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Monthly Archives: April 2012
Mecklenburg Act Brings Murder Charge for Aggravated Fleeing
On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott attended a ceremonial bill signing at the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for the Deputy John C. Mecklenburg Act. Deputy Mecklenburg was killed in the line of duty on July 3, 2011 during a high speed pursuit. The act provides for capital or life murder charges when a human being is killed during the commission of a crime involving aggravated fleeing or eluding from law enforcement officers when there is serious bodily injury or death. Mecklenburg, a Hernando County deputy for just over two years, was one of a number of officers and deputies who were attempting to stop a vehicle traveling the wrong way against … Continue reading
Florida Highway Patrol the Latest Victim of Media’s Crystal Ball
On January 29, 2012, there was a terrible series of crashes on I-75 in Alachua County in the Paynes Prairie Preserve area just south of Gainesville. Smoke from a wildfire and early morning fog conspired to create deadly road conditions, which resulted in six vehicle crashes and 11 fatalities. A 38-page report released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement yesterday detailed a number of findings indicating the Florida Highway Patrol, and specifically FHP Lt. John Gourley, made decisions that morning which would ultimately impact the events on I-75. Following the release of this report, mainstream media outlets immediately slanted the findings of the report to insinuate that the FHP … Continue reading
Posted in Media, Politics, Street
Tagged Fatal Crash I-75, Florida Highway Patrol, Lt. John Gourley
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A Few Words on the SWAT Attitude
I have been talking lately with a few SWAT guys about their perspectives of their different tactical teams. What I am hearing is nothing new. While I won’t go into politics or particulars, I will say a central theme in my many discussions has revolved around attitude. Not as in Attitude with a capital “I’m a badass SWAT guy, so blah, blah, blah.” Attitude, as it relates to a positive approach to training for and execution of high-risk operations. A shared bad morale will destroy a Team from the inside out. To address some of the myriad complaints I have heard, if you are focused on your agency’s shortcomings related … Continue reading
Spyderco Waved Endura4 For Duty Carry
I have carried many, many knives on duty. It seems I am always trying to find one better than the last. My uniform pockets have contained uncounted blades unleashed by nail nicks, thumb studs, opening holes, coil springs, leaf springs, and even centrifugal force (yes, a Bali-song). I recently decided to try something completely different: mechanical fabric resistance! In the 1990’s, custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson patented an interesting design he originally called The Wave. The folding knife’s blade has a “hook” at the top that catches the edge of the pants pocket and pulls the blade open as the knife itself is withdrawn.
Posted in Knives, Officer Safety, Street
Tagged Emerson ES1-M, Emerson Opening Feature, Endura4, Police Duty Knife, Spyderco Endura, Waved Endura
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Memories and Police Patrol
I hate to be a big buzz kill, but you will not be doing these cool law enforcement things forever. Just as your equipment gets old and weathered, so will you. And like your gear, you will be obsolete one day. Reality check. I am writing these mean words to remind you to enjoy these times of your life. I was once in my twenties, lean and invincible. Professionally, I had it all: Midnight Shift, SWAT, and K9. I didn’t know how well off I was. My work days consisted of speeding from one adrenaline rush to the next. It is all a blur now, though. I’m twice as old … Continue reading
Morphix Technologies Chameleon Chemical Detector Review
Morphix Technologies has released a seven minute training video which gives some simple statistics and dangers about Meth Labs. The video also addresses Morphix’s Chameleon Chemical Detector, one of their products for detecting hazardous chemicals by first responders. I got my hands on a Chameleon kit for testing in October. The Morphix Chameleon is a chemical detection unit that is worn on the forearm or attached by Velcro to the uniform of a first responder. The purpose of the kit is to provide an officer, firefighter, or soldier with immediate visual identification of the presence of hazardous gases. A passive detector, the Chameleon has ten windows, called cassettes, which change … Continue reading
Video Games Can Aid Police Training
Do you wander around your house, punching out your finger-gun from the low ready, practicing room clearing? Sure you don’t; neither do I. And I’ve only been embarrassed about it a couple of times. I think many of us seek out opportunities to practice our skills whenever we can. First-Person Shooter video games take us on exciting missions in exotic locales. The danger is not real, but the format is much like a simulator for teaching search techniques. While not a scenario trainer like, say, a FATS machine, an FPS game can give you reps in considering tactical angles and problem solving. In the confines of a video game, you … Continue reading
Posted in SHOT Show, Street, SWAT, Tactics
Tagged Building Clearing, Building Search, First-person shooters, FPS, Police Tactics, police training, Video Games
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Smith & Wesson Announces New M&P Shield Pistol
This week, Smith & Wesson unveiled their new M&P Shield semi-automatic pistol. Made to compete in the single-stack concealed carry arena, the Shield is a slimmed down version of their popular striker-fired polymer pistol offerings. By my calculations it is .25″ thinner than an M&P9, weighs 2.7 ounces less, and is .6″ shorter on the slide topline. It is available in 9mm or .40 S&W cal. I think with the law enforcement popularity of the full-sized M&P guns, the Shield will be a nice compliment to those who want a smaller version of their everyday duty pistol for secondary weapon or off-duty carry. It is a training advantage to carry … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
Tagged back-up gun, Concealed Carry, M&P Shield, M&P9, off-duty gun, Shield Pistol, Smith & Wesson
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Avoiding the Dangers in a Chemical Suicide Response
On Monday in Boston, a BU pharmacology grad student committed suicide by lethal chemical. Police and Fire department personnel responding to the apartment at 676 Massachusetts Ave. were in danger from highly toxic sodium azide, which has effects similar to cyanide. Four police officers and two EMT’s were taken to the hospital for exposure to the chemical. I had just written an article on April 2 about a dangerous malathion suicide attempt, where first responders needed medical attention. Last June, I wrote an article for BlueSheepdog called Chemical Suicides–A Safe Response. I thought it very important to post that article on ThinBlueFlorida for obvious officer safety reasons. Police officers respond … Continue reading
Posted in Medical, Officer Safety, Street
Tagged chemical suicide, Detergent Suicide, Hydrogen Sulfide Asphyxia, Officer Safety
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Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics–Now Running
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Florida came through my county today. The Torch Run is in its 31st year of raising awareness and funds for the Special Olympics. Each year in Florida over 5,000 law enforcement officers from more than 300 agencies will carry the Flame of Hope on a 1,500 mile relay through 66 counties. The Flame of Hope’s journey began March 26 in Escambia County and will finish on May 9 in Osceola County, in time for Opening Ceremonies to the Special Olympics Summer Games in Lake Buena Vista, FL on May 18. For the last ten years or so, Bill has been my agency’s … Continue reading
Posted in Misc., Off Duty
Tagged Flame of Hope, Guardians of the Flame, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Special Olympics
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Alternative Drugs Causing Aggression
On several calls in the last few months, our officers have had to fight people who were out of control on hallucinogenic substances. These drugs are a serious cause for concern for law enforcement. In one instance, an officer rolled up on an unknown situation in the middle of a large intersection. A Good Samaritan was trying to hold down an out-of-control girl who was screaming “Kill me!” over and over again at the top of her lungs. The officer and citizen managed to keep the 90 lbs. girl on the ground. Another officer arrived to replace the citizen. Now with two officers trying to handcuff her, the girl began … Continue reading
Posted in Officer Safety, Street
Tagged aggression, Hallucinogenic drugs, K2 spice, psilocybin mushrooms
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Officer Safety Assumptions and the Dispatch Center
I was bright and shiny and a little scared on my first shift in a real police car during field training. After loading up, my FTO and I were buckled up in the cruiser in the PD parking lot. He leaned over and prepared to say something. I thought, Remember this, it could save my life! Dryly, he said, “ And don’t take any sh*t from the dispatchers…” I think cops expect too much from the information provided them by the radio. Have you ever heard a frustrated officer interrogate a telecommunicator for more details the operator obviously does not have? It is a waste of radio time. Just go … Continue reading
Posted in FTO, Officer Safety
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Diamondback DB9 Long Term Test and Review
In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at SHOT Show’s Media Day at the Range and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol. No. It was something new. Diamondback Firearms makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) shotguns AR -15’s in Cocoa, Florida. After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version. This was the gun I saw on the table. I handled the unloaded gun in the booth. It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when … Continue reading
Reminder in Margate of the Danger of Suicide and Chemicals
An incident in Margate, FL yesterday is a good reminder for first responders to be wary of the presence of chemicals in suicide attempts. A Coconut Creek man apparently attempted suicide by drinking the commercially available pesticide Malathion. EMS workers arrived his home at about 0130 am to find him in his yard. When the man was transported to Northwest Medical Center in nearby Margate, he vomited up the chemical in the rescue unit and cause three paramedics to suffer dizziness, nausea, and headaches. At the Northwest ER, toxic fumes could still be smelled on the man. He was isolated and the ER was shut down. The Broward County Sheriff’s … Continue reading