Visit to Venture Ballistic Composites Shield Factory

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Randall

I was in Pinellas County yesterday to visit the manufacturing plant for Venture Ballistic Composites, Inc., a maker of  bullet-resistant shields for law enforcement and the Military.  Venture’s President Todd Garrett talked shop and showed me their proprietary method for building ballistic shields.  He even demonstrated this by building one from the ground up while I was there.  Very cool!  No photos, please–trade secrets.

Venture Ballistics is a strongly anchored Florida company that uses American made products and buys from vendors within 50 miles of the shop.  Garrett said their aim is to produce shields which exceed NIJ standards for protection, are lightweight, and are affordable.  In the first year and a half of operation, they have sold over 1,400 shields, mostly to Florida law enforcement agencies.  Not one has been returned.

Garrett said a core principle of his operation is the use of “value engineering” to maximize the functionality of their products, while maintaining a focus on cost efficiency.  Because Garrett and his staff came to shield-making from other industries, he said they have an outside-the-box approach that has led to their aerospace construction techniques and innovative design touches.  Garrett possesses a considerable understanding of firearms ballistics, a must in his position.

Affixed to the wall of the office is an array of shot up shields.  It serves as a reminder of Continue reading →

Posted in Florida Companies, Protective Armor, Technology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Milspec Plastics’ Cobra Cuff is NTOA Member Approved

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Randall

Milspec Plastics touts their Cobra Cuffs as “the only patented double-locking, foldable, disposable restraint” on the market.  Strong, UV stabilized, and Made in the USA, the Cobra Cuff has a restraining strap riveted to the zip-tie to aid in prisoner control through leverage.  Milspec said their product has a 300+ lbs. assembled tensile strength.  Their latest press release is below.

Randall

MILSPEC PLASTICS COBRA CUFFS ARE NATIONAL TACTICAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (NTOA) MEMBER TESTED AND RECOMMENDED

Asheville, NC (August 2012) – Milspec Plastics, manufacturer of the patented Cobra Cuffs and distributor of additional arrest, riot control and personal security products for law enforcement, corrections, military and professional security agents, has secured a 4.88 out of 5.0 score for the Cobra Cuffs through the NTOA’s Member Tested and Recommended program.

“Upon testing and evaluating Cobra Cuffs from Milspec Plastics, I found them to be an easy-to-use, reliable and functional disposable restraint product,” a police officer from Maryland commented.

The National Tactical Officer Association Member Tested and Recommended program allows manufacturers to have their products tested in the field by the law enforcement community. Cobra Cuffs, a patented, disposable restraint system allows officer to quickly subdue suspects. The Cobra Cuffs are compact, foldable and easy to store on a MOLLE system or tactical vest. The cuffs allow the officer to quickly restrain a suspect without undue manipulation while the riveted straps provide extra leverage to control suspects. A double-lock reduces liability due to any accidental over-tightening common with standard zip ties. The tactical, pick-proof double cuff comes in a variety of colors for color coding suspects during large arrest or detainment situations. The disposable Cobra Cuffs reduce the transfer of disease by eliminating reuse. Cobra Cuffs also offers Continue reading →

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Rob Pincus on “Irresponsible Open Carry Activism” and the Second Amendment

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Randall

Rob Pincus is a former law enforcement officer, SWAT member, and world-renowned firearms and personal defense trainer.  Below was his response to what he sees as a threat to open carry and gun rights, in general.  I agree with his viewpoint.

He asked Grant Cunningham to post this on his blog, and Mr. Cunningham gave me the go-ahead to reprint here.  I think it relevant,  in light of the obnoxious behavior by the wanna-be activists against Oregon cops that went viral last week…

Irresponsible Open Carry Activism Jeopardizes The RKBA

Guns should be carried for personal defense, not Activism. The best way to do that 99% of the time is Concealed Carry.

Even if people do choose to Open Carry, they shouldn’t do it to provoke confrontation nor be uncooperative with the police while doing it. It makes gun owners look bad, turns cops against us, wastes their valuable time and certainly isn’t going to make it more likely that people will think “oh, gun owners are normal people, not trouble makers.”

Spread the Word. Most people have realized that the time for “solidarity” through tolerance of the guys carrying guns with video cameras has come and gone. Their bravado is jeopardizing our RKBA and should be seen as an embarrassment to responsible gun owners. When the OC Movement started, people carrying while going about their daily business to show responsibly armed people are part of everyday life, it made some sense… but, the extremists have spun Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Defensive Tactics, Legal, Media | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

CRKT Zilla Tool Jr. Review

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Randall

I carry too much stuff.  My Blackhawk MOB Bag began to weigh waayy more than it should.  I started trying to pare down its load.  A heavy full-sized multi-tool was one thing to go.  I must have at least two big plier/knife/driver combos in the Crown Vic.  A smaller tool can make do in my daily tote.

I chose a Columbia River Knife and Tool Zilla Tool Jr. to satisfy my everyday engineering requirements.  The CRKT Zilla Jr. can turn a bolt or screw, strip wire, or cut that which needs parting.  It can perform these chores and save me a quarter pound in travel weight.

The Zilla is not a traditional folding plier multi-tool. A spring-loaded handle separates from the body for the plier function. Ambidextrous sliding side switches open the grip.  The Jr.’s plier head is semi-needle nosed.  In addition to standard squeezing duties, the jaws cut and strip wire at the base.

The opposing end of Zilla has a flipper-initiated blade.  The knife is part-serrated, and liner lock secured.  Its modified spearpoint blade is 2.25″ in length.  Composition is 2CR13 stainless steel, at a RH of 51-53, with CRKT’s triple point serrations.

This is the busy end of the tool, as it maintains the pocket clip and hex-bit receiver.  The handle of the tool houses holders for slotted and Phillips screwdriver hex bits.  These fit in Continue reading →

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NYPD Officers Forced Into Difficult Shooting Scenario

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Randall

My headline was not the one I read on a mainstream media news website.  It said something like, “NYPD Shoots Nine Bystanders Before Killing Suspect.”  Considering  that in a crowd of people, the two officers shot sixteen bullets and hit a gun-wielding homicide suspect nine times at center of mass, I’d say my headline is closer to reality.

The suspect, Jeffrey Johnson, is seen at the top center of the video walking toward the left and carrying a briefcase.  Officers Craig Matthews and Robert Sinishtaj enter from the top right.  Johnson was walking from the scene where he had just shot a co-worker five times in the head with a .45 ACP pistol, killing him.  A construction worker pointed out the gunman to the officers.

Because there were over a dozen innocent citizens at close proximity on the sidewalk, the two officers were presented with a difficult lethal force scenario outside the Empire State building on Friday.  The suspect provoked a response when he plainly points his handgun at the officers.  In turn, they eliminate him as a threat.

Of the nine bystanders hurt, three suffered “direct” gunshot wounds and the remaining six had “indirect” injuries either from bullet or concrete fragments, according to New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.  None of the citizens suffered life threatening Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Officer Safety, Street | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Open Firearms Carry Wastes Officers’ Time

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Randall

I saw this on another blog and it reminded me that there are conservative factions attempting to legalize open carry in Florida. In the densely populated, urban county in which I live, I fear that dwindling police services will have resources drained by these types of calls for service from alarmed citizens. This video is an example of two guys just trying to waste the officers’ time with obstructive discourse.

Nice job by the officer. Yeah, we don’t always articulate things perfectly. Just the same, he is courteous and professional in the face of the amateur armed “confrontationalists.” The officer’s function check of what he discovered to be a .22 cal. HK MP5 A5 made me smile, as had I run through some function checks of my old MP5 at SWAT training the other night. I like how the officer maintained control of the interaction and then ended it with some PR.

I support the Second Amendment, but as a law enforcement officer in a population of nearly a million in a congested area, I feel a little cautious about proposed open carry. With police staffing levels as low as they are, this kind of nuisance call is dangerous and prevents us from responded where we are really needed.

Randall

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Galco Stow-N-Go Holster Review

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Randall

Galco International began making gun leather as the Famous Jackass Leather Company in Chicago circa 1969.  Probably their most known product is the Original Jackass Rig shoulder holster worn by Don Johnson in the Miami Vice TV show of the 1980’s.

I was in college in 1984 when Sonny Crockett was running around Metro Dade toting his signature 10mm Auto Bren Ten in that Jackass Rig.  It looked pretty cool then, but years down the road as a detective I tried a shoulder holster only to find that it is not exactly practical here in the tropical South.

I do have a Galco holster that I wear in civvies, though.  It is the Stow-N-Go from their Concealed Carry Lite line.  This holster is an open-topped, inside-the-waistband carry model made of stitched cowhide.  The Stow-N-Go’s mouth is reinforced, with what I think is a spring steel insert, to facilitate re-holstering of the firearm, a trait not found on many IWB holsters.

There is an injection-molded nylon “J” clip which hooks into belts up to 1 ¾” in width.  This clip is sewn into the outboard face of the leather and runs nearly its entire height, Continue reading →

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Pensacola Officer Arrested for Battering DUI Suspect

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Randall

The Pensacola Police Department fired K9 Officer Christopher Geraci for excessive force on Friday, then arrested him for misdemeanor battery in connection with his hit and run/DUI investigation on August 2.

Suspect Abbi Bonds struck several cars with her late model Chevy Camaro at 2:30 in the morning.  Her vehicle was disabled with heavy damage and pulled to the side of the road several blocks from the crash scene when Geraci found her.

After Geraci orders her back into her car several times, she refuses while continuing to talk on her cell phone.  He attempts to handcuff her.  As he does so, he tries to rotate her against her car.  Her head and upper body carom off the Camaro.  He again tries to brace her up against the car.  Geraci then completes handcuffing her.

Though Bonds did not file a complaint, the department said that the officer’s dashcam recording of the incident was found during a “routine review of video footage” and an IA Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Politics, Street | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

GAP Enterprises Glock Finger Rest Extension Review

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Randall

I love my Glock 27.  It is that OD color that looks greenish or brownish, depending on the lighting conditions.  Like many owners, I’m fond of its short grip for concealed carry, but wish I could get a better hold on the G27 when the trigger is depressed.  Enter the GAP.

GAP Enterprises, Inc. makes a finger rest that replaces the standard floor plate on a Glock magazine.  Called the GAP Finger Rest Extension, it adds 1/2″ of tough polymer resin material to act as a stop for the ring finger at the front lip of the magazine.

The peaked design of the GAP maintains a small footprint at the gun’s grip for maximum concealment, while still adding a point of contact for the shooter’s fingers.  It is a compromise that works very well in my opinion.

GAP left, Glock right

GAP left, Glock right

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregory A. Pughe (GAP) designed the Finger Rest Extension to “acquire significantly improved drawing, firing, and reloading control while retaining the concealability of the Glock 27.”  After analyzing the Glock’s frame, Pughe constructed the GAP from a similar polymer resin for strength and durability.

Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Florida Highway Patrol Responds to FDLE Report

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Randall

The Florida Highway Patrol has come out swinging against the highly critical report published by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in April regarding the series of fatal crashes on the I-75 stretch of Paynes Prairie.  Mainstream media outlets bludgeoned the FHP over what the press saw as mistakes in the Patrol’s smoke/fog response on January 29, 2012.  Six crashes involved 24 vehicles, resulting in 11 deaths and 46 reported injuries.

In the wake of mounting criticism and 13 wrongful death lawsuits against it, the FHP investigated and published its own report of the incident response, which involved not only the FHP, but the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Fire Rescue, Florida Department of Transportation, and Florida Forest Service.

In its defense, FHP mitigates the finger-pointing by noting that in addition to the requested presence of other agencies and closure of the road, six additional troopers and a shift commander were called to Paynes Prairie that night.  The decision to reopen I-75 was Continue reading →

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Benchmade Knives 175 Adamas CBK Push Dagger Review

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Randall

Push daggers speak to me of power.  No pretty pass cuts or fancy foil grips, just gritty jabs and slashing blows thrown in a clench.  Boxing with a blade.

Benchmade Knife Company’s 175 Adamas CBK Push Dagger was made with input from customers of the law enforcement sort.  This is a purely defensive knife.  CBK stands for concealed backup knife.  And there you have it:  all business.

With full tang construction of 440C stainless steel and a chisel ground blade, this knife was purpose-built for toughness.  The 2.5” blade is double-edged, spear point in shape, and given a Rockwell Hardness of 58-60.  Blade and handle are subdued with Benchmade’s BK1 matte black finish for corrosion and scratch resistance.  CBK’s grip is covered in a rough vinyl coating which gives it a tackiness, even when wet.

A good knife with a bad sheath stays in the locker.  Fortunately, the CBK has a well thought out kydex/thermoplastic sheath.  There are six hollow rivets on the sides and two 1” slots.  These allow for multiple ways to mount or hang the knife.  A black spring steel belt clip bolts to the sheath’s back and fits up to 2” belts.

Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Knives, Officer Safety | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

M.R.A.P.S. Level III Ballistic Shield for SWAT

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Randall

I was having lunch with some SWAT officers from an adjacent agency during a break in training a few weeks ago.  We regularly cross-train with other local tactical teams to share info and problem solve.  While we were talking equipment, they said they had just purchased several rifle-rated ballistic shields.  When I asked which make, they said, “M.R.A.P.S.”

I had seen the M.R.A.P.S. Level III shield at SHOT Show 2011.  Baker Ballistics, LLC manufactures the shield.  Baker Ballistics’ Director and CEO, Rick Armellino, gave the BlueSheepdog crew and me a demonstration of the capabilities of their Mobile Rifle Armor Protective Shield on the show floor.

I was pretty jazzed about the M.R.A.P.S. when I took these photos in Las Vegas.  At 17.6 lbs, with a 4.2 square foot coverage area, at NIJ Level III, I thought it was one of the best rifle shields I had seen.  The quick release load bearing lanyard system, stabilizing handle, and “M4 port” make it an effective fighting tool.

Continue reading →

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Safariland/Kona Introduces New Patrol Bike 29er

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Randall

This press release went out after the IPMBA Conference in May.  I recently received another email notification about the bike.  I have some time with Cannondale and Smith & Wesson police mountain bikes under me.  This one has some nice features.  Video attached below from SHOT Show 2012.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Safariland®, a BAE Systems line of business, announced today at the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) Conference that it is introducing a brand new Patrol Bike product line for the law enforcement market.

Safariland has teamed with Kona USA, one of the world’s leading all-terrain bicycle manufacturers, to develop the flagship product in the line, the Safariland®/Kona® Patrol Bike 29er.  Safariland is supporting this with an integrated line of bike related products from their branded armor, duty gear and protective gear lines to new offerings of bike accessories, including apparel and hardware.

The Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike is built from the ground up as the premium patrol bike for law enforcement and security markets, and utilizes some of the most technologically advanced components in the industry. The Patrol Bike is available in both a 29er and 26-inch wheel base and includes advanced features not found on typical patrol bikes.

The Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike is built with the Kona Race Lite 7005 aluminum frame that has been engineered for ideal shape and wall thickness for extra performance and durability.  It features Shimano® components throughout, including the Shimano® 30-speed drivetrain with SLX derailleur Roxshox™ Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., SHOT Show, Street, Technology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

FLIR Entry Level Thermal Imagers for Law Enforcement

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Randall

FLIR Systems, Inc. has released a new line of thermal imagers that are affordable (by thermal imaging standards).  The PS-series is initially aimed toward the civilian hunting market, but will branch into the law enforcement and maritime markets this year.  The E-series is an industrial use thermal imager with police applications.  Starting prices for the units are $1,999.00 for the PS-series and $2,500.00 for the E-series.

I stopped at the FLIR booth at the 2012 SHOT Show and checked out one of their Scout PS24 imagers.  This model is an entry level device, but it has terrific tactical potential.

FLIR PS24

The PS24 has a color LCD viewfinder display that can be toggled through White Hot, Black Hot, and multiple Red/White Hot palettes.  The unit makes a very effective general search Continue reading →

Posted in Street, Technology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Police K9’s, Pursuits, and Multitasking

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Randall

A shootout in Fortville, Indiana two days ago had me thinking about the additional multitasking a K9 handler must go through in a vehicle pursuit.  The “routine traffic stop” had devolved into a car chase during which the suspect, James Lockhart III, abruptly brought his vehicle to a stop, exited, and quickly fired on Fortville Police K9 Ofc. Matt Fox.

Bullets tore through the windshield of Ofc. Fox’s marked Dodge Charger, striking the officer in the left forearm, left hand, and forehead.  Ofc. Fox’s ballistic vest stopped a round to his chest.  He was shot before he could get out of his patrol car.

I have vivid recollections of many high-speed pursuits where my K9 partners and I maneuvered to the front of a chase.  As dog handlers, we plan for a bail out and work for the best deployment of the K9 on a fleeing suspect.

Ofc. Fox had a deluge of decisions with which to contend.  The most important of tasks was for him to drive his cruiser safely.  At high G loads and speeds, police cars can become unstable platforms.  If you’ve never driven a K9 vehicle, you would be astounded at how driver-unfriendly one can be.

A K9 car or truck has very dark tinted windows to keep the K9 cool during the day, a special container for the dog in the back, the computer near the dash, a heat alarm and failsafe electronics in case the A/C goes out, K9 leads and harnesses hanging down, regular Continue reading →

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