Category Archives: Off Duty

Just Out For a Jog…

My exercise regimen includes running through my neighborhood. Being outside for a workout adds to its relative enjoyment. Hey, it is still an unwelcome exertion. On one of my recent weekly runs, I was on a very affluent street with waterfront properties. About 50 yards ahead of me I saw a man…sprinting. He was not attired to jog. Hmmm. Dressed in long pants and a dark hoodie, the man crossed the road and cut the corner through the opposite house’s yard. Definitely not normal. A burglar? The residence from which he fled belongs to a noted local restauranteur. As I approached, I saw the home’s garage doors wide open with … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty, Tactics | 4 Comments

Testing First Tactical’s Executive Briefcase, Copperhead Knife, and Small Duty Light

After I had written an article about First Tactical’s new Diamondback folding knife, I was contacted by a company rep who asked if I would like to test and evaluate some of their products. Why, sure! While I was talking to the fellow on the phone, I was staring at my old, old Blackhawk travel bag that had been my daily carry for the last decade or two. Can I test one of your nylon bags? I asked. I went to the First Tactical™ website and perused their offerings. Not wanting to press for too much, I pitched him the idea of a T&E for a briefcase, small folding knife, … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Detectives, Firearms, Flashlights, Knives, Off Duty, Tactical Bags | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Walther Releases New PPS M2 Pistol

  Walther Arms has released a variation of the PPS to the market, the PPS M2.  The new PPS M2 has rounded looks that are more sleek than its blocky Teutonic predecessor, which is now called the PPS Classic.  The 9mm M2 is shipping to local gun stores now.  A .40 cal. version will come in the Spring of this year. The PPS M2 retains the same dimensions and basic functionality of the Classic, but the M2 has had its ambidextrous paddle mag release and Weaver rail eliminated.  The magazine release is now a left side button. The PPS, or Polizei-Pistole Schmal, was introduced in 2007 and has been wearing … Continue reading

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A Christmas Concert

My daughter’s college held a Christmas Gala last week where she was a member of the chorus. It was a beautiful show celebrating the season’s good will toward men (and women). The audience was filled with festively-dressed folks, many of them smiling seniors. Was it wrong for me to be thinking about radicalized violence? A Christian event drawing over a thousand people could be a prime target in these particular times. Once seated, I discreetly checked out the tactical options. Should something go down, where were the exits people would attempt to funnel through? What would constitute cover and/or concealment? How could an attack unfold, given the layout of

Posted in Misc., Off Duty, Tactics | 2 Comments

“Enough is Enough!”

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey is not afraid to give an opinion.  I think his observations have gone viral because they make us reflect on America and safety.  Gun sales in Florida have risen since the San Bernardino Islamic terrorist attack.  FDLE reports firearms purchase background checks were up 73% last Saturday and 86% Sunday, compared to the same dates a year ago.  People do not feel safe. Randall

Posted in Concealed Carry, Defensive Tactics, Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety, Politics, Tactics | 5 Comments

Terrorists and Cops Part Two

Two weeks ago, I wrote about terrorism migrating to our shores in the aftermath of the Paris attacks.  Then came the ISIS-inspired San Bernardino massacre.  Sadly, a homegrown extremist shooting occurred sooner than anyone thought would.  Local, state, and federal agencies responded swiftly to contain and extinguish the threat in SoCal. One of my colleagues complained Thursday that many departments have a “it won’t happen here” attitude toward agency preparedness.  He suggested more active shooter, tactical combat casualty care, and improvised explosive device training for all officers.  I would listen to him.  He has experience as a U.S. Army explosive ordinance disposal technician and combat medic.  Yeah, he’s seen the … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety, Protective Armor, Street, SWAT, Tactics | 1 Comment

Reconsidering a Carry Gun

A co-worker has been literally salivating (his desk is a wet mess) over the idea of buying a new Glock 43.  Although he was gravitating toward the .380 ACP Glock 42, the later introduction of a similar frame size chambered in 9mm made up his mind for him. Detectives at our agency are issued the .40 cal. Glock 27.  My buddy likes the idea of the Glock-format pistol in a smaller package for off-duty carry.  Good so far.  He excitedly texted me one weekend that he had put a hundred bullets through a G43 at another department’s range and he was “totally sold” on the gun.  The dude is fixated. … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, Street | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Smith & Wesson Centennial Revolvers Revisited

Does the pervasive plastic pistol have you feeling a bit listless and melancholy lately?  Striker-fired boredom setting in?  Well, perk up your life with a Smith & Wesson Centennial revolver!  Sometimes going “retro” can get you caught in a new frame of mind that will liven your dreary modern existence. The quintessential J-frame revolver by Smith & Wesson has been around since its birth in 1950 as the Chief’s Special or, later, the Model 36.  Designed as a small, concealable handgun with moderate power from its .38 S&W Special chambering, the platform has morphed into many versions during its 60-plus years. In Smith & Wesson-ese, the “Centennial” model, introduced in … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety, Street | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

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

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty, Technology | Leave a comment

Pohl Force Mike Three and Four Outdoor Folders

Dietmar Pohl has been designing knives for over a decade and a half.  He is a recognized expert in tactical knives for military and law enforcement uses and has written acclaimed books on the subject.  The knife company he founded, Pohl Force, featured two new folders at BLADE Show 2015.  These were the Mike Three and Four Outdoors. Pohl Force’s EOD (Euro Ops Division) partnered with Italy’s Lionsteel to produce these robust knives.  The Mike Three and Four are modified versions of Pohl Force’s popular Mike One and Two.  The production of the Three and Four dialed back some of the more expensive manufacturing components and processes to bring the … Continue reading

Posted in Knives, Off Duty, Street, SWAT | Tagged , | 2 Comments

BLADE Show 2015

I arrived home from BLADE Show 2015 last night.  My trip was on a nomad’s budget, so I drove up, spent one night, then drove right back.  I was able to attend the show floor on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  It was rushed.  There were 300 booths and nearly 700 tables of good things to see.  Because of my abbreviated stay, I missed much, but I met some cool folks and saw some of the newest knives.  In the next few weeks, I will be posting articles on what I learned, so keep TBF dialed in. Friday, I collected my Media Pass at Will Call and marched right into … Continue reading

Posted in Knives, Off Duty | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New Hogue Automatic Retention Holster

Hogue, Inc. is introducing a new feature on their line of holsters.  It is called the Automatic Retention System.  The retention is released by the thumb during the drawing of the handgun.  When reinserted, the gun is passively locked in at the trigger guard. This type of holster provides a positive hold on the firearm, but avoids a competitor’s perceived problem by having the release at the thumb and not a finger.  Not that I have a problem with the trigger finger release on the issued holster I have carried in plainclothes for eight years.  My patrol holster has a thumb release. Read Hogue’s ARS press release here:

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty | 2 Comments

New Mil-Spec Monkey Boss Beaver Pack

Mil-Spec Monkey had requests for a larger backpack following the popularity of his mid-sized MSM Adapt Pack.  The new Boss Beaver Pack combines a substantial main pack with an adjustable “beaver tail” pouch that can hold much larger, bulkier items.  The Monkey himself gives us a tour in the video. There are times when I have had to lug my Kevlar pot along with other pieces of equipment in a backpack.  The Boss Beaver would have gotten that task done, then later converted back to a more reasonable EDC-style bag.  Much versatility was incorporated into this design, what with its ability to stow larger objets de guerre.

Posted in Off Duty, SWAT, Tactical Bags | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Off Duty First Aid Necessities

I was out on a hiking trail in California earlier in the day.  Yes, I am on vacation.  It occurred to me that there was something noticeably different about my fellow hikers and me.  Could it have to do with the large backpack that was absent on all but myself?  I had about six more miles to ponder this. As law enforcement officers, we are trained in first responder medicine, which nowadays means we also learn about tactical combat casualty care or TCCC. When I was preparing for this trip of day-long hikes, I included medical gear.  Not just for myself and my spouse, but in the event we ran … Continue reading

Posted in Knives, Medical, Off Duty, Tactical Bags | 4 Comments

New Remington RM380 Pocket Pistol

Yet another new handgun officially launching at the NRA Annual Meeting 2015 is the Remington Arms‘ RM380.  This .380 ACP caliber hammer-fired DAO sub-sub-compact pistol has an aluminum frame with a fiberglass reinforced nylon grip overlay.  It will have a 6+1 capacity and a weight of 12.2 ounces.  The new gun will ship from Remington’s Huntville, Ala. plant with extended grip and flush grip magazines that will release from ambidextrous buttons. Much like the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, with which it will directly compete, the hammer-fired locked breech RM380 has a multiple-strike capability for stubborn

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