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Author Archives: Randall
New Gerber Downrange Tomahawk
New for 2013, Gerber’s Made in the USA Downrange Tomahawk. I took a couple of quick photos of the Tomahawk and their new Rescue Axe at SOFIC. The Downrange Tomahawk sports an axe face with a hammer head at its rear. The handle is full tang and has a pry bar at the lower end. Finger grooves in the head of the axe allow the user to get leverage to force the pry bar into jambs and seams. The steel for the Downrange Tomahawk is 420HC. It is blackened with KG Gun Kote. Desert Tan G-10 handle scales are bolted on. The Tomahawk is 19.27″ overall and weighs in at … Continue reading
Polaris Defense Shows Off Non-Pneumatic Tires for ATV
We were walking by the Polaris Defense booth at the SOFIC Show and saw some rebar sticking out of an ATV tire. Upon closer inspection, the tires were a see-though honeycomb design between the rim and tread that supported the weight of the vehicle. Polaris calls the tires the NPT for non-pneumatic tire. They aren’t run-flat, they are never-flat. The implications of this type of airless design are vast. Polaris Defense acquired Resilient Technologies, LL, who had been researching and constructing never-flat tires for several years. According to Polaris, “The NPT is composed of a central polymeric web surrounded by a rubber tread band which allows continuous operation, even if … Continue reading
Special Operations Forces Industry Conference 2013
BlueSheepdog Richard and I just got back from the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa. The conference has a show floor that we attend every year. This year it was again awash in stealth plane and helicopter mock-ups, mini-guns, tents, rigid inflatable boats, off road vehicles, combat information systems, and sat-com dishes. General photos of the show floor are prohibited to protect the identities of the many Spec Ops personnel in attendance. I really wanted to get some pictures of all the cool cutting edge hardware, but I respect the operational security of the event. I got to check out some interesting equipment that may be of LE … Continue reading
New CopDots Technology Aids Law Enforcement
CopDots™ is a unique method for marking personal property to deter theft and identify stolen items. Using an applicator pen, the owner marks a piece of property with tiny microdots the size of a grain of sand. The dots are laser etched with a personal identification number (PIN) that is registered to the owner. The PIN’s are stored in a secure international database, which is only accessible to law enforcement. The microdots are affixed with a special adhesive. The adhesive fluoresces under UV light. A 30X magnification is required to read the serial number. As an owner applied number, the PIN can be entered into NCIC/FCIC for later recovery of the … Continue reading
Posted in Misc., Technology
Tagged CopDots, CopDots DNA, DataDots Technology Ltd, FLEPRU, IACP, Recovering Stolen Property
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Mil-Spec Monkey Hoodie RAW
The weather was a bit cool last week when I was in NYC. I wanted to take something warm to wear that would extend below my waist and cover up the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 and holster I had stashed in my right front pants pocket. I bought a Mil-Spec Monkey Hoodie RAW last November and it was just right for the trip. I met The Monkey a few years back at SHOT Show after I had contracted him to make morale patches for BlueSheepdog, and then more for ThinBlueFlorida. We were very satisfied with his professionalism and his products. I didn’t get to talk to him this year, … Continue reading
Video of the Shoot Out at a Miami-Dade Narcotics Raid
Chilling video of an ambush at a Miami-Dade Police drug raid last July was released Thursday. Thankfully, the officers prevailed. Suspect Gerardo Delgado died. Det. John Saavedra was shot three times, below his ballistic vest, but survived. Eighty pounds of marijuana and $90,000.00 were found in the house. Homeowner Luis Estevanell, who is the other suspect seen in the video, was charged with Possession of Cocaine, Trafficking in Marijuana, and Second-Degree Murder. Situational awareness can save your Applewood Smoked Bacon. Don’t pass things you haven’t cleared (when humanly possible). Take decisive action (when necessary). Stay frosty. Randall
Posted in Officer Safety, Tactics
Tagged Drug Raid, Miami-Dade Police, Officer Safety, Police Ambush
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Looking for some NYC advice…
Hypothetically speaking, if I was in New York City for a few days (which I am), would I be in trouble if I showed up at La Guardia to check my firearm in luggage and had Speer Gold Dot hollow points in a manufacture’s container? My cousin, who is a Jersey cop, said they got a bulletin telling their guys not to carry hi-cap mags with hollow point bullets into the City, because NYC changed the laws in February to make these mags and bullets illegal with no provisions for LEOSA carry. I can’t seem to find anything on this online. Of course this is a purely an intellectual exercise, … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Florida Companies, Misc.
Tagged Concealed Firearms Carry, LEOSA, New York City
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Search Incident to Arrest? Not for Cell Phones.
You may have heard yesterday that the Florida Supreme Court ruled a police search of a cell phone incident to arrest violates a person’s right to privacy and is therefore illegal. In Smallwood vs. State (No. SC-11-1130), justices decided 5-2 to eliminate the practice. In reference to Smallwood vs State, Cedric Tyrone Smallwood was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for a convenience store robbery. Ofc. Ike Brown looked in Smallwood’s cell phone in a search incident to Smallwood’s arrest. Seeing possibly incriminating photographs of Smallwood with a handgun and what looked like the stolen money, packaged as described by the victim clerk, JSO investigators applied for and received a … Continue reading
Posted in Legal, Street
Tagged Cell Phone Search, Florida Supreme Court, Smallwood vs State of Florida
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Counterfeit Money and the Patrol Officer
I was lucky to have taken a class in Fraudulent Documents when I was a detective. I found the entire subject riveting (really). Back at my agency, I get requests to examine currency for the officers when they are on counterfeit calls. I try to pass along some basics to the patrolmen, because there are a few shortcuts to identifying real money from fake. Quick ground school on the Federal Reserve Note: “Paper” currency is made from 75% cotton and 25% linen. To be durable and hard to reproduce, U.S. currency is more cloth than traditional paper, which is made largely from wood cellulose. The counterfeit pens you see used … Continue reading
Gov. Rick Scott Literally Shoots Down Police Drones
Okay, not literally, but I get a kick out of when people misuse the word. Anyway, Gov. Rick Scott signed into law this week legislation which will, in essence, keep law enforcement drones grounded by way of severe restrictions. Effective 6/1/2013, the Florida Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act would prohibit law enforcement agencies from using an unmanned aerial vehicle (defined as a drone in the act) to gather evidence or other information, or from using evidence obtained or collected in violation of the act in any state court of law. A drone is defined as a powered, aerial vehicle that: 1. Does not carry a human operator; 2. Uses aerodynamic forces … Continue reading
Posted in Humor, Legal, Misc., Technology
Tagged Florida and Drones, Gov. Rick Scott, Law Enforcement Surveillance, Police Drones, police technology
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Polk Deputy Killed in Cruiser Crash
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Joseph “Shane” Robbins was killed in a single vehicle cruiser crash this morning. Dep. Robbins was westbound on Bomber Road nearing U.S. 17, when his marked car went off the roadway on a curve. The cause has yet to be determined and PCSO is asking for information from anyone who may have witnessed the crash. Dep. Robbins, 40, was a 15 year sworn deputy with Polk County. He had served as a Special Victims Unit detective and a Homicide detective. He is survived by his wife and their five children. Funeral arrangements will be announced by PCSO. Thoughts and prayers for his family… Randall … Continue reading
NavElite Trekker H Wrist Worn Compass Review
I remember a hostage rescue simulation, calendars past, that involved a rural house surrounded by very heavy woods. I was an ATL then. A sniper and I were tasked by the team leader with clandestinely scouting the location, staging the outer perimeter, and finding the best ingress to the target for the assault element. We kind of got disorie…un-uhhh…lost. Thankfully, it was just a training scenario. NavElite currently produces a compass that I would certainly recommend to active guys in SWAT. Wearing a wrist-mounted direction finder that has backlighting can be a huge advantage in tactical operations. Yeah, you could fool around with a flashlight and hand held lensatic compass, … Continue reading
Keep Your Heads Down
The manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers is underway. An MIT officer is dead and an MBTA officer was seriously wounded. This is one of several all out manhunts that have occurred already this year. The Boston bombers had thrown explosives at the officers overnight. I texted an old friend at MBTA Police and he said his guy was in pretty serious condition. Thoughts and prayers to our brothers up North… Update: Second suspect in custody. MBTA Ofc. Donohue critical, but now stable.
Posted in Officer Safety
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Poor Judgment Leads to Police Sergeant’s Firing
This is a sample of the target that Sgt. Ron King of the Port Canaveral, FL Police Department wanted to use as a “training aid” during an April 2nd department firearms training. He was fired on Friday. The text of his explanation, which was posted on YouTube, is below. King’s version doesn’t quite jibe when you actually see the target. Skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea? With a crosshair reticle? Come on… Randall “Good Evening, my name is Ron King and I am the focus of some recent media attention based on lies, false information and political agendas. “First, you’ll have to excuse me if I refer to my computer … Continue reading
Selecting FTOs
I am an FTO sergeant on my squad. Today was the selection process for new field training officers. A letter of intent, resume, supervisors’ recommendations, and performance evaluations were previously submitted by the candidates. Interviews were then conducted by a panel of command officers and supervisors. The dozen candidates acquitted themselves well. I was impressed with the applicants’ knowledge of our program, which is based upon the San Jose model. During the interview, most articulated a strong desire to teach and explained the importance of adapting their style to the particular recruit’s learning needs. This is a far cry from the attitudes of FTO’s a few decades ago. Years back, … Continue reading