Get ThinBlueFlorida via Email
Search ThinBlueFlorida.com
Follow ThinBlueFlorida.com!
Popular Articles
- Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Laser Batteries
- XS Express Sight Set for the Bodyguard 380
- KA-BAR TDI Knife Review: Unsafe for Duty
- Update to LAPD Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Review
- The One-Ass-To-Risk Story
- New KA-BAR TDI Hinderance and Hell Fire Knives
- L. A. Police Gear Jumbo Bail Out Bag Review
- Review of the New Kahr Arms CM40
- Shooting the New Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380
- Benchmade Knives 175 Adamas CBK Push Dagger Review
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Redefining Criminology…or I Get the Strangest Correspondence
This graphic was sent to me by a reader who asked me to critique it. In looking at it, I don’t know why she sent it to me. I had very strong negative feelings (you’ll know why when you read it), and I sent back an email saying I thought it was “misleading.” Now, where are those damnable blood pressure pills? Okay, this is the email I sent back: “In 24 years as a sworn police officer, I have been spit on, punched, kicked, hit with all manner of foreign objects, attacked twice with knives, and shot at half a dozen times. I am a sergeant in a mid-sized Florida … Continue reading
H&K MP5: The Best CQB Weapon I’ve Ever Kicked to the Curb
I carried a 9mm Heckler & Koch MP5A2 on SWAT operations and patrol from 1990 until 2009. My gun was #364 and she was my assigned weapon the whole time. Together, we went on hundreds of callouts, buy-busts, and warrant services over the years. I kept #364 stone stock, except for the Surefire light kit up front. That’s all the technology I needed for close quarters battle. I loved the three point sling, the curved thirty round mags, SEF trigger group, and the left-side charging handle. The adjustable diopter rear sight and front hooded post were simple and fast to employ. I could change those 30 round coupled mags in … Continue reading
Posted in Firearms, Street, SWAT
Tagged H&K MP5, Heckler & Koch, Police SWAT Submachine Gun, Submachine Gun
6 Comments
RNC Will Bring Delegates and Officers to Tampa
The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that as many as 59 different law enforcement agencies will be assisting the Tampa Police Department in the Republican National Convention, this according to Tampa Chief Jane Castor. A mutual-aid agreement has been distributed to contributing agencies. A total of $50 million was given to Tampa PD as a convention security grant. This money is being distributed for salaries, equipment, and training. A $10 million insurance policy will cover law enforcement claims from July 1 until after the clean-up of the convention. Most local agencies, including my own, are prepping for the event with staffing mandates and extra training. Though we are not directly … Continue reading
When the Police Need to Break Glass…
You need to have the right information and tools if you are going to break a glass window or door to make an exigent entry into a structure or to rescue a trapped motorist. There are three types of glass you will encounter: tempered glass, non-tempered glass, and laminated glass. Tempered glass is special heat-treated form of glass. Tempered glass is used where there is a likelihood of human contact and as such is made to shatter into small ¼” pieces when broken. The small pieces are not very sharp and are relatively safe to handle. Non-tempered glass is a different animal. When broken, non-tempered glass makes large, irregular, jagged … Continue reading
Posted in Officer Safety, Street
Tagged Breaking Glass, Bust a Cap, Police and Glass Breaking, Types of Glass
Leave a comment
St. Petersburg Police Field DeadStop Equalizer Police Shields
I was over in St. Petersburg last week and got to see their brand new DeadStop Equalizer Police Shields that were distributed to supervisors less than a month ago. As you can see, the protective plastic sheets are still over the viewing window. Made by LCOA Composites, Inc, the DeadStop Equalizer is a NIJ level IIIa ballistic shield with a nice array of features, the most prominent of which is the ultra light weight. The Equalizer shown above clocks in at 15 pounds for the 24″ X 40″ intermediate coverage shield. DeadStop calls their composite formulation Feather Plate armor technology. I really liked the ergonomics of the Equalizer’s grab handle. … Continue reading
Shotgun for Home Defense
If you don’t cruise by the GunBlast.com website occasionally, then you are missing out on the folksy GunBlog-stylings of Jeff, Boge, and Greg Quinn. In this video, on-air talent Jeff, whose double-pony-tailed beard is his trademark, talks about different shotgun rounds and demonstrates birdshot as a viable home defense load in a shotgun. I am a strong proponent of the shotgun as the most devastating close quarter weapon available. I have a Remington 870, set up with a Speedfeed III stock, Surefire light, and
Posted in Firearms, Humor
Tagged Birdshot vs. Buckshot, Police Shotgun, Shotgun as Home Defense
Leave a comment
Florida Officer Fired For Writing Too Many Tickets…Well Sorta
I’m sure by now everyone has read about the Palm Beach police officer fired for “writing too many tickets.” It was repeated on numerous mainstream media sites. Ad nauseum. You really didn’t need to read between the lines to see it was a two-sided pissing contest. Really? The guy was fired for writing 115 traffic tickets in a month? By some standards that would be a modest four weeks of cites. At my copshop, one officer who consistently writes over 300 cites a month should be drawn and quartered! Hopefully, it was plain as day that the termination was a politically motivated action. The town instituted what amounts to a … Continue reading
SWATting Brings Controversy
I’m a big fan of Robb Allen over at the blog Sharp as a Marble. He’s from my neck of the woods and is passionate about the Second Amendment. Heck, I even put him on my Blogroll. But I’m annoyed at a recent post about SWATting. In his entry, he condemns the militarization of the police, and its abuses, which include the practice of sending the police to a fake critical incident (SWATting). His post was prompted by the SWATting of blogger Patrick Frey. However, Allen and others assert that apparently SWAT is part of the problem: “This entire episode has been enabled by the constant militarization of the police … Continue reading
Mantis Knives Stolen In Atlanta
While in Atlanta for The BLADE Show this weekend, Mantis Knives’ rental SUV was broken into and 25 pre-production MK-4 Vuja De balisong/karambits were stolen. The following letter was sent out to Mantis Militia (knife club) members. Thanks to ThinBlueFlorida reader M@ for forwarding it. On Friday June 8th, at about 8:15pm, Mantis’ rental car was burglarized outside of a restaurant on West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta, GA. The passenger-side rear window of our SUV was busted out and EVERYTHING of value was taken. My backpack that contained a camera with priceless video footage and still shots of our booth, my iPad, and assorted folders with vast amounts of … Continue reading
Posted in Knives
Tagged balisong/ karambit knives, Mantis Knives, Mantis Knives stolen, Mk-4 Vuja De
7 Comments
Hogue/Elishewitz EX-01 Extreme Folder Review
Hogue Inc., founded in 1968, is a company best known for quality firearms-related accessories. Aaron and Patrick Hogue now run the family business. In 2009, Hogue expanded their product line to include Hogue Knives. They immediately sought out and brought aboard a legendary knifemaker in Allen Elishewitz. The collaboration of the Hogues and Elishewitz resulted in the EX Series of Extreme Folders in 2010. Upon seeing the finished knives, I bought an EX-01 late last year and have been infected with the pride of ownership ever since. Texan Allen Elishewitz began making knives in 1988. He has been a Recon Marine, is a martial artist, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree … Continue reading
Posted in Knives
Tagged Allen Elishewitz, duty knife, EX-01 Folder, Extreme Folder, G-Mascus, Hogue Knives
3 Comments
A K9 Team is Born
A new K9 Handler and dog are preparing to hit the street next week. Their graduation ceremony from K9 school is upon us and I could not be happier for the Unit’s junior member. It has been two decades since I was in his shoes, but I still remember the excitement and trepidation I had on leaving the known rigors of school for the uncertainty of success on the road. Because of the nature of the job, the learning curve can be steep and dangerous. As I write this, I learned of a Palm Beach County K9 Team involved in a shoot-out this morning where a lieutenant and a police … Continue reading
Safe Traffic Direction Basics
I was at a serious DUI traffic crash the other night. All of the eastbound lanes of a six-lane state road were impassable. I was assisting a new officer in maneuvering traffic in a U-turn away from the scene. The rookie did not have a traffic cone for his small tactical flashlight, nor did he have a whistle on him. He was obviously not well skilled in traffic direction yet, so I kept an eye on him. I loaned him my Streamlight Stinger and yellow cone. I went to my cruiser for a sec to check the computer status screen and see if any priority calls were holding. That’s when … Continue reading
Posted in Officer Safety, Street
Tagged Police Traffic Direction, Safe Traffic Control, Traffic Vest
3 Comments
S & S Precision’s Holster Extender
S & S Precision is a product development and manufacturing company in Virginia Beach, VA. I saw this on their show table at SOFIC. It is a Holster Extender made for Safariland patterned holsters utilizing the ALS system. The actual extender is the aluminum-colored plate you see between the tan holster and black belt loop attachment above. The extender is a simple sliding aluminum base with a large button on the front to let the holster drop into detents at 1.5″ and 3″ below the hip-riding holster position. The aluminum extender is protected by a special ceramic coating that also subdues the finish.
Posted in SOFIC, SWAT, Technology
Tagged drop holster, holster extender, S & S Precision, Safariland ALS, SOFIC
9 Comments