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...]
Traffic Stop Shooting Video
This police shooting happened during a traffic stop in Tomah, Wisconsin. Notice that the driver immediately exited the truck and started shooting. Watch how the suspect engaged both officers while he was shooting. You see him shooting at one officer, then shift his fire to a second officer and then back to the first officer before retreating back to his truck. … [Read more...]
6 Things That Can Save Your Life
There are six things you can do before going on duty tonight that may save your life. The list is short, but critical to your survival. 1. Commit yourself mentally to survival - This is the most important, so I lead with it. You must mentally commit yourself to survival right now. If you are not mentally prepared for a violent encounter, all the tools in the world will … [Read more...]
LAPD Adopts Ruger, S&W .380 Pistols
In early March 2011, the following unsubstantiated information, purported to be from the Los Angeles Police Department, began circulating around several Internet forums. A call to Smith & Wesson confirmed that the content is true. … [Read more...]
Another Law Enforcement Training Death
In what has become an unbelievably hard circumstance to realize, another police officer has lost his life during a firearms training exercise. On September 15, 2010, St. Joseph, Missouri police officer Dan DeKraai was killed in the line of duty while attending force-on-force training for the Department’s SWAT Team. At the time of his death Officer DeKraai was a four year … [Read more...]
Medical Training and Trauma Kits
Ever thought about what you would do if you are shot? Stabbed? Ever considered what you would do if help was a long way off? If you work in a rural area, you may have considered that EMS may take 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or even longer to get to you. If you work in an urban area, those time delays may not seem possible, but they are. Consider the … [Read more...]
Crime, the Economy, and Congressional Spending: Yep, the Citizens Are Pissed
During the past few weeks, Americans have been watching their 401(k) and other retirement funds sink. Most people are just now starting to wonder how bad things will get. I'm no economist, but I suspect things are going to get a lot worse before they start to get better. Cops get to see a wide cross-section of society. We deal with people of all races, … [Read more...]
Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights by Jim Cirillo: Review of the Excellent Book by a True Hero
I just finished reading Guns, Bullets, And Gunfights: Lessons And Tales From A Modern-Day Gunfighter by Jim Cirillo and was very impressed. Cirillo, a retired NYPD officer, was an exceptionally gifted shooter and police officer who won more armed confrontations than any other modern police officer I have read about. His insights and experiences are recounted in this … [Read more...]
Foot Pursuits: Use Care When Chasing Suspects
Police officers receive a lot of training in vehicle pursuits, yet most cops get very little training in foot pursuits. The reason comes down to lawsuits. If an officer initiates a vehicle pursuit and subsequently the suspect or officer strike an uninvolved citizen, the officer's city will be facing an expensive lawsuit. If the same officer engages in a foot pursuit, there … [Read more...]
Pelican 7060 LED Police Flashlight: 130 Lumens from a Rechargable LED Flashlight Based on LAPD Specs
The Los Angeles Police Department to develop this light. While I have been told that the LAPD specs may have been politically motivated, the fact of the matter is Pelican developed what appears to be a darn good tactical light for police work. The 7060 advertises a brightness of 130 lumens, which is highly impressive. The ubiquitous identifying threats in low light or … [Read more...]