Tragedies Rarely Lead to Closure

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Randall

I do not consider myself an overly philosophical kind of guy.  But there is a nagging, almost rhetorical, question which I have heard many times at the scene of a tragedy and that is, “Why?”  I just read another headline in the mainstream media about the mass murder in Colorado that said something like, “Aurora Searches for Answers While Community Grieves.”

At the scene of a homicide, especially ones involving extreme violence, it is not uncommon to hear distraught victims, loved-ones, or witnesses ask for closure to make sense of something senseless.  Whether in consoling these individuals or in attempting to extract necessary information, their fixations can be both saddening and challenging to a law enforcement officer.

Human nature thrives on explanation.  This yearning for knowledge is directly responsible for the practices of Religion and Science.  Both pursuits exist to satisfy our need for a structural context to the events we experience in our lives.  Explanation gives us comfort.

Unfortunately, the impetus for some events exists solely in the twisted minds of those responsible.  The gunman in Aurora is the lone architect for what is labeled a national tragedy.  The rationale for what he did may never be told, nor should his articulation of any reason for the incident ever truly be trusted.

I guess, over the years, I have developed a frustration with the question of Why?  Not that Continue reading →

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Police Back-Up Revolver

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Randall

Predominantly, I carry a back-up revolver on duty.  I have tried auto-pistols in calibers ranging from .380 ACP up to .40 S&W cal.  None of them quite fit my criteria is several ways.

Of the autos I own or have tested, the .380’s always seemed too small (in the hand) and a .40 was too much gun (a brick on the ankle).  I want something concealed carry size, but one on which I can find sure purchase.  Grip size and carry considerations are at the forefront of my personal selection process.

Besides these, I am concerned about the functioning of a semi-automatic in a truly close quarters fight.  Revolvers fire on each trigger pull.  And they fire again, without the cycling of the more sensitive slide action.  There is a near 100% probability that a small framed revolver’s five bullets will blast down the barrel.

True, I have practiced a ballistic vest-indexed, 45 degree cant that enables an auto pistol to run fairly uninhibited in CQB, but I don’t know that this physical position can always be achieved.  Add in that the back-up gun may be employed with the support hand, where a Continue reading →

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Majority Supports Stand Your Ground

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Randall

Erroneous Graphic in Tampa Bay Times

Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, Inc. conducted a telephone poll of 800 register voters across Florida from July 9, 2012 through July 11, 2012.  One of the questions involved Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.  Overwhelmingly, the voters polled supported Stand Your Ground.  It is interesting to see how the support and opposition are divided by gender, race, and region in the percentages.  Below are the results from Mason-Dixon:

Question:  Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law states that a person is justified in the use of deadly force to defend themselves if they reasonably believe that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm, or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.  A citizen has no duty to retreat and if it is determined that their use of force was justified they are immune from criminal prosecution and civil action.

The “Stand Your Ground” law does not apply if the victim initially provokes the use of force or if they are involved in a felony crime.

Do you support or oppose keeping Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law as it is currently written?

(If “OPPOSED” or “NOT SURE”)  Do you feel Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law should be modified to permit its use in fewer situations, or do you feel the law should be repealed in its entirety?

FLORIDA         SUPPORT    MODIFY    REPEAL    NOT SURE

STATE                           64%          16%           18%              2%

REGION            SUPPORT    MODIFY    REPEAL    NOT SURE

North Florida             71%         8%            19%             2%

Central Florida          65%        18%           14%             3%

Tampa Bay                   67%        22%           10%             1%

Southwest Florida    69%        19%           12%              – Continue reading →

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Flawed Headline: “Lake County Deputies Kill Wrong Suspect”

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Randall

This is an unfortunate set of circumstances.  Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a request for assistance from the Leesburg Police in locating an attempted murder suspect.  The suspect, Jonathan Brown, and his motorcycle were spotted in the Blueberry Hills apartment complex at around 0130 hrs. yesterday.

Not knowing where Brown was, deputies went to the apartment closest to the parked motorcycle.  They knocked on the door without announcing that they were the police.  Andrew Scott, the resident, opened the door and pointed a handgun at the deputies.  A deputy shot and killed Scott.  Brown was later found in an adjacent apartment in the same building.

Blame is already being assigned in both directions.  Of course the Media are questioning why the deputies would knock on the door early in the morning without saying they were law enforcement.  Tip #1:  When looking for a homicide suspect, discretion may be a tactical advantage that leads to an uneventful arrest.

As to knocking on the “wrong door,” LCSO was likely quietly canvassing the building in an effort to find Brown or witnesses as to where he went.  After all, we are expected to find the murder suspect and remove him from civilized society, if we have a good idea of where he is, which they did.  This is part of our duty to protect innocents.

Believe it or not, we knock on doors all the time in the middle of the night in response to complaints, to make all manner of assistance notifications to citizens, and to perform general investigative duties.  It is our job.

Lake County Sheriff’s spokesman Lt. John Herrell said, “The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police officer, you’re going to get shot.”  This would be Tip #2.  Even if it were not the police, is it prudent for a citizen to point the barrel of a gun at just Continue reading →

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Futuristic Plate Frame from S&S Precision

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Randall

At the SOFIC Show, S&S Precision had their new Plate Frame on display.  It is eye-catching in its high technology look and design.  The Plate Frame itself is a thermally molded polymer that snaps on to the ballistic armor.  The Frame is skeletonized to reduce weight.  Its lattice also provide multiple mounting points.

The Plate Frame is manufactured to fit on specific brand and models of armor plates, but S&S Precision plans to provide frames sized for all popular types of armor..  The plates themselves must be environmentally sealed, especially if used in a maritime context, since the frame does not enclose the plate.

The harness system of the Plate Frame is made up of straps and cummerbund that are polyurethane coated and radio frequency (RF) welded, the latter providing that there is no Continue reading →

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Death Notification Delivery Tips for Law Enforcement

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Randall

I have had the sad duty of delivering quite a few death notifications in my career.  It is one of the more difficult parts of our job from an emotional standpoint.  For me, the worst part of the notification has to be in the moments as you approach the house, or apartment, or room where the unsuspecting family members are.  They have no idea you are about to change their lives in a very significant way…

Knock, knock.

Yes?

I’m Officer Smith and this is Chaplain Jones.  May we come in?

Why, yes–

Please have a seat, ma’am.  I am sorry to tell you your son, John, was killed in a car crash tonight.

(mother’s reaction ensues)

He was driving to a friend’s house from work.  His car was hit by another vehicle at Union Avenue and State Street.  He died at the scene.

Are you sure it was, John?

Yes, ma’am, it was John…

Basic Principles of Death Notification:

  • In Person
  • In Time
  • In Pairs
  • In Plain Language
  • With Compassion

Best Practices:

  • In a timely fashion
  • With certainty
  • Go.  Do NOT Call.
  • Don’t use euphemisms; do use “dead,” “killed,” etc…
  • Never notify a child Continue reading →
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Rob Pincus on the Evolution of the OODA Loop

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Randall

I.C.E. Training Company owner and Combat Focus Shooting developer Rob Pincus has a unique spin on U.S.A.F. Col. John R. Boyd’s OODA Loop from an instructor’s perspective.  Pincus’ article is over here on the I.C.E. Training Updates:

Evolution of the OODA Loop

I won’t attempt to paraphrase what Mr. Pincus derives from the decision-making cycle conceptualized by Col. Boyd; it speaks for itself.  I found the article thought provoking and a good read.

Randall

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SOG Knives FastHawk Review

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Randall

Some missions require specialized tools.  We are not always loaded down with them.  There is a balance between power and portability that is weighed toward portable in mobile operations, unless your team has a MOLLE-covered Tactical Donkey.  Hmmm…

SOG Specialty Knives & Tool‘s FastHawk is a scaled down version of their popular Tactical Tomahawk.  Light and easy to carry, I found the FastHawk to be a good compromise of size and functionality.  At 12 ½” in length and only 19 ounces, it is a compact package.

The FastHawk can be used to cut, chop, dig, pry, and hammer.  I did these things during some late night T&E sessions.  I started off with some chopping.  That seemed reasonable.  I attacked several discarded pallets.  As a hand axe, the FastHawk worked it way through wood just fine.  At home, I took it to my super-hard aged 2 X 4.  Thunk, thunk, thunk!  Wood chips were flying.  I thought the FastHawk was weighted nicely.

Despite a Rockwell Hardness of only 51-53, the 2” main blade, made of 420 stainless steel, holds a good edge.  The lower hardness helps in its durability.  This is not some expensive high-end hawk head that is differentially heat-treated, nor is it high carbon tool steel.  This is a moderate stainless steel that is being pushed slightly out of its comfort zone.  I found the blade stayed plenty sharp to cut and chop.

Made of Fiberglass-Reinforced Nylon, the handle is ribbed and textured for a positive grip.  My hands became very sweaty while I was chopping (80+ degrees with high humidity at Continue reading →

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Bullet-Free Sky Aims to End Celebratory Gunfire

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Randall

On New Year’s Eve 2012, so called “celebratory gunfire” launched a bullet skyward that struck 13 year old Ruskin resident Diego Duran in the head.  Duran was seriously injured and was rushed to surgery.  He was in a coma for a month.  Duran has spent months after that in recovery and rehabilitation.

Duran’s family has begun a Bullet-Free Sky campaign to raise awareness for the dangers of firing guns into the air and hopefully prevent tragic incidents such as the one that befell Diego six months ago.

On the very same New Year’s Eve night Duran was shot, officers from my squad responded to a call of a child hit by a bullet.  A falling bullet from celebratory gunfire had pierced the Continue reading →

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Redefining Criminology…or I Get the Strangest Correspondence

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Randall

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 police department.   I worry about my officers every night we work.  A good friend of mine was shot to death on a call thirteen years ago and I found his body with my K9 partner.  I know six other officers who have been shot and wounded in the line of duty.  I have performed first responder medicine on injured officers more times than I can count.

“Every year over 58,000 officers are assaulted.  Roughly 15,000 are injured, as have I been on numerous occasions.   My statistics come from here:

http://www.nleomf.org/facts/officer-fatalities-data/daifacts.html

“While I am concerned for the rights of citizens each and every shift, I am charged with bringing the men and women under my Continue reading →

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H&K MP5: The Best CQB Weapon I’ve Ever Kicked to the Curb

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Randall

#364

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 my sleep:  Cover! Working parts back, mag off, mag on, working parts forward,  Ready!  I first saw the “H&K slap” in the movie Die Hard, where the gun is loaded by slapping the charging handle with the left hand.  It looked cool then and it looks cool now.  It was also taught to us as the proper H&K way to charge the subgun.

My MP5 functioned flawlessly for all those years.  With regular maintenance by our armorers, #364 never failed a function check or real pull of the trigger.  Its accuracy was better than mine.  After many thousands of rounds downrange, I was supremely confident in our combined lethality.

The Heckler & Koch MP5 excels at room clearing, the most important function in hostage rescue.  It is short at 27″ with the fixed stock, extremely light at 5.5 lbs, and a master of control in full auto fire because of its recoil-operated delayed blowback bolt system.

MP5A4 with 3 round burst trigger group

Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, Street, SWAT | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

RNC Will Bring Delegates and Officers to Tampa

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Randall

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 participating in the RNC, our role will be to support neighboring departments who have contingents of delegates staying along the Gulf beaches.

I was at Court today and heard two officers from an adjacent jurisdiction talking about their agency’s participation in the RNC.  It seems as the time grows short, the convention is coming into the forefront of everyone’s discussions.  I have been a bit skeptical about how seriously this event is being taken–in light of the officer safety concerns.

It will take efficient communication, training, and guidance for this many agencies to work seamlessly to provide safety and security to this event.  With the date closing in, preparations are accelerating.  Stay tuned…

Randall

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When the Police Need to Break Glass…

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Randall

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 pieces that are razor sharp.  Non-tempered glass is much more dangerous than tempered glass and should be handled with caution, regardless of its thickness.

Laminated glass has plastic layers sandwiched between glass layers.  Because of the plastic sheeting, laminated glass tends to puncture under impact (see video where Mr. Summers tries to break the double laminate glass).  Although the glass breaks, the plastic will hold the laminate together.  High impact and/or cutting forces are needed to adequately defeat laminated glass.  Fragmentation and spalling will also send glass flakes and powdered glass inward, which can be a danger to those on the opposite side.

Tempered Glass Break Practice

Here are some rough generalizations about glass.  Car side and rear windows, newer storefront windows, and modern sliding glass doors are made of tempered glass.  Many building codes require tempered glass be installed in residential and commercial windows that are within 48” of doors.  Tempered glass normally has manufacturers’ Continue reading →

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St. Petersburg Police Field DeadStop Equalizer Police Shields

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Randall

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.  It is ambidextrous and provides gripping in the vertical, horizontal, and my favorite, a 45 degree angle of the forearm.  This is a great compromise of stability and comfort when wielding the shield for Continue reading →

Posted in Officer Safety, Protective Armor, Technology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Shotgun for Home Defense

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Randall

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 Continue reading →

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