Category Archives: SWAT

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

SWAT Officers Inhale Fentanyl

Hartford, Conn. Police Department’s Emergency Response Team members serving a search warrant were exposed to heroin and fentanyl when a distraction device apparently dispersed the powder into the air of the residence on entry. Eleven officers were treated at a local hospital. Over 50,000 bags of fentanyl-laced heroin were found in the house. Fentanyl is 40 to 50 times more potent than street heroin and can kill through ingestion, inhalation, or even skin exposure. The Hartford officers immediately reported dizziness, nausea, and vomiting after securing the suspects. Team members were held overnight at the hospital for observation. All were subsequently released for duty. This is yet another example of the … Continue reading

Posted in Officer Safety, SWAT | 4 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

Posted in Street, SWAT, Tactics, Technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Chicago PD Murder Charges

I have watched Chicago PD’s officer-involved shooting video from October 2014.  A few things come to mind about the totality of the circumstances.  Officers are responding to a commercial burglary call where a suspect was detained by a citizen, but is now on foot in the urban area.  The suspect is armed with a knife.  He is now evading police on the street. The suspect sprinted through a fast food restaurant parking lot, stabbed the front tire of a police car, and damaged the windshield of another.  If you forward to 4:53 in the video time (not the PD time stamp), you get to the perspective of a cruiser entering … Continue reading

Posted in Knives, Legal, Media, Misc., Officer Safety, SWAT, Tactics | 4 Comments

Terrorists and Cops

As extremist violence proliferates around the globe, it will be local law enforcement who directly confronts the threat in this country.  The coordinated attacks on civilians in Paris last Friday by eight terrorists wielding AK-47’s and suicide bombs could well have been perpetrated in any of our cities right here in the USA.  Are you prepared to be the badge on ground zero when it goes down? While law enforcement has been criticized for “militarization,” those same armored vehicles, tactical equipment, and rifles, are exactly what we need to counter threats like

Posted in Officer Safety, Street, SWAT, Tactics | 7 Comments

Next Generation CAT Tourniquet

North American Rescue is updating their popular Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT).  The graphic above displays the new features.  A strengthened windlass rod, clip, and strap address the issue of high torque when the unit is applied correctly. As we found during TCCC training earlier in the year, dual routing of the strap through the buckle is better, but a little difficult with one hand since the strap has trouble sliding.  The new single routed buckle with teeth should help preloading and administering the CAT in all conditions. No word on release date or price yet. Randall

Posted in Medical, Officer Safety, Street, SWAT, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Few Long Range Pistol Shots

Wednesday was the annual SWAT Qualification Day and I made time to attend.  Although I am retired from the Team, they graciously let me join them.  After the physical requirements and marksmanship quals were completed, we had additional ammunition for shooting drills. The 100-yard range was open and a few of the guys were testing out some pricey long guns brought by a SWAT medic.  These included an FN SCAR and an FN FS2000.  While the shooters hammered away at distant silhouette paper targets, I decided to give them some friendly competition–with my handgun. On an adjacent shooting bench, I ceremoniously unlimbered my Sig P226 and rested it on a … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, SWAT | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Hydrapak’s Durable First Wave Tactical Reservoir

I hate hydration bladders.  There I’ve said it.  You know you do, too.  Not that they aren’t a great way to haul around water when tucked inside a useful shoulder-mounted system.  It’s just that they are fragile, difficult to fill, and such a pain in the ass to properly clean and dry.  Who wants a mouth full of germy algae?  But I think you are going to really like the Hydrapak First Wave Tactical Reservoir. Time and again, I’ve watched water pouring down a SWAT guy’s back and legs after something punctured his hydration bladder.  Yeah, in training it is comical, but on a live call-out, it is serious.  Other … Continue reading

Posted in Medical, Misc., SWAT, Tactical Bags | Leave a comment

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

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

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.

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Adaptive Tactical’s NON-LITE Trainer Flashlight

Adaptive Tactical has forty years of experience in firearms accessory design and polymer engineering.  They have lines of box and rotary magazines for Mossberg shotguns, Ruger 10/22 barrels and stocks, and M4-style furniture for Mossberg and Remington shotguns.  Another product from Adaptive Tactical is their NON-LITE training aid. The NON-LITE is, shall we say, reminiscent of the Streamlight TRL weapon-mounted flashlight, but in solid polymer with no innards.  It protects your flashlight by acting as its stand-in during training evolutions so you don’t ding up the real deal.  Adaptive Tactical describes it this way:

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Gerber Strongarm Fixed Blade Knife

Gerber Legendary Blades as offered fixed blade knives for military use going way back to their 1966 Mark II fighter of Vietnam fame.  Focusing on the needs of the soldier in real time, Gerber’s new Strongarm knife is Made in the USA for today’s modern warriors.  This knife at SHOT Show barked SWAT use as well. Strongarm is a full tang fixed blade of 420HC stainless steel.  420HC is easy to resharpen and holds a decent edge.  It is used in some of Gerber’s fixed blades for its toughness and durability.  Blade length here is 4.875″ and it is coated in a black ceramic. The Strongarm stretches a measuring tape … Continue reading

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SWAT Medics In Harm’s Way

Last week, a Polk County SWAT medic was shot in the shoulder during a barricaded suspect shootout.  A Polk Sheriff’s Office M.R.A.P. was peppered by the suspect with over 40 rifle bullets in the incident.  This scenario reminded me of some of my Team’s struggles to integrate medics into our own program. When I joined SWAT in 1989, there were no trained medical professionals on any tactical unit in the my county.  About eight years later, we began sending fire department paramedics to SWAT School.  Although the FD guys qualified with handguns and shotguns, they only carried them in training. Once the medics had been activated with our Team, we … Continue reading

Posted in SWAT | 4 Comments