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Monthly Archives: January 2012
Some Tips on Safe Concealed Firearms Carry
I carry a gun when I am off duty. A person who is trained in firearms handling and basic tactics, has studied the legal use of lethal force, and possesses a concealed firearms carry permit should as well. There have been too many incidents, especially over the last few years, where an armed citizen or off duty police officer could have stopped the killing in an active shooter situation. There are many more examples of this than I can mention. Read the news. I can say that this use of force must be held judiciously and only as a last resort, but it can be the final defense in an … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety
Tagged Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
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Gerber Debuts New De Facto Combat Knife
BlueSheepdog Aaron and I got a look at some new knives from Gerber Legendary Blades at 2012 SHOT Show. One knife stood out to me: the Gerber De Facto. With input from U.S. Army Special Forces personnel, this knife is primarily designed for close quarters combat. The steel used in this knife is S30V. Its 4” blade is a flat ground, spear point, and double-edged. There are serrations right and left. At the opposite end of the full-tang is a glass breaker/skull crusher at the pommel. The handle is a polymer that is slightly tacky in the hand for good grip. The knife weighs 3.9 ounces and is 8.875” overall. … Continue reading
New Sig Sauer P224 Review
I did a range review of the new Sig Sauer P224 Extreme from SHOT Show 2012 over at GunsHolstersandGear.com. Click here for the link: P224. I thought this was a sweet shooting gun in .40 cal. I have Hogue G-10 grips on my personal Sig P226. If you dig the Sig platform, which I do, you will like this gun. Listen for the pings on the steel target at 15
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, SHOT Show
Tagged Extreme, P224, SHOT Show 2012, Sig Sauer
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Police GPS Tracking Requires Search Warrant
On 1/23/2012, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in the 2005 case of the United States vs. Antoine Jones (10-1259). The High Court held that the attachment of a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking device to an individual’s vehicle, and the subsequent use of that device to monitor the movements of the vehicle on public streets, constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment and requires a search warrant. Yawn. Many police agencies already obtain a search warrant before using a GPS to track a suspect’s vehicle. While paranoid liberals out there cheer the “landmark” decision, it is fair to note a few under-reported things about U.S. vs. Jones.
SHOT Show 2012 Media Day at the Range
Last Monday was Range Day for the Media. Over 2500 media personnel attended the SHOT Show this year. We were driven by bus out into the Nevada desert for a day of shooting the latest products from a wide range of manufacturers. I was lucky to travel with the crews of BlueSheepdog.com and GunsHolstersandGear.com. Check out those sites for more in-depth coverage! I’ll post more photos as the week goes on… Randall
SHOT Show 2012 Coverage
I’ve been in Las Vegas at the 2012 SHOT Show for the last week. I saw the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Black lever-action rifle with picatinny tri-rail, scope, and adjustable stock? Ouch. It’s like Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB Gun done tactical. More to come… Randall
A Rookie Cop on Midnight Shift
Our squad has quite a few officers with less than a year of experience. Welcome to Midnight Shift. At ReadOff, the other Sergeant and I looked out at a room full of rookies. At our recent shift change, we inherited a bunch of FNG’s. Nice. They are sharp and eager, but not yet skilled. For one rookie, it was his very first Midnight Tour. Less than one half hour into his shift, the rookie called out that he was in a foot pursuit! Upon arriving at a domestic disturbance, he saw the male-half walking away down the street. The rookie beckoned the man to “Stop Police!” The suspect ran and … Continue reading
Posted in Humor, Street
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Video Recording the Police Can Be Illegal
A citizen with a cellular phone was arrested for obstructing justice when he recorded the activities of Tampa, FL police officers investigating a disturbance call on May 1, 2011. Two officers were in a public parking lot in Ybor City checking on a reported fight at 2:30 am. Jeffrey Dylan Patch began video recording the officers with a cell phone camera. In the blurry video shot by Patch, he was told by an officer, “Sir, please step back.” Patch is asked three times to move back. Though Patch appears to comply, he is warned by an officer that, “You’re interfering with our investigation right now.” Patch is heard replying, “I … Continue reading
Posted in Legal, Officer Safety
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U. S. Supreme Court to Rule on Florida K9 Drug Sniff
The Unites States Supreme Court will make a ruling this year in the case of a K9 sniff conducted outside a private residence in 2008. The alert by Miami-Dade narcotics detector K9 Franky resulted in a search warrant for the residence and ultimately a drug seizure and arrest. At odds in Joelis Jardines vs. State of Florida (SC08-2101) is whether the sniff of the exterior of the home violated the suspect’s Fourth Amendment rights to search and seizure. Jardines was arrested after the search warrant service yielded 179 marijuana plants in his home.
Posted in K9, Legal
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SHOT Show in One Week
I’m psyched that this time next week I’ll be on a plane to SHOT Show in Las Vegas! I’ll be traveling with the crews from BlueSheepdog.com and GunsHolstersandGear.com. The annual Shooting, Hunting, and Oudoor Trade Show is quite the media circus, but the products, manufacturers, and vendors are something to see. The 2011 Show was amazing and I met some cool people like Michael Bane, John Bianchi, Tom Knapp, Sheriff Jim Wilson, and Mike Janich. I hope this year is just as good. I got to hang out with Gunny at Media Day in Boulder City last year!
New Year’s Resolutions for a Cop
Coming off my weekend, I thought of a few things that I resolve to do in 2012 for survival, professional development, and peace of mind: Spend more time with family for relaxation. Maintain fitness and a good (decent) diet. Get to the Range more (though I went two days ago). Be prepared each shift for a violent encounter. Make sure all weapons and duty equipment are in good order. Have patience with my co-workers. Remember that we are always in the public eye (and cameras). Be a good role model to the younger officers. Strive for quality work in all areas. Do not become obsessed with politics and rumors at … Continue reading
Posted in Officer Safety
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