As I was reading another officer down article the other day, it struck me that our own tactics are the very ones being used so effectively against us. When I went to SWAT school in the late 80’s, most police teams visually resembled the British 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). You know, black BDU’s, black balaclava hoods, black nylon load-bearing vests, black … [Read more...]
Archives for 2011
Dry Fire Practice – Snap Caps
Dry fire practice can save your butt. Seriously. Spending a few minutes every day working on trigger control and sight alignment through dry firing can translate into huge improvements on the range. Probably the biggest problem anyone has with shooting is trigger control. Learning to master that is probably the biggest thing you can do to become more accurate. One of the … [Read more...]
Pedestrian Stop Shooting Video
Walking backwards almost got a North Carolina deputy killed. At about 4:15 am on August 29, 2009, Guilford County (NC) Sheriff's Corporal J. Mecham made a pedestrian stop on a suspicious person later identified as Daniel Roy Smith. Unknown to Corporal Mecham, Smith was an escapee from a halfway house where he was serving time for a federal bank robbery conviction. … [Read more...]
Policing in Joplin After the EF-5 Tornado
[Ed. note - Aaron spent time recently in Joplin, MO providing support to the local law enforcement agencies. The following article is his observations from his time spent there.] The large media outlets have covered the weather event that on Sunday evening, May 22, caused an EF-5 tornado (the most powerful form of a tornado) to strike the heart of Joplin, Missouri. … [Read more...]
Minimize Your Risk in an Ambush
On Saturday, May 29, 2011, there were two separate criminal ambushes on law enforcement officers with different situations and results. In San Antonio, TX, Bexar County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kenneth Vann was responding to an accidental shooting call across town. While enroute to the call, he stopped in traffic at an intersection and was fired upon by the occupant(s) of … [Read more...]
Traffic Stop Shooting
Seeing his partner dragged under a car on a traffic stop gone bad, an Albany, NY police officer was forced to shoot and kill the car's driver to save the first officer's life. This is the video that was presented to the Grand Jury, which found the officers' actions reasonable. It is a combination of video from the patrol car and from a … [Read more...]
Traffic Stop Video – Deputy Dragged by Motorcycle
Traffic stops remain one of the most dangerous actions a patrol officer can engage in, yet it is frequently seen as a "routine" activity. The below video shows a deputy sheriff in Palm Beach County who is dragged by a motorcycle through a busy intersection. Fortunately, the deputy was not seriously injured and the suspect was identified. Being dragged by a car, truck … [Read more...]
Streamlight Sidewinder Compact Light
Information on the new Streamlight Sidewinder Compact flashlight designed for SWAT and combat troops to mount on their helmets. The BlueSheepdog.com staff recently attended the vendors’ exhibit at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida. While we were utterly blown away by Dillon Aero mini-guns, MRAP armored vehicles, and the latest … [Read more...]
Kentucky v. King: Supreme Court on Exigent Circumstances
Note: The information provided here is from a former police officer and is not legal advice. You should not rely on anything here to make any cases. Contact your department's legal representative for legal advice. On May 16, 2011, the United States Supreme Court officially ruled on an exigent circumstances case brought forth in Kentucky v. King. The Court held that, “The … [Read more...]
Karbon Arms: Alternative to TASER
Did you know there was an alternative to the TASER? Randall takes a look at the Karbon Arms MPID, an affordably priced alternative to the TASET X26. In September 2010, the Karbon Arms company purchased Stinger Systems, Inc. and its holdings. Stinger Systems had marketed an electronic control device that was an alternative to the ECD’s offered by Taser … [Read more...]