It is part and parcel for our profession that we, as officers and deputies, regularly interact with the local animals. Not always the human kind. Whether dealing with a cow on the freeway or a bear in a neighborhood, law enforcement officers face deadly encounters with animals that we are not necessarily trained or equipped to handle. Having worked in Florida, I am … [Read more...]
Planning for the Unthinkable – Police Funeral Book Review
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 … [Read more...]
Trauma Pak with QuikClot for First Responders Review
Adventure Medical Kits’ Trauma Pak with QuikClot is a recent offering that is an important addition to the patrol car, bailout bag, or go-vest. AMK markets a line of first aid products designed for outdoor adventurers and travelers. Their first aid kits are combinations of items tailor-made for different users’ needs from outdoor sport to professional. The Trauma … [Read more...]
CIT—The Memphis Model
Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training is a model for first-responding law enforcement officers to more effectively deal with mentally ill persons, with the goal of improving safety for the officers, mental health consumers, family, and citizens. Developed in 1988 as a partnership between the Memphis, TN Police, the Memphis Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental … [Read more...]
Controversy Surrounds Police Photo Lineups
In recent years, DNA exonerations have brought to light what are perceived as flaws in police photo lineup procedures. In some cases where DNA evidence has later cleared an incarcerated suspect, one of the factors in the original conviction may have been the false identification of the suspect in a photo lineup by an eyewitness. Advocacy groups have seized upon these … [Read more...]
Magnum Cobra 8.0 Boot Review
The author's Magnum Cobra boots he reviewed. Over a month ago, I received a pair of Magnum Cobra boots to review. The Magnum Boot Company is a branch of Hi-Tec Sports, which was founded in England in 1974. Hi Tec first came to light in the U.S. when they designed a black lightweight tactical boot for the F.B.I. in the early 1980’s. This early boot was called … [Read more...]
Police Tactics Used Against the Police
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...]
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...]
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...]