Police Training and Officer Safety Tips

Traffic Direction–Hazardous Duty

by Randall

January 26th, 2012

I have attempted to train quite a few rookies in safe traffic direction. There are many dangers in playing toreador to hundreds of two ton cars. I have a few tips.

First and foremost: Wear your reflective vest! Regardless if it is night or day. The darn thing is ANSI compliant for visibility and you are not.

Second, know clear hand signals. Hard to recreate here, but hand signals in daylight are much different than using that flashlight and cone in the darkness. Simple movements to direct the cars are best. Waving them forward, pointing toward turns, and holding out a hand or light for stop work best.

Next, you need your whistle. One long blow for stop. Two short chirps for go. This auditory addition to good hand signals is essential if you want to get their attention. And you do.

Categories Patrol, Training
Comments (11)

Use of Force and the EDP

by Richard

January 25th, 2012

When and how much force can be used when dealing with emotionally disturbed people (EDP)? Absent any criminal action, should officers respond to an armed suicidal person the same way they might an armed criminal? Are the dangers to the officers lesser or greater?

The Americans for Effective Law Enforcement (AELE) have a great article in this month’s AELE Monthly Law Journal that attempts to answer these questions. The article, Disturbed/Suicidal Persons — Part One, touches on when force can be used, self-defense and defense of others. Part two will cover restraining EDPs and more. I highly recommend clicking the link and reading the article.

Categories EDP
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First Light Demonstration

by Aaron

January 21st, 2012

This is a demonstration of the First Light line of tactical flashlights from the 2012 SHOT Show.

Categories 2012 SHOT Show, flashlights
Comments (4)

Rapid Containment Baton

by Richard

January 19th, 2012

The Rapid Containment Baton (RCB) is a re-thinking of the expandable baton from Peacekeeper Products International. The RCB offers several potential improvements when compared to batons from ASP and Monadnock including a thicker handle for easier grip and the weight on the striking end, not in the handle.

Aaron was able to get a great demonstration of the RCB at the 2012 SHOT Show:

Categories 2012 SHOT Show, Batons
Comments (3)

SWATSCOPE Surveillance Tool Review

by Randall

January 19th, 2012

Tony Leonti is the designer of the SWATSCOPE by Micro-Times, LLC. He took time out at his very busy booth at SHOT Show 2012 to give us a tour of his tactical periscope.

The SWATSCOPE is a hand held tactical sniper periscope that extends 22 1/2″ above the operator and provides a safe view of hostile territory with a 4X to 9X zoom lens. The aluminum body of the scope is sheathed in 4 mil removable 3M CamoClad material that is flat black. The optics consist of high quality glass prisms and lenses.

Some kind of magic goes on inside the angled tubes of this SWATSCOPE that keeps the image viewed through the eyepiece at the proper upright orientation to the user, no matter how the unit is rotated! It can even be turned 90 degrees to look around a corner and be viewed normally without adjustment. This makes for canting one’s head or trying to decipher a sideways image unnecessary.

Categories 2012 SHOT Show, Gear and Holsters, SWAT
Comments (2)

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