  Ammunition cannot be stored in magazines or clips, unless they completely and securely enclose the ammunition (which they do not unless they have some sort of cap).

The ammo can be stored in the approved hard-side container with the firearm.  I travel with the ammunition in small factory boxes that are placed inside my gun box.  It is also permissible to place the ammunition in off-the-shelf ammunition cases like those used by handloaders to store ammo.

The next topic would be your luggage.  The most secure luggage for any personal property is the hard-sided suitcase.  Most travelers, however, use soft-sided luggage these days, and I admit I have traveled with a secured firearm in soft luggage.

There is a drawback to the standard hard-side suitcase. These are usually secured at the mounted latches by combination or specific keyed locks that are not readily accessible to TSA, which means they will break your bag open if necessary.

The firearms container I use has a handy cable lock that I weave in the soft-sided suitcase’s metal frame.  It adds a bit more security, but if someone wants the whole bag, they’ll get it.  On the plus side, nothing on the outside of your luggage will indicate there is a firearm inside, per ATF and TSA regulation.

Now you are enroute to the airport.  I suggest giving yourself a bit more time than the average traveler because your interaction at the airline counter and TSA may add a short delay.  By TSA regulation, you must declare you have a firearm in your checked luggage at airline check-in.

I have flown with a checked firearm in and out of international airports in New York, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and my home airport of Tampa.  I have not encountered a problem.  I’ll discuss what to expect at the airport in Part II.

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.

Pay attention to who is around your home.  Invest in motion activated lights.  Get a fence and dogs.  Take those reasonable steps to protect your family and property, because there are people who would like to visit harm upon you.

Stay safe!

The woman was running through a California Target store, stabbing people with two knives she was carrying.  An armed off-duty deputy chased and confronted the woman, stopping the attacks.

The incident highlights several points:

• Having a firearm allowed the deputy to respond to the violent attacker.
• Once the deputy was involved, no one else was stabbed.
• The deputy had handcuffs, which allowed him to secure the attacker once he confronted her.
• Some customers thought the deputy was the attacker because they saw him with a firearm.

Moral of the story?  Have gun, have handcuffs, and identify yourself clearly to others in the area.  I hope the deputy’s department recognizes how many lives he probably saved by having a firearm and getting involved.

Stay safe!

Take handgun skills. The basics include trigger control, sight alignment, drawing and safe handling.  More advanced skills would include shooting with your non-dominant hand, low light shooting and weapons transition drills.  At the very top of the pyramid would be the typical Bruce Willis movie: taping a 92F to your back, jumping off of buildings while firing your MP5 and killing multiple terrorists with one shot.  The fact is you can never become proficient in advanced skills if your fundamental skills are lacking.

I firmly believe that many departments fail their officers by not regularly teaching and reinforcing the fundamental skills officers need.  A lot of trainers push for “high speed” training, when some of their students are still (figuratively) crawling.  Yes, high-speed training can be a lot of fun to teach and do, but if your students can’t do the simple stuff, you are wasting precious training time.

About a year ago, I was in a student in a firearms class at my department.  In that class, a variety of intermediate skills were being thrown at the students.  However, more than one officer seemed lost in the training, in part, because they were not proficient in the fundamental skills.

For example, during one string of shooting, a four-year officer experienced a failure to fire.  Instead of employing “tap-rack-bang” to get back in the fight, the officer stood back and just started looking at his gun.  An instructor had to tell him to use the tap-rack-bang drill to clear the malfunction.

While the individual officer must take responsibility for maintaining the basic skills he or she needs to save their own life, the fact is very little firearms training has been done on malfunction clearing post-field training in our department.

If that officer was trully proficient in clearing weapons malfunctions, he would have cleared the problem without a thought and continued learning the new material.  As it was, though, any learning of new skills stopped as soon as he encountered a problem that should have been easily overcome if he learned the basics.

A department training program must be grounded in the basics.  Whatever skill set needs to be taught should be broken down and analyzed to determine what those basics are.  Then the training should be developed around the basics, with supplementary training for the intermediate and advanced skills.

A rough estimate might be 60% basic skills, 30% intermediate skills, and 10% advanced skills.  This would mean that at least half of all training for a skill set would be just on the basics, while smaller portions of the training would work on more advanced skills.

The latest, greatest tacticool training may be fun, but does it save lives?  I just don’t know.  Does mastering the basics save lives?  Most definitely, yes.

Stay safe.

According to the survey, less than half (only 43%) of the respondents always carry a firearm while off-duty.  While another 15% “rarely” or “never” carry off duty.  I guess this means that less than half of the responding police officers believe that they can encounter a deadly force situation while they are away from the job…a situation in which the lives of their families and their own can hang in the balance.

The 15% who never or rarely carry off duty should re-evaluate their career choice, because they do not have the right mental attitude to be a cop.  Sound harsh?  The real world is.  You never know what you may encounter off-duty, but these 15% have made the decision to not be an active participant in their own survival while out of uniform.  If they don’t care enough about their own life when they are off the clock to slip a pistol into their pocket or onto their waistband, then they probably aren’t setting any good examples of officer safety on the clock either.

If you don’t carry a gun off duty, and you think you have a legitimate reason (like you are bullet proof)…leave a comment.  I would love for someone to prove to me that they do not need to carry a pistol while out of uniform.

Stay safe!

Richard is a police officer with a medium sized, central Florida department, and previously worked for a Metro-Atlanta agency.  He has served as a field training officer, court officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander, commander of a field training and evaluation program, and general pain in the butt to management-types looking to cut training hours.

There is a lot of mistaken information out there about H.R. 218.  I have located three court cases where law enforcement officers were prosecuted for weapons charges and H.R. 218 exonerated them: two in New York, one in Utah [Ed. note: the third case was in South Dakota, not Utah].  Knowing the specifics of what H.R. 218 really says is critical to staying in compliance and legally carrying a firearm out of state to protect yourself and your family.

Detailed information on the Act along with recent updates can be found here:

• Improvements to the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act
• Q&A on LEOSA
• LEOSA Does Not Exempt on School Grounds

Stay safe!

Richard is a police officer with a medium sized, central Florida department, and previously worked for a Metro-Atlanta agency.  He has served as a field training officer, court officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander, commander of a field training and evaluation program, and general pain in the butt to management-types looking to cut training hours.

The E1B is very compact: only 4″ long and weighing a mere 2.8 ounces. The flashlight has a reversible clip so it can be carried in a pocket or on a belt with the bezel either up or down depending on your preference. SureFire also designed the E1B with a “melted styling,” meaning there are no knurling or rough edges to snag on clothing when you need it.

Even though the Backup is very compact, it still is extremely powerful. Using a high performance LED, the E1B emits 80 lumens of blinding white light, for up to 1.3 hours on a single lithium 123A battery. Additionally, the E1B flashlight has a secondary light mode of 5 lumens for more mundane tasks like maneuvering through your garage at night. Run time on the low power mode is an outstanding 37 hours.

“We wanted to create a light for our customers that wear a suit every day while making that same product purposeful for a law enforcement officer to wear on their duty belt,” says Matthew Hemenez, Director of Product Management. “The officer could immediately utilize the Backup if a primary light is not available or no longer useful.”

Stay safe!

Richard is a police officer with a medium sized, central Florida department, and previously worked for a Metro-Atlanta agency.  He has served as a field training officer, court officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander, commander of a field training and evaluation program, and general pain in the butt to management-types looking to cut training hours.

While someone, I’m sure, mourns the loss of the criminal teen, society should not. Robbing people at gunpoint suggests this criminal would have been a parasite on the Atlanta community, causing much pain and grief for innocent, law-abiding people in his community.

The lessons of this story for officers should be the following:

1. Always carry a firearm off-duty. You may never need it, but if you do, nothing else is an adequate substitute.
2. Do not hesitate to act. When your life is in danger, decisive action with overwhelming force is your best chance for survival. Hesitation betrays your intentions. The moment when you can act will pass quickly, and you may not get a second chance.
3. Be careful where you sit. Although this officer was off-duty in his personal car, the lesson is applicable to on-duty status as well. Most of us sit in our car to do our paperwork. Make sure you choose a relatively safe location to do so. A place where you can see who is approaching and where you have an escape route is good. Sitting with another officer so he or she can watch while you write (or type) is best.
4. Continue shooting until the threat is neutralized. Early reports indicate that the Atlanta police recruit shot the criminal multiple times and the perp did not return fire. If a threat is worth shooting once, it is worth shooting twice…or 15 times. As long as someone is a threat, continue perforating them with bullets. Cease fire only when the threat is no longer a threat.
5. Always watch the suspect’s hands. This officer concealed the movement of his hands until he had brought his firearm to bear on the perp. Reverse the situation, and you are the cop on a traffic stop ordering the driver out of the car. Do not be distracted…watch the hands!

The following article is the “news” that was published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Notice how they downplay the fact that the officer had a gun pointed at him. Also note that the writer failed to mention the gun pointed at the officer was a shotgun. So much for fair journalism.

Stay safe!

Teen shot by police recruit identified
No charges filed against ex-Marine

No charges have been filed against an Atlanta Police recruit who shot and killed a teenage boy who allegedly tried to rob him of a laptop computer, authorities said.

Forest Park Police continued their search Sunday for a second person who may have acted as a lookout in the alleged robbery attempt.

DeMario Jackson, 14, of Atlanta, was killed outside the Parkside Crossing apartments by the unidentified Atlanta Police recruit, who told police the teen tried to rob him about 12:15 a.m. Saturday.

Forest Park police Lt. Amy Wright said Jackson suffered more than one gunshot wound.

According to the recruit, Jackson “was definitely not alone,” Wright said.

The recruit told police that Jackson pulled a gun on him as he sat in his vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment complex. He was logged on because the complex offers free wireless Internet service, Wright said.

The recruit said he heard a tap on the driver’s side window and looked up to see Jackson standing next to the car. Wright said the recruit believed Jackson wanted his laptop. The recruit could not roll down his window because it was broken, so he began to open the door, Wright said.

As the recruit stood up, she said, he grabbed a handgun that he had at his side and hid it with the laptop. Then the recruit fired at Jackson, killing him.

The recruit, who police said they would probably not identify until Monday, had been in the Marine Corps and lives at Parkside Crossing. She said he is attending the Atlanta police academy.

Wright said the department’s investigation continues but that the shooting appears to be self-defense.