Category Archives: Off Duty

New Mil-Spec Monkey Boss Beaver Pack

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Randall

Mil-Spec Monkey had requests for a larger backpack following the popularity of his mid-sized MSM Adapt Pack.  The new Boss Beaver Pack combines a substantial main pack with an adjustable “beaver tail” pouch that can hold much larger, bulkier items.  The Monkey himself gives us a tour in the video. There are times when I have had to lug my Kevlar pot along with other pieces of equipment in a backpack.  The Boss Beaver would have gotten that task done, then later converted back to a more reasonable EDC-style bag.  Much versatility was incorporated into this design, what with its ability to stow larger objets de guerre.

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Off Duty First Aid Necessities

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Randall

I was out on a hiking trail in California earlier in the day.  Yes, I am on vacation.  It occurred to me that there was something noticeably different about my fellow hikers and me.  Could it have to do with the large backpack that was absent on all but myself?  I had about six more miles to ponder this. As law enforcement officers, we are trained in first responder medicine, which nowadays means we also learn about tactical combat casualty care or TCCC. When I was preparing for this trip of day-long hikes, I included medical gear.  Not just for myself and my spouse, but in the event we ran … Continue reading →

Posted in Knives, Medical, Off Duty, Tactical Bags | 4 Comments

New Remington RM380 Pocket Pistol

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Randall

Yet another new handgun officially launching at the NRA Annual Meeting 2015 is the Remington Arms‘ RM380.  This .380 ACP caliber hammer-fired DAO sub-sub-compact pistol has an aluminum frame with a fiberglass reinforced nylon grip overlay.  It will have a 6+1 capacity and a weight of 12.2 ounces.  The new gun will ship from Remington’s Huntville, Ala. plant with extended grip and flush grip magazines that will release from ambidextrous buttons. Much like the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, with which it will directly compete, the hammer-fired locked breech RM380 has a multiple-strike capability for stubborn

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New Heckler & Koch P30SK Pistol

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Randall

Heckler & Koch announced a SubKompact version of their popular P30 pistol at this week’s NRA Annual Meeting.  The new double-stack 9mm handgun is designated the P30SK.  SK, get it? P30SK has dimensions similar to a Glock 26/27.  The HK is 6.42 inches in length, 4.57 inches high, and 1.37 inches wide.  Bullets are launched from a 3.27 inch barrel.  Weight is tallied as 23.99 ounces. The SubKompact can have a DA/SA trigger or HK’s Law Enforcement Modification (LEM) DAO “light strike V1” trigger at a light 5.4 ounce pull.  The DA/SA is available with and without the ambidextrous safety/decocking levers.  Dual slide releases are worn by all versions.

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Latest Glock 43 Photographs

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Randall

These are the official photos of the Glock 43.  There were some Photoshopped versions out there, but these are the legit ones.  Specifications are below.  The G43 is slightly larger than the G42, but it is still more easily concealed carry than a G26/27.  The MSRP for the Glock 43 will be $589.00 according to some online retailers.

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged | 2 Comments

Glock Teases New Release–Maybe a 9mm Single Stack?

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Randall

Updated:  Someone apparently breached a nondisclosure agreement yesterday and confirmed the existence of the Glock 43.  Glock, in turn, gave the rest of the media a go-ahead to publish their “secret stories.”  Looks like we are getting the skinny 9 after all… Here we go again.  I received a media invite for a Glock event at the NRA 2015 Annual Meeting.  Glock promises exclusive “…Range Time with New Product…” among other perks at the April 20 event in Nashville.  The flyer for the soirée had the silhouette of what looks like a G42, but industry insiders accuse it of being the new Glock 43 single stack 9mm sub-sub-compact. As if … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | 6 Comments

Deputy Arrested for Sending Photos of the Dead

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Randall

A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Thursday for sending his ex-girlfriend explicit photographs of two dead persons from crime scenes.  Austin Jeffrey Douglas violated Florida State Statute 406.136 (6a), which makes it a felony for the custodian of photographs, video, or audio recordings depicting the killing of a person to release them to anyone not authorized. Douglas told Internal Affairs detectives he sent the pictures of a gunshot suicide victim and photo of a dead man in a living room chair to his ex’s cell phone because he was having a “bad weekend.”  Investigators confirmed he had been at both scenes over the past weekend.  Austin was fired … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Elite Survival Systems New Pulse Backpack

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Randall

Tony at Elite Survival Systems gave me a tour of their new Pulse 24 hour backpack.  It is filled with great features, as you can see.  I put it on and immediately tried to trade it for the one I brought to SHOT Show.  Well, no rules against trying. The vented back panel and aluminum stiffening spine seem to keep the Pulse off one’s lower and mid-back, the spots where a loaded pack traps heat.  I know this happens because when I took off the backpack I was wearing to put on the Pulse, I was sweating under the load.  The Pulse, conversely, felt airy.

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Police Excitement Has Its Price

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Randall

Yesterday, I had a nice young man over to the house to fix my range.  He has a start-up appliance business that he is working very hard to grow.  While he was installing some new potentiometers and circuit boards, we made casual conversation.  He knows what I do for a living and at one point he said, “Sometimes I wish I had done something exciting with my life–like you did.”  I wasn’t quite sure what to say. Jamie, as I’ll call him, is newly and happily married.  He has a baby girl at home.  For all his elbow grease, Jamie has finally purchased a commercial van with logos and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Randall

A few weeks ago, a colleague brought in a sample of the Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate.  A non-profit called the Police and Kids Foundation, Inc. is promoting the presale of these tags.  Their goal is to presell 1,000 of the tags in 24 months to qualify for production and distribution.  After about three months, the total thus far is about 290. From the Police and Kids Foundation website: “The Police and Kids Foundation, Inc is a non-profit 501( C) 3 charity that has been set up with two objectives in mind.  First are the immediate needs of a child that we determine is in need of … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Ruger Adds 9mm to LCR Lineup

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Randall

For you back-up revolver carriers, Sturm, Ruger & Company is introducing a 9mm version of their popular LCR platform.  If you like having a secondary firearm chambered in the same caliber as your on-duty pistol, then this one may be your ideal belly gun. The Ruger LCR has rightly gained a solid following based upon its light weight, smooth cammed trigger pull, and reliable functioning.  A 9mm round ups the foot pounds of energy delivered on target when compared to its .38 Special +P variation, though both still lag behind the .357 Magnum. Sharing the same 400 stainless steel monolithic frame of the .357 model, the 9mm LCR will come … Continue reading →

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Raven Concealment Systems ModuLoader

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Randall

Raven Concealment Systems has come out with a product that made me think, “Duh!”  Raven’s ModuLoader Pocket Shield is perfect for the discreet carry of knives and other like equipment.  There are times that I would prefer to hide my blade, especially when in dress or business casual clothes.  A metal knife clip dragging on the pocket edge of an expensive pair of slacks will not do. I ordered a Pocket Shield primarily for knife carry.  It arrived packaged with a nifty Raven sticker, a short length of small nylon cord, and six Chicago screws for affixing accessories.  I ordered a gray Pocket Shield instead of black, well, just because … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Detectives, Firearms, Flashlights, Knives, Off Duty | 2 Comments

Smith & Bradley Sans-13 Watch Review

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Randall

The Sans-13 from Smith & Bradley Watches is intended for law enforcement and tactical military personnel.  Jerommie Smith and Ryan Bradley are the Sidney, Illinois founders of the brand.  As their first watch, the Sans-13 was designed with input from those who would be the end users–cops and soldiers.  Jerommie is a Police K9 Handler and Ryan is an attorney.  I met them both earlier this year at SHOT Show and I can vouch for their genuine passion about timepieces. Shortly after SHOT, I bought a Sans-13 from their website.  Since then, I have worn this watch from the drudgery of desk work to search warrant services to dicey homicide … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., Off Duty, SHOT Show, SWAT | Tagged | Leave a comment

Vacationing Cop Wears Mil-Spec Monkey Hoodie

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Randall

Mil-Spec Monkey posted my photograph on his Facebook page wearing one of his MSM Hoodies.  Thanks, Monkey!  My wife shot this pic while we were hiking in northern California two weeks ago.  We were on a coastal trail and I had just spotted a gray whale.  Cameras up! Satellite imagery will show that the hoodie’s sleeves bear a Mil-Spec Monkey logo patch and ThinBlueFlorida patch (made by…the Monkey).  My faithful Tactical Tailor Urban Operator Backpack (misnamed for this outing) carries the photo gear, water, snacks, and first aid (including tourniquet and QuikClot combat gauze). What looks like a wallet in the right front jeans pocket is my Smith & Wesson … Continue reading →

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New Diamondback Firearms DB FS Nine Pistol

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Randall

Back at the 2012 SHOT Show, I got to interview Diamondback Firearms founder and CEO Brad Thomas.  I had been examining a prototype for the DB RTS tactical shotgun (that was eventually displaced in their line-up by the DB15 AR-15-style rifle).  During our conversation, Mr. Thomas told me about their plans to develop a full-sized pistol.  We are finally getting a look at it. The new DB pistol is a striker-fired 15+1 handgun chambered in 9mm.  In dimensions, it is roughly equivalent to a Glock 17 pistol.  DB FS Nine’s take down levers and its trigger safety are visually similar to the Austrian maker’s gun.  From Diamondback’s website: “This new … Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged | 3 Comments