Monthly Archives: March 2012

Debrief That Patrol Incident

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Randall

We went on quite a few hot calls in the last couple of shifts.  One in particular had some valuable lessons that deserved time in a debriefing.  A “Shots Fired” came in to our Dispatch Center.  Units were sent to the general area.  Nothing was found at first. When one of the officers went to speak with a complainant, he heard gunfire from several houses to the west.  More officers arrived.  Just prior to my pulling on scene, the troops had focused in on a particular house on the block.  Officers were sent to surround it.  There was no valid phone number to the home.  We cautiously made contact with … Continue reading →

Posted in Officer Safety, Street | 1 Comment

New Charter Arms Pitbull .40 S&W Revolver Review

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Randall

…Updated below… BlueSheepdog Richard and I went to the range a couple of months ago to get some trigger time with a mixed bag of pistols and revolvers.  One of the wheelguns he brought was the unique Charter Arms Pitbull.  The Pitbull is a .40 S&W cal. revolver, which was formerly called the CARR, for Charter Arms Rimless Revolver. The Pitbull was made to fire a rimless auto-pistol cartridge without the use of full or half moon clips.  Integral to their design is a dual coil spring loaded extractor, which engages the case rim and ejects the spent rounds. Originally, Charter Arms’ idea was to provide a revolver that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show, Street | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Affordable Maratac LED Flashlight from County Comm

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Randall

County Comm Government Products Group, a California tactical retailer, sells some interesting and unique items.   One of their signature lines of product is Maratac.  The Maratac brand includes tactical nylon gear and flashlights. I purchased two of County Comm’s Maratac AA Extreme flashlights on-line.  My intent was to put one in both my wife’s and my personal cars.  I thought a sale price of $35.95 for each was excellent, given the many features of the light. The MSRP is still good at $41.95. The AA Extreme is an aluminum-bodied light finished in black or OD green Type 3 military grade anodizing.  The R2 light-emitting diode (LED) generates either 120 … Continue reading →

Posted in Flashlights | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

St. Petersburg Officer’s Killer Gets Life Sentence

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Randall

Yesterday, Nicholas Lindsey was found guilty of first degree murder in the killing of St. Petersburg Police Officer David Crawford.  At 17 years of age, Lindsey was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The defense attempted to portray Lindsey, who was tried as an adult for the February 21, 2011 murder, as a “scared child” who accidentally shot Crawford.  Five times.  Jurors did not believe the rhetoric. Ofc. David Crawford’s widow, who was harassed in the 6th Judicial Circuit Criminal Courts Complex by Lindsey supporters, had no sympathy as she read her statement to the Court: “My name is Donna Crawford. I am the wife of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Off Duty, Officer Down | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another Victim in the Trayvon Martin Case: Objectivity

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Randall

I have thus far avoided weighing in on the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman shooting out of Sanford, FL.   I did not want to speak prematurely, however… The controversial incident happened nearly a month ago in the small city outside Orlando.  In the ensuing weeks, public outrage over the shooting, the investigation, the chief of police, and the charge of racism has simmered over. Each day, the mainstream media has brought us a fistful of “breaking news,” fresh protests, and the latest in politicians and celebrities vying for the spotlight in the wake of this case.  In society’s current zeal for instant gratification, it seems no one has patience for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Media, Politics | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

New COAST Products Rapid Response Knife Video Review

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Randall

This is a video review of the COAST Products Rapid Response Folding Knife.  The knife makes me smile for several reasons.  First, it is very well made.  The production values are high and the knife has a quality feel.  It is inexpensive.  Not cheap, inexpensive.  The knife in the video, which is the 3.9″ 5Cr15MoV satin-finished blade can be purchased for only $41.49 (three dollars more for a black coated blade).  Lastly, the knife performs well. COAST Products, which began as COAST Cutlery, has been a family-owned Oregon business since 1919.  Although the company began making knives, the current product line includes LED lights and multi-tools.  I have a COAST … Continue reading →

Posted in Knives, Officer Safety, Street | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Florida Department of Corrections Sergeant Stabbed to Death

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Randall

Sgt. Ruben Thomas, of the Florida Department of Corrections, was murdered in the line of duty on 3/18/2012 at the Columbia Correctional Institute Annex, which is near Lake City, FL.  Sgt. Thomas was checking on an inmate in one of the dormitory wings at approximately 2200 hrs last night when he was attacked by Inmate Richard Franklin. Thomas was stabbed in the neck with an improvised weapon by Franklin, who also injured Corrections Officer William Brewer with a loaded sock.  Brewer’s injuries are non life-threatening.  Franklin was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 for first degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, battery on a law … Continue reading →

Posted in Officer Down | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

They Gave My Cruiser a Trespass Warning!

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Randall

…Updated below… The other night there was a knock at my front door and I saw a guy in plainclothes wearing a badge.  It was a command officer from the small city in which I live (but do not work).  He apologetically told me I could not park a marked police car in my driveway! I recently received a new slicktop CVPI that is striped and lettered.  My old cruiser, old as in a 2001 Crown Vic, was an unmarked unit.  The command officer said my new marked car is a “commercial vehicle” and violates the city code banning the parking of commercial vehicles on residential property.  He said they … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Legal, Off Duty, Politics | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Florida Attorney General’s Efforts Curbing Pill Mills

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Randall

Florida has been a major player in the prescription drug abuse epidemic in this country, but efforts by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi have reduced the flow of addictive pain pills onto the streets. It is no secret that Bondi made pill mills and prescription drug abuse a priority when she made the move to Tallahassee in January of 2011.  Initially, her ideas were met with a cool reception in the governor’s office, but over the last year things have thawed and new enforcement strategies are paying off. At a press conference Wednesday, Bondi, Governor Rick Scott, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey, and Department of Health Interim … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Misc., Street | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Maxpedition Falcon II Backpack–Concealed Carry Review

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Randall

While vacationing, my wife and I regularly take long day hikes.  You may know I am a stalwart supporter of LEO’s carrying a firearm at all times, so the backpack I wear has to have good concealment and easy access for a handgun.  The Maxpedition Falcon II satisfies both attributes and more. Many backpacks and slingbags have adequate cargo space and useful features, but I went looking for a carry-all that could give me good ingress into a handgun compartment while the pack was worn on my back with both straps shouldered.  In other words, a quick draw without having to doff the bag. Years ago, I purchased a Maxpedition … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Off Duty, Tactical Bags | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments

Heckler and Koch’s New HK45 Compact Tactical

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Randall

Heckler and Koch’s Jeff Swisher was kind enough to walk us through the features of their new HK45 Compact Tactical (CT) pistol at Media Day at the Range, SHOT Show 2012.  This new variant of the HK45 series is a recoil operated pistol with a modified Browning locking system.  The action is either DA/SA or their Law Enforcement Modification DAO. The HK45CT was derived from the HK45 series to give civilians a taste of the Special Operations pistol made for the now-defunct U.S. Military Joint Combat Pistol and Combat Pistol programs from several years ago. This gun has a threaded barrel, replaceable grip panels, a 10 round extended magazine, ambidextrous … Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, SHOT Show | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Police Qualified Immunity Rejected in Florida K9 Dog Bite Case

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Randall

I wrote an article for BlueSheepdog.com based on a K9 bite case from U. S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit ruling in Edwards vs. Shanley and Lovette (11-11512) from the Orlando Police Department. The full article is linked above and gives the details of the call, but the gist of the ruling was that in the facts and circumstances specific to the Orlando incident in 2008, the judgment of the Appeals Court was to reject the qualified immunity defense of the two defendant police officers in this civil lawsuit. At consideration in the case was the plaintiff’s allegations that the K9 dog bit him for five to seven minutes, which … Continue reading →

Posted in K9, Legal | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Florida Forms Police Crash Task Force—For No Good Reason

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Randall

A State Task Force has been empaneled to study police vehicle crashes.  The Governor’s Office has appointed Florida Highway Patrol Director Col. David Brierton Jr., Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight, and Winter Park Police Chief Brett Railey to study law enforcement training, agency policies, and crash data.  I do not see why. The Orlando Sentinel boasts the State Task Force was formed based upon the newspaper’s series of articles about police crashes and public safety. Sentinel reporters studied crash statistics from 2006 to 2010 and tallied an average of 7,400 police car crashes per year, causing 2,400 injuries, 20 deaths, and $25 million in property damage. One Sentinel article states, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Misc., Street | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tactical Combat Casualty Care Training for Police Officers

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Randall

Last week, I attended my department’s annual forty-hour In-Service training block.  The final day had instruction to which I had not been exposed in many years of police work:  an introduction to Tactical Combat Casualty Care. What has always been in the trunk of the cop car?  A first aid kit.  What was it useful for?  Not much really.  Antiseptic, band-aids, and some Ibuprofen are far from helpful in a real live trauma emergency when rounds may be flying. The concept of TCCC (Tee-Triple-Cee) began with a 1996 paper that was published in Military Medicine.  U.S. Special Operations Command ran with the ideas and methods and slowly began implementing TCCC … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical, Officer Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Benchmade 176BK SOCP Knife Review

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Randall

U.S. Military Special Operations Forces operators needed a purpose-designed knife for urban close quarters battle, based on their experiences with house-to-house fighting in the Sandbox.  Special Forces Combatives Program (SOCP) developer Greg Thompson made it happen. Thompson, a trainer of SF soldiers for over 12 years and Director of Training for the XVIII Airborne Corps in Ft. Bragg, NC, collaborated with the Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. to produce what he felt was the solution to an edgy problem. The Benchmade 176BK SOCP dagger is made for low profile carry, ease of accessibility on a combat load-out, and pure function in CQB.  Sounds like something useful to domestic SWAT operators and … Continue reading →

Posted in Knives, Officer Safety, Street, SWAT | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment