Category Archives: Technology

End of an Era: They Destroyed My H&K MP5

This week, a vendor came to my police department to trade out our Heckler & Koch MP5’s. We had fielded 12 of these little subguns for 29 years. Our then-City Commission approved the purchase of the “advanced” guns following an active shooter in Palm Bay, Florida where four civilians were killed, fourteen wounded, and two outgunned police officers murdered in April of 1987. Having the MP5’s available to our TAC members meant the guns were on the street protecting citizens and officers on every shift, instead of the old school SWAT mentality of having weapons locked up at the station, only to be retrieved in an emergency. 

Posted in Misc., SWAT, Technology | 7 Comments

Grappler Police Bumper–More Ingenuity at Work

Well, this is different.  I like how, after deployment, you get a stand-off distance of about three car lengths for officer safety.  It is kind of caveman technology, but then, I’m not beneath using what works.  Tell me what you think. Randall

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Magnetactical Belt Clip Lends a Hand

Updated:  Devin sent me a slightly redesigned version of the Magnetactical belt clip, so I am re-posting this article.  Here is a photo of the old and new style.  The newer belt clip has a squared-off upper and lower edge, which will grip items better than the rounded type.  I like it. Devin Stutz is a sort of modern day Geomancer, one who divines things from the very properties of the Earth.  Bear with me.  While at his police range sessions, Stutz pondered how to improve his one-handed and support-handed reloads and manipulations for the pistol.  As if drawn to a solution with his “boots in the dirt,” Stutz came … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, Officer Safety, Tactics, Technology | 1 Comment

Riggs Shield for Mobile Police Protection

This week, one of my detectives, who has a relative in law enforcement product sales, brought a ballistic shield to work that was specifically designed for vehicle ambush protection by California Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Riggs.  It is called the Riggs Shield and was conceived after one of Riggs’ partners was attacked in his cruiser. The Riggs Shield mounts on the inside of the driver’s door of a police car and is quickly and easily removed in the event the officer is attacked while seated.  By grabbing the handle and pushing the shield forward and up, it pulls away for immediate use. Rated at NIJ Ballistics Level IIIa and Stab Level … Continue reading

Posted in Florida Companies, Protective Armor, Street, Technology | 2 Comments

New FLIR Scout TK Thermal Imager

FLIR Systems, Inc. introduced their latest handheld thermal imaging monocular at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show 2016.  The FLIR Scout TK entry-level device is the company’s smallest and least expensive model yet.  At an MSRP of $599.00, the Scout TK is more than a thousand bucks less than their Scout II model, which sells at about $1,900. The new Scout TK measures just 4″ x 1.5″ x 1.5″ and weighs only 6 ounces, so it really is pocket-sized.  I got to play with their older PS24 monocular back in 2012 at SHOT.  It was like a handful of science fiction!  Even in the lit show area, looking at the heat … Continue reading

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New GPS Tracking Device Law in Florida

Oh, the Relentless March of Technology!  In a previous article, I wrote about Florida’s brand new Revenge Porn Statute.  Another recent piece of legislation is F.S.S. 934.425, which addresses the illegal use of electronic tracking devices. Four months ago, my Cyber Crimes detectives and I examined a GPS tracker that a victim said she found underneath her vehicle.  The suspect was her jealous soon-to-be-ex-husband.  She believed that he surreptitiously place it on the underside of her car’s frame rail to “spy on her.”  I will not discuss why here, but the facts and circumstances of the case precluded criminal charges, the new legislation notwithstanding. At the time of our report, … Continue reading

Posted in Legal, Technology | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Police Body Cameras Gaining Ground

From the recent TASER International Axon body camera sales I have attached below, you can deduce that the new fiscal year has begun and that many agencies are following through with police body cam purchases.  While some local, state, and federal jurisdictions are wrestling with the seemingly mutually exclusive issues of police transparency and citizens’ privacy rights, other departments are moving forward, no doubt some under urgent public pressure. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s request appears to make it the largest Florida department to pen a substantial purchase order.  As for other major agencies, where cost can be a prohibitive factor, Miami-Dade Police have $5 million earmarked for future body … Continue reading

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K9 Dog Finds Child Porn

Animal conquers the electronic!  A K9 dog was responsible for taking down former Subway spokesman and future prisoner Jared Fogle. When authorities served a federal search warrant on Fogle’s residence last month, they were unable to find key evidence in a hand search by agents.  The dog saved the day. Search warrants allow the named law enforcement officers to examine any location which might contain the evidence specified in the affidavit.  In child pornography investigations, evidence can be secreted on devices as large as a server or as small as a micro SD card, which means it could be hidden in an infinite number of

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Odortec’s Skunk for Crowd Control

How would you fancy someone “taking a chunk of rotting corpse from a stagnant sewer, placing it in a blender and spraying the filthy liquid in your face.”  Skunk brand crowd control liquid, made by Odortec Ltd., delivers that vile scenario, according to one Reuters reporter.  Sounds like The Running Dead. We all know that dispersing unruly masses with smoke, CS, or OC can be effective if the crowd is given lawful orders, clear instructions, and viable escape routes.  Skunk is marketed as a “non-lethal malodorant” that comes with a strong incentive to flee from your own gag reflex. Skunk’s formula is water-based, eco-friendly, biodegradable, non-flammable, and made from food-grade … Continue reading

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G2 Research R.I.P. Expanding Bullets

Bullet technology is becoming more inventive with each primer strike.  These new projectiles from G2 Research may be more art than science, but they definitely push the marketing envelope.  The press release I received in my Inbox proclaimed, “Flying Hole Saw Defense Round.”  Uh-huh. G2’s www.G2Rammo.com Radically Invasive Projectile (R.I.P.) means just that, RIP!  In fact, firing this bullet downrange is like firing a hole saw at a target. The key to the R.I.P. round’s devastating effect is its exclusive bullet construction that causes the round to fragment into several separate controlled copper fragments thus causing more bleeding, trauma and pain all designed to stop an attacker quickly. The fragments … Continue reading

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Bounce Imaging Tactical Camera

This thing is cool.  The Bounce Image Tactical Throwable Camera would be a nice device for a team to use.  It uses white or near-infrared (850nm wavelength) LED’s to light up the area while it snaps panoramic still photos that can be immediately accessed via an Android or iOS phone.  The 360 degree photo array, from six monochrome cameras, updates once per second.  The unit will run on its internal batteries for 30 minutes at full flash intensity.  It is MIL-STD 810 drop-tested for durability.  The model used in the video, the Explorer Tactical Edition, costs about $2,500.00. Don’t diss the questionable tactics in the video, they’re only for demonstration … Continue reading

Posted in SWAT, Tactics, Technology | 4 Comments

How Criminals Defeat Keyless Entry Systems

We had experienced some curious auto thefts where a suspect was seen pointing something at a victim’s car, then opening the door and driving away.  The owner’s keys were still inside the house.  We had it all on surveillance video and it was puzzling.  This type of theft occurs by a relay attack. Passive Keyless Entry Systems are the latest technology that let drivers walk up to their car and open the doors or trunk without pushing a button or touching a key.  As long as the fob is in your pocket or purse, you are hands-free to get into the vehicle.  Once inside the car, the driver uses a … Continue reading

Posted in Detectives, Street, Technology | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Elzetta Explains Flashlight Candela Vs. Lumens

Elzetta Tactical Lighting’s Dave Barnett explains light measurement by candela in this video.  He contrasts that with the measurement of lumens, which is another term you will see when buying a tactical flashlight.  A little knowledge is power. Dave is a solid guy and I have spoken to him many times at SHOT Show.  Their products have thoughtful design features.  We drove nails into a 2X4 with one of their Bravo models the first year I was at SHOT.  The flashlight still threw a perfect beam afterward and we were not the only ones to have beaten that particular sample!

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Sarasota Police Body Cameras Stalled

Despite the procurement of 24 body cameras by the Sarasota Police Department, the recording devices will not be worn by officers pending a lawsuit and proposed legislation in both houses of the Florida Legislature. A civil rights activist, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, is suing the city over the cost of a public records request for 84 hours of police video taken during the cameras’ test program.  SPD gave a price of $18,000 for compilation, review, and redaction of the videos per F.S.S. 119, the Florida Public Records law.  The ACLU contends it is an excessive charge. SPD Chief Bernadette Di Pino has also put the cameras on … Continue reading

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New CODECAM Police Body Camera

I spied a couple of police body cameras at SHOT Show 2015.  One was the CODECAM designed by HQ Industries, LLC.  This is a low profile camera that can be carried in a uniform pen pocket or clipped to other items of clothing or MOLLE webbing.  It even comes with a magnetic mount.  HQ says theirs is the only camera with a built-in LED utility light. The CODECAM records video in 720p HD at 30 FPS and stores it on an 8 GB micro SD card, which can be removed for upload.  Video is recorded, in color and with audio, to .MOV format.  Over two hours of video can be … Continue reading

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