In 1989, I found myself staring down the throat of Hurricane Hugo, a Category 4 hurricane which frequently gusted up to Category 5 status. My career had spanned a broad range of law enforcement experiences, but I quickly discovered how naïve I really was. The lessons learned didn’t come easy, but they proved invaluable in 1992 when I was dispatched to assist the Homestead (FL) … [Read more...]
Executive Leadership in Training
“No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair” - General George S. Patton Jr. Leadership in a law enforcement organization is every bit as important as it is in the military. Men and women in both organizations are asked to do hard things that most people shrink away from. A leader can motivate his or her people to act without hesitation in the face of grave … [Read more...]
Ankle Holsters: Convenient, but Deadly
The first time I saw an ankle holster was in the 1971 Academy Award winning movie, The French Connection. I was in high school at the time and I hadn’t even thought about a law enforcement career. My total focus was on two things: girls and sports – in that order! I saw the movie at the drive-in and I was immediately taken by the concept of strapping a gun to one’s leg. It was … [Read more...]
Continuing Education for Law Enforcement
There's been a lot of discussion during the past three decades about the usefulness of a college degree for a police officer. During this time, it has become obvious that a degree can be a massively beneficial tool for someone looking to become a police officer and for an officer who wants to advance his or her career. Last year (2012), the U.S. Census Bureau reported about … [Read more...]
Springfield XDS Review
In this Springfield XDS review, I take a look at the most recent version (and the smallest yet) of the XD pistols which is imported from Croatia by Springfield, with final assembly done in the U.S. The history of the XD pistol begins with IM Metal, Croatia, which, in 1991, began manufacturing a 9mm pistol (and a subsequent version in 1995) for the Croatian military and … [Read more...]
Palm-to-Palm Handgun Transition
Back in November, Aaron wrote an article on off-hand shooting. A number of people left comments and sent in e-mails with some questions on the topic. To help clarify one of the things mentioned in the article, Aaron recorded this short video to show how to transfer a handgun from one hand to another using a technique called the palm-to-palm transition. Questions, … [Read more...]