American Cop Magazine

DUI Or Diabetic Emergency?

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:50:38 +0000

While on patrol in the middle of the day you respond to a solo vehicle collision. Upon your arrival, you see a man who appears to be unsteady on his feet standing outside of the vehicle. When you ask him if he’s okay, he slurs an answer you don’t quite understand, so you step closer to get a good whiff of his breath.

You’re thinking to yourself, “Solo collision in the middle of the day with this kind of behavior? Gotta be a deuce.” You ask him what happened. As he slurs his answer, you smell the telltale clue there’s more here than meets the eye. Then you see it, a hype kit with what may be insulin. This guy could be a diabetic, but is he having a diabetic emergency or is he hammered? Nothing says a diabetic can’t be under the influence, however we need to know how to differentiate between the two.

Ask ‘Em

The symptoms of a diabetic with either low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can mimic those of a driver who’s under the influence. Not being a doctor or paramedic, I won’t belabor the point of explaining the physiology of glucose and insulin in the blood. Suffice it to say, when those things get out of whack in a diabetic’s blood, things can go from goofy to serious pretty quickly. And while you may be amused watching what you think is a drunk bumbling around, a diabetic emergency is not a laughing matter — getting medical attention ASAP is very important.

Asking a couple of simple questions can help you evaluate the situation, particularly if you’ve noted the presence of the hype kit. Your first question should probably be, “Are you a diabetic?” followed by, “Do you take insulin?” If there’s any chance of a diabetic emergency, now is a good time to get Fire rolling.

You’ll want to find out when the driver last ate and took insulin. Not because you’ll be able to medically assist him or administer an insulin shot, but if he loses consciousness you’ll be able to pass along some pertinent information to the paramedics. San Francisco Fire Department Paramedic Captain Justin Schorr points out, “Chances are he’s also carrying his personal blood glucose monitor, now a little smaller than a deck of cards.” If he’s able, checking his blood sugar before medics are on scene can help save time.

Be Watchful

It’s a good idea to have the driver sit down. Unless his medical issue has taken a serious turn, you may still have time to get some lucid answers. At times, hypoglycemia can be raised to normal quickly with a little bit of juice, sugary soda, a slice of bread or some crackers. Often, the patient will simply be able to tell you what they need. However, Schorr says “They shouldn’t be given anything until a sugar reading can be obtained.

We discourage folks who are slurring from eating and drinking because they can’t confidently swallow, leading to a choking hazard. In addition, if they are hyperglycemic, meaning they have an abundance of sugar, but no insulin, we’re only making troubles worse. Only the hospital can administer insulin, not the medics. While it won’t necessarily hurt them, waiting a few moments to get a reading won’t either.”

If however, they’re suffering much more severe effects that they either can’t or shouldn’t ingest anything, it’s best to secure them as best you can and wait for medical personnel to arrive, assess and treat as indicated. Captain Schorr warns “There could be more going on as strokes also mimic intoxication and diabetic emergencies.”

All of this to say I am not of the opinion that one must assume either diabetic emergency or DUI. The point is to conduct your investigation and follow where the clues lead you. Keep in mind diabetics can also be DUI.
By Jason Hoschouer

Trick My Ride

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:46:44 +0000

Going Ghetto On The Lenco.

The Lenco BearCat is an incredible vehicle, but it’s not perfect. If you’ve ever tried to stuff a fully equipped SWAT team into the back of one those babies, you’ll know what I mean. SWAT dogs carry so much crap these days; invariably pieces end up littering the floor of the BearCat like electronic components in a tweaker’s living room. If you’re not getting poked in the eye with the pick or stubbing your toe on the ram, you’re tripping over the extra ammo or gas rounds.

With so much gear lying around, your carefully planned exit at the mission site can end up looking more like a goat rope than the carefully choreographed dismount you imagined. Having experienced more than their own share of mishaps involving free-floating, forgotten or misplaced gear, the Hawthorne PD SWAT team came up with some relatively simple BearCat modifications, designed to get some of that gear up off the floor and out of the way, yet still keep it readily accessible.

There aren’t too many administrators willing to let their $250,000-plus BearCat get “modified” by a bunch of testosterone-enhanced gunslingers. Understandably, they tend to get a bit concerned when such types request clearance to start welding parts or re-wiring electronics, like they’re doing some high school auto shop project. Fortunately, many of the department bosses, including the Chief, are ex-SWAT officers themselves, so the idea of a few “tweaks” wasn’t met with the predictable “are you nuts?” response. To be fair, the team didn’t exactly bust out the garage welding kit and go to town either. Key Steel, a professional steel fabrication shop (unfortunately now defunct), was brought on to do most of the work. The South Bay Regional Communication Center, which not only dispatches for police and fire in our region, but also builds out our police vehicles, was brought in for all things electrical. Combined with our teams’ ingenuity, the end results were pretty useful.

Custom Metal Concepts out of San Diego produced the vehicle mount, boom and shield needed to give the BearCat breaching capabilities. With 1-stop shopping, CMC mounted a hitch to the front of the BearCat and welded two boom mounts on the roofline, adjacent to the handrail on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Outside Storage

Finding some place to store the picks and rams other than the floor, certainly was high on the hit parade. In the cramped confines of a fully-loaded BearCat, there’s little room for such items. In addition, having such tools permanently stored on the vehicle would do wonders in ensuring the gear is always where you need it, when you need it. With limited room on the inside, the solution was quite ingenious. At the direction of Sgt. Eric Lane (SWAT Team Leader and the brains behind the modifications), Key Steel welded a series of simple brackets on both rear corners and wheel wells of the BearCat. These brackets allowed two rams (one standard circular ram and one Broco compact ram) to be stored on each wheel well, and a pick (Halligan tool) to be stored on each rear corner of the vehicle. Depending on which side the target location might be, a pick and ram would always be easily accessible to team members from the covered side of the BearCat.

Key Steel fabricated and installed a locking bench seat directly behind the driver and passenger seat, with storage on the inside. The bench seat, which could seat two additional officers, is hinged toward the front of the vehicle, lifting to reveal space divided into eight compartments. Four of the compartments were specially designed with circular steel rings to securely hold various munitions.

One steel bracket shaped like a “T” with three vertical prongs was welded to the roof. This allowed three mission ladders to be stacked on top of each other between the two lateral prongs, which limited side-to-side movement.

Roof Storage

As part of any deployment, most of the containment teams routinely carry bus ladders. Faced with the typical fence or wall surrounding most properties, it’s useful to carry a lightweight ladder capable of providing height as well as a stable shooting platform. In order to save room, these went on the roof. Again, simple was the answer. One steel bracket shaped like a “T” with three vertical prongs was welded to the roof. This allowed all three ladders to be stacked on top of each other between the two lateral prongs, which limited side-to-side movement. The handrail on the rear of the BearCat was utilized, along with the third forward vertical prong, to sandwich the ladders and limit front-to-rear movement. This allowed the ladders to be reasonably secure while driving, yet quickly and easily retrievable by simply lifting them straight up.

Key Steel welded a series of simple brackets on both rear corners and wheel wells of the BearCat. These brackets allowed two rams (one standard circular ram and one Broco compact ram) to be stored on each wheel well, and a pick (Halligan tool) to be stored on each rear corner of the vehicle.

Ram And Mount

Due to cost, our BearCat was purchased without a ram or ram mount. Looking at the hefty price Lenco wanted for those items, the team went outside the box again. Custom Metal Concepts out of San Diego produces not only nice gas rams and burn safes (which the team purchased), but also the vehicle mount, boom and shield they needed to give the BearCat breaching capabilities. With 1-stop shopping, CMC mounted a hitch to the front of the BearCat and welded two boom mounts on the roofline, adjacent to the handrail on the passenger side of the vehicle. The boom is secured quite nicely over pin mounts with a locking cotter pin, is out of the way, quick to retrieve when needed and only cost a fraction of what Lenco wanted for a similar product.

In addition to the GPS on the dash, the team’s Eagle X thermal imager was hardwired into a panel affixed to the starboard-side wall behind the passenger seat. In its constantly charged state, it’s always ready to go without the hassle of remembering to charge the batteries.

Electronics

While the electronic upgrades were limited in nature, they did make the BearCat a much better vehicle. To begin with, a Garmin GPS was hardwired into the dash. With target locations, routes, as well as local hospitals and trauma centers pre-plugged, it makes “getting there” just a bit easier.

In addition to the GPS on the dash the team’s Eagle X thermal imager was hardwired into a panel affixed to the starboard-side wall behind the passenger seat. In its constantly charged state, it’s always ready to go without the hassle of remembering to charge the batteries. Mounted to the side of the imager is a Prestone inverter with two plugs capable of converting 12V DC to a more useful 110V AC. Just below that charger are two additional cigarette lighter-type chargers for phones or other handheld devices. With the integration of laptops, iPads, downlinks and other electronics into SWAT operations, it’s nice to have a variety of power sources available.

To brighten up the C-3 profile, two Whelen 600 Series LEDs were added to the backside of the BearCat mirrors as well as some blue LEDs just below the rear bumper. The vehicle VHF antenna, which was awkwardly mounted on the roof towards the rear of vehicle, was replaced with a more efficient antenna and moved to the front of the vehicle. While I’m not a techie, the Comm folks who made the move guaranteed not only better reception, but also far less chance of one of the guys getting “RF burns” if the antenna was inadvertently used as a handhold while transmitting.

A simple hard plastic sheet was glued to both back walls, adjacent to the doors, and a variety of special order pouches (made by the “Vestman” out of Hawthorne) were then screwed into the plastic. These pouches now contain a variety of medical gear as well as an AED strapped toward the bottom. Two Whelen high-intensity 900 Series, Super LED scene lights were added to the rear interior roof delivering a combined 13,000 lumens, making the rear of the BearCat usable for treating medical issues of all kinds.

Inside space of the BearCat was cramped, so the modifications done by the Hawthorne PD’s SWAT team made it more efficient, allowing enhanced storage and faster, easier speed exits.

TACMED Gear

Tactical medicine and the gear going with it has become a huge part of the Hawthorne SWAT team. They not only have four doctors (one is a reserve officer), but also two paramedic volunteers and four SWAT officers cross-trained as EMTs. While each SWAT officer carries his own first aid gear, the doctors wanted sufficient gear on the BearCat to handle advanced trauma. The back wall of the BearCat proved ideally suited to the purpose. A simple hard plastic sheet was glued to both back walls, adjacent to the doors, and a variety of special order pouches (made by the “Vestman” out of Hawthorne) were then screwed into the plastic. These pouches now contain a variety of medical gear as well as an AED strapped toward the bottom.

With limited lighting inside, two Whelen high-intensity 900 Series, Super LED scene lights were added to the rear interior roof. With each 24 diode LED putting out 6,500 lumens, the combined 13,000 lumens made the rear of the BearCat usable for seeing and treating medical issues of all kinds.

A need existed for additional secure weapon storage inside the BearCat.
The answer was four Blac-Rac weapon mounts with electronic releases — fast and secure.

To brighten up the C-3 profile, two Whelen 600 Series LEDs were added to the backside of the BearCat mirrors as well as some blue LEDs just below the rear bumper. The vehicle’s VHF antenna was replaced with a more efficient antenna and moved to the front of the vehicle for better reception.

Weapon Storage

While most SWAT officers maintain firm control over their personal weapons, a need existed for additional secure weapon storage inside the BearCat. The answer was four Blac-Rac weapon mounts with electronic releases. The Blac-Rac system was chosen due to its ability to securely hold a variety of loaded weapons (ARs, shotguns and 40mms), while at the same time protecting the trigger and magazine releases (and in the case of the ARs, the takedown pins). The system is extremely flexible, easy to use and allows weapons to be quickly and easily shifted between mounts.
One mount (for a less-lethal shotgun) was placed on the right front passenger side, another mount (for a 40mm) was placed behind the driver seat and two mounts (for AR platforms) went in the center between the front seats. Reps from Blac-Rac were extremely easy to work with, very accommodating and even went so far as to provide us with a custom mount plate that could be attached to the BearCat, as well as hold the two center Blac-Racs.

The end result of these tweaks was a BearCat well-suited for the needs of the Hawthorne Police Department and its SWAT team. Like everything in police work, there’s always room for a little improvement.
By TI Goetz

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Vehicle And Motor Accessories

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:45:44 +0000

For You And Your Ride.

Your chief tells you he “found some extra money” for some new toys for your favorite conveyance! Whatever are you to do? Fear not friends, for it’s time for American COP’s annual Vehicle and Accessories Feature!

1: Shoei Neotec

One of my favorite new products is the Shoei Neotec modular helmet. This helmet is a departure from the traditional ¾ shell worn by motor officers; it’s a helmet allowing you to wear it either ¾ or full-face. I’ve worn a number of different helmets between riding at work and personally, and have tried different styles and manufacturers; this is my favorite helmet.

My biggest issue with ¾ shell helmets is the number of times I’ve been pelted in the face with any number of road debris items. Whether it’s taking a small pebble at 65 MPH or being stung by a bee, the standard police motor helmet can prove to be hazardous to your face. And besides the facial welts, communications can be difficult — transmitting and receiving — when flying down the freeway. The Neotec does a phenomenal job of reducing noise when used full-face. I recently responded Code 3 to a serious collision; I was able to hear and be heard, even over the siren and at speed.

Transition between the two positions of the helmet is a simple matter of gripping the release catch at the front of helmet and either lifting up or pulling down. The helmet features a 360-degree lock, preventing the chin bar and face shield from unwanted movement. Additionally, the chin bar and face shield are lightweight and offer optimal balance.

The ventilation of the Neotec is superb. The helmet features a larger lower vent shutter that’s easy to use while wearing gloves. There is also a well-placed 3-position upper vent intake, upper outlet vents and a liner with cooling air channels. The result is improved cool-air intake and hot-air expulsion. Another feature I particularly like is the internal sun shield. A switch on the left side of the helmet easily allows the sunshade to drop down and can be used in either configuration.

2: TourMaster Flex

In another departure from the traditional motor uniform is the TourMaster Flex LE jacket. It offers a serious amount of protection, comfort and customization and is much more budget-friendly — about half the price of a typical leather jacket.

The Flex LE has that distinct “duty” look with a badge holder, epaulets, mic-strap and side tapering to ensure no interference with your duty belt. Speaking of the duty belt, the Flex LE has a higher cut waist to further minimize interference. There are also a fair amount of pockets for storage, including zippered hand pockets, an internal pouch pocket and a mobile media pocket. A reflective strip across the back or sleeve piping is a good option for better visibility at night.

This multiple layer jacket is useful year-round; the water-resistant 600 Denier Carbolex outer shell covers a removable air mesh jacket, and there’s also a removable quilted inner liner. You can configure the layers to suit your individual needs. And to help you in the event of a spill, the jacket features CE-approved armor at the elbows and shoulders, and triple density back protection.

3: Mobile Demand

How much more crap can we shove into the passenger compartment of our patrol cars? I love having access to data as much as the next guy, but I’m feeling more claustrophobic as time moves on. The people at Mobile Demand apparently feel my pain. They’ve created a whole line of rugged tablet PCs (built to military specs) and I think the xTablet T7200 is a good option for LE.

The T7200 has the functionality of a notebook, the full Windows operating system of a tablet, and the portability and data collection of a handheld, all in a lightweight form — just 2.5 pounds. Their size (8.8″x5.7″x1.56″) reduces the bulky, passenger/officer-crowding, view-blocking problem associated with an MDC/MDT. And portability truly comes into play when you move the T7200 from the vehicle or motor dock to an office docking station. While there’s a mounting option for motorcycle handlebars, I’d prefer to keep this rugged tablet in my saddlebag and out of the way of the operation of my bike.

A full QWERTY keyboard is available as an optional accessory, and power is not a problem while your roving around your beat with the optional vehicle power adapter. When it comes time to take the T7200 out of your vehicle, you can rely on two standard-capacity hot-swap battery packs, which will give you 7 to 8 hours of battery life with little or no power management. Concerned about whether the T7200 will run your programs and/or databases you have access to? The Windows 7 Professional OS runs full versions of your business and desktop applications.

This could be a welcome addition to your department’s motor program. Very few motor officers have access to a mobile computer, consequently our information-gathering abilities in the field can be severely hampered. We either have to take up precious airtime with dispatch or we have to call a beat car over to access their computer. The T7200 makes that a non-issue. Having the ability to access our local contacts database or take a look at a driver’s history would only serve to improve safety, productivity and increase an officer’s ability to be as knowledgeable as possible about whom they’re contacting. Knowledge is power, and the T7200 is powerful indeed.

4: Havis

Havis, those purveyors of all sorts of cool cop car toys, offer a number of solutions for your prisoner transport needs. Ever had your window kicked out? Me too. A number of times. The Window Guard Kit goes a long way to prevent the destruction of your vehicle windows as well as helping to prevent the possibility of an escape. Havis offers these kits for a variety of makes/models of police vehicles. Speaking from experience, the purchase price is a fraction of the cost of paying to replace not only the window, but also the frame if it gets all bent out of shape.

5: Clearwater Lights

One of the advantages patrol cars have over motorcycles is visibility. Cars have more room for more lights and the power draw to operate them. Clearwater Lights wants to level the playing field a bit. They’ve introduced two takedown lights designed specifically for your motor unit. Their amusingly named options, the “Glenda” and the “Krista” use high-power LEDs as opposed to the halogen lights used on most patrol cars.

Glenda is meant to be mounted on the lower portion of the front forks or faring, and operate as a combination of fog/visibility lights. They make the bike more visible to other traffic during daylight hours and provide a wide pattern of light while adding to side illumination at night.

Motors simply don’t have the power to support halogen lights while stopped. Krista, Glenda’s bigger and meaner sister, eliminates the issue. Each Krista uses three 12-watt LEDs, an advanced digital PWM power supply and a microprocessor-controlled digital dimmer, and only draws 36 watts of power on full brightness. Krista is designed as a takedown light for the motorcycle. Krista can produce up to 180 watts of halogen light while using only the aforementioned 36 watts of power. Want to add to your safety during the day and provide extra illumination during the night? Krista and Glenda from Clearwater Lights may just be your answer.

6: PureForge

As much as I hate being trapped in a car, I do prefer it if it has quality equipment — inside and out. How many of us have approached a red signal light, stepped on the brake and either heard the most ungodly noise known to man or actually felt the brakes slipping as we pressed down? Ever experienced brake fade during a pursuit? I bet you had to pull the seat from your butt once you finally came to a semi-controlled stop. PureForge wants to make this a thing of the past.

Their wear-resistant brake rotors are engineered to outlast the service life of fleet vehicles (and motorcycles), and on average save 20 percent on brake maintenance. Regardless of how large your fleet is, saving is saving — and safety is paramount. Feedback from motor officers whose agencies have switched to PureForge has been very positive. Officers have commented stopping power increased while grabbing and squeaking went away. Once installed, the rotors don’t require replacement during the lifetime of the fleet vehicle involved. And when used in conjunction with their brake pads, the savings are even greater over OEM parts.

PureForge currently makes rotors and brake pads for all the motorcycles used by police (Harley Davidson, BMW, Honda and Kawasaki) and for Ford Crown Vics. About the time you read this, they should have them available for the Dodge Charger, Chevy Caprice and Tahoe and Ford Police Interceptors (sedan and SUV).
By Jason Hoschouer

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Building Trust In Your Reserve Unit

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:44:44 +0000

A Success Story.

Counties in the western states cover vast tracts of land. This means the jurisdictions cover hundreds of square miles, taxing the resources of any local or state law enforcement agency. Throughout the year, agencies find their resources spread even more thinly because of injuries, vacations, retirements and seasonal activities. To manage staffing requirements without breaking budgets, many sheriff’s offices augment their full-time deputies with reservists. Pennington County, South Dakota is one example of such an agency.

You might not think a city like Rapid City, the county hub of Pennington County, would need to augment the staff, but you’d be wrong. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for providing criminal investigations, prisoner transport, patrol duties, SAR and evictions, just to name just a few. It’s also contracted to be the primary law enforcement entity for several towns in the county. The summer months see the 100,000-plus population swell with the nearly three million tourists visiting Mount Rushmore, the Central States Fair and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. These events and attractions tax the full-time staff of all local and state agencies. Throughout the year the deputies will also support parades, football games and hunting seasons — and all increase the population in Pennington County and require more manpower.

Uniforms for Pennington County, SD reserves are the same as those
for full-time officers, but with a “Reserve” rocker added to the badge.

Reaching Out

Pennington County is proactive in their recruiting efforts. From what I’ve seen and heard, this is rare. Many agencies rely on internal referrals as their primary method to maintain staffing requirements for reserves. Pennington County Sheriff’s Reserve uses job fairs, internal referrals, social media and job boards as well as word-of-mouth. One thing making recruiting reserve deputies easier in Pennington County is they are paid for some of their details.

Pennington’s reserve deputies are paid for supporting seasonal events such as Sturgis and the Central States Fair. Paying the deputies to support these large events gives the reservists a financial incentive to serve because it offsets the unpaid training and non-seasonal volunteer duty hour requirements. Another incentive is they would be considered an internal hire should a reserve apply to become a full-time sworn deputy. In today’s competitive job market, this is a major perk.

To become a reservist the applicant must be 21, a high school graduate or hold a GED and have no felonies or domestic violence convictions. Applicants must pass a general knowledge and physical fitness test. The next step is to pass an interview to become a conditional reservist. These new hires are given a physical and mental evaluation and a background check. If this sounds like the requirements for full-time officers at most sworn agencies, it’s because it’s the same. Once fully trained, Pennington’s reservists are real deputies, just working part time and with some limited authority.

Training alongside full-time deputies helps to build unit cohesion
and trust among all the deputies on the Pennington County, SD Sheriff’s Office.

Basic Training

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office runs its own reserve training. This training is 110 hours, covering all the basics like ethics, standards, jurisdictions, firearms, on-duty responsibilities, law and the limitations of reserve authority. Training includes both formal class time and on-the-job training. All trainees go through the training so they know exactly what’s required and expected of them on duty, regardless of prior experience. As with other training academies, the new reservists are trained en-masse to ensure they’re all proficient, and understand policies and procedures. Reservist training follows the policies of the South Dakota State Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training Commission. Upon completion of training, the commission certifies the reservists.

Once their training is completed, the reservists are assigned to the patrol division and required to work 96 hours a year or 8 hours a month. The monthly hours can be waved on a case-by-case basis for work or personal reasons, but each reservist must meet the state mandated 96 hours of training/duty time in order to maintain their state certification. Reserve deputies are required to attend 4-hour monthly training sessions covering material germane to their duties. They may also attend any training scheduled by the full-time deputies, helping to build unit cohesion and increase their skill level. This is a win-win for all parties, especially the citizens of Pennington County and visiting tourists because it gives them a highly trained, cohesive sheriff’s office.

Equipment

Pennington’s reserve deputies are equipped like their full-time counterparts right down to their issued sidearm, the Glock 22. The only uniform items not supplied for the deputies by the county are black t-shirts, boots and a watch. When you encounter a reserve deputy the only item distinguishing them from a full-time deputy is the badge; which adds “reserve” to the title rocker.

Reserves work with full-time deputies, making each unit a 2-officer unit. Having 2-officer units makes the deputies safer on duty and will hopefully reduce assaults on the deputies. With the size of the territory (over 2,700 square miles) backup could be several minutes — or longer — away. This makes the deputies and the public safer and provides better service to the citizens of Pennington County.

Pennington’s reserves may also assist full-time deputies in warrant service, investigations and other activities like water rescue. Working side-by-side with full-time deputies, the reserves have full arrest authority. The severity of the crime determines whether the reservist or full-time deputy makes the arrest.

Something rare for any agency, a SWAT sniper who’s a reserve officer.
Jeff Hoffman (Black Hills Ammo) trains with the full-time deputies of the SWAT team.

Tenure And Talent

Thanks to being integrated and valued members of their agency, the reserve deputies work at the department for many years, averaging 5 to 10 years tenure. Of those reservists who leave quickly, they almost always have left to accept full-time LE positions. Pennington authorizes 15 reserve deputies. As of this writing, six more qualified applicants are about to start through the training pipeline to ensure proper staffing.

Other agencies using reserve officers could look at the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office for tips about retention and unit cohesion. Paying them, even modestly for large seasonal events gives reserves incentive to join, helping to defray costs. Allowing reserves to train with the full-time staff builds trust and cohesion. Both of these will break the barrier that often exists between the “regulars” and the “reserves.”

How much trust is put on reserves in Pennington County? One of their SWAT snipers is a reserve and is none other than Jeff Hoffman of Black Hills Ammo. Granted jurisdictional limits are set by the regulations of your agency and state, but wouldn’t it be good if your agency’s full-time staff had such a solid working relationship with the reserve unit? There may always be a bit of prejudice, but training and trust can overcome it. Just look at the success of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
By Scott Smith

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Very Person

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:22:45 +0000

We’ve posed the question in the past, (From The Publisher, “Will You Do It?” July 2012) and now there’s a new wrinkle — what if it’s your gun that’s to be confiscated? I’m writing this in April and am struggling to contain my anger at state and federal governments, including the law enforcement representing them. A couple of recent events (there may be more) have made the idea of gun-grabbing a very real concern, not just for me, a regular citizen who happens to be retired from law enforcement, but also for you, currently employed citizens in the business. Now that I have your attention, read on….

As part of the NY SAFE Act, the state police have already begun sending letters to gun permit holders demanding they surrender any and all weapons, and their permits are being suspended. Why? Because a provision of the law mandates confiscation if someone has been prescribed psychotropic drugs, as in SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. Maybe you’re thinking, “So what. People on those meds must be whack jobs.” Wrong!

SSRIs, also known as antidepressants, are just one category of psychotropic drugs and are commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. And while some psychotropic drugs can be cause for concern regarding mood alteration (find the list of them at www.nami.org and learn more at www.nimh.nih.gov), it’s imperative the right people — mental health experts, not politicians or their law enforcement designees — are the ones determining whether you should or shouldn’t have a gun/permit.

According to a couple of 30-year experienced psychotherapists in San Diego, “If they’re taking away guns from SSRI users, they must take them away from anyone who takes a second drink. A second drink effects the brain significantly more than any SSRI.” Further, “They don’t sell antidepressants or mood stabilizers on the streets; they do sell Xanax, Valium, Adderall, etc. The opiates and addictive drugs all have street value. Most psychotropics are not used recreationally and are not a ‘reason’ to take away guns.”

Countless numbers of you (cops) have been prescribed antidepressants, even for the short term, like maybe when you’re going through a divorce, have been involved in an officer-involved shooting or have maybe been to one too many officer funerals. Are you starting to get a little nervous? You should be. You are no different than the average citizen who may need a little help getting through a tough time. How would you feel if you were taken out of the field, had all your guns confiscated (for safe keeping, right?) and told, in essence, you were no longer trustworthy? Hey, wait a minute! What the hell?

Welcome to the new world of the government stomping on your 2nd, 4th and 5th Amendment rights. Hopefully you clearly see the 2nd Amendment violation, but maybe you haven’t thought about the other two. Think of how the state or federal government may receive information about your SSRI prescription. Unless your situation is shared because you pose an eminent threat to yourself or others (think Tarasoff warning), then the only other way your information was obtained was through unauthorized (HIPAA violation) sharing of your medical records. This is a violation of your 4th Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure, as well as your 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

I predict the state of New York is thinking there’s no HIPAA violation, and therefore no civil rights violations, because HIPAA allows for sharing to “…protect the public’s health and well being.” Hmmmm. If they’re so concerned for public health, why don’t they send letters to all registered vehicle owners who have suspended or revoked drivers’ licenses to surrender their vehicles? Why don’t they go after people prescribed AIDS medications to ensure they aren’t infecting others? And they wonder why people don’t seek help for mental health. C’mon.

Delving into private medical records under the guise of protecting others smacks of nothing more than a government fishing expedition. At the very least, a reasonable suspicion should be present to cross reference the list of permit holders against their medical records. Even better, probable cause should be the standard for such an invasion of privacy. It’s the standard you must have to get a warrant to look at someone’s telephone records — and I don’t know of too much deeply personal information found in the average citizen’s phone records.

The insanity doesn’t end there. Right here in Missouri, the state I’ve called home since 2008, we’re finding ourselves in the middle of a shit storm over the sharing of over 163,000 concealed gun permit holders with the federal government. Yup, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) has done this twice since 2011, and Missouri is a state where such records are allegedly confidential.

In November 2011, an as yet unnamed investigator for the federal Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General requested the list of permit holders to probe whether any of them were fraudulently collecting disability benefits for mental illness. If beneficiaries’ names were on the gun permit list, it could be an indicator they either weren’t ill or shouldn’t have the permit. I know what you’re thinking — thank you Captain Obvious — see previously mentioned fishing expedition. Apparently the MSHP sent the requested information on discs to the investigator, but are now claiming the investigator wasn’t able to open the files and he discarded them. Yeah, right.
By Suzi Huntington

Loss Of Public Favor?

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:06:00 +0000

A reader recently forwarded me a brief article from an online law enforcement-related blog dealing with the question of whether law enforcement is losing the public’s favor. The reader asked me to comment on it, so hence this column.

Law enforcement today is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the issue of public trust, respect and favor. It’s a dilemma not easily solved because law enforcement policies, procedures, focus and actions, while pleasing to some, will be upsetting to others. To really examine the issue we must look at two things.

What is, or at least should be, the real purpose of police work? What do the majority of people in today’s society want of their police? It’s fair to say the answers to these two questions are quite different. Therefore, depending on whether an agency chooses to focus on the real purpose of our business or accommodating the wishes of the majority, public perception will be effected either positively or adversely.

Our Purpose

From my perspective, and at times I think I’m in the minority, the purpose of our profession is to protect people from those who would prey on them through criminal behavior. Sure, we provide non-enforcement services as well, but the bottom line is other entities can do that. Only law enforcement is entrusted with the power of arrest and the authority to use deadly force for the protection of innocents. The question is whether or not the majority of the public really wants this to be our role. A look at how our electoral process played out recently will help answer the question.

What did last November’s election tell us? Lots of things, not the least of which is that we live in an increasingly “it’s all about me, what have you done for me lately?” society. It’s a society in which the majority of citizens, as expressed by their vote, want fewer things to be illegal (witness the votes in multiple states just on the issue of legalized marijuana alone) and more free stuff to be given to them. It’s a society that prefers its law enforcers to turn a blind eye to issues such as illegal immigration, driving while unlicensed or operating uninsured and unregistered vehicles. It’s a society that has opted for a watering down of the Constitutional framework that in the past provided the boilerplate under which cops operate.

Popular Vote?

So where does all of this leave us? Well for those agencies viewing their primary purpose as arresting bad guys and taking a hard line against activities the law still classifies as criminal, they’ll please the minority of our citizens — at least as that minority position was expressed at the ballot box. However, they will not please the majority who view strict enforcement of the law as an infringement on their freedom. Those who lead agencies following the time-honored precepts of our profession will likely not survive in this political climate — those who are “more understanding, compassionate, reasonable and flexible” will replace them. And they will be replaced by the spineless, politically correct who share the same liberal perspective as their constituents.

As we’ve already seen over the past decade, other agencies will adopt a much less enforcement-oriented philosophy and practice. They will enjoy a high degree of “public trust” because of their soft and, at times, hands-off approach to dealing with criminal behavior. It will take some time before people recognize, if ever, there is a strong correlation between soft policing and increases in crime. But then, given how the majority voted in the last presidential election, I suspect the majority are either too naïve or have consumed too much Kool-Aid to care.

The result of this dichotomy is we’ll likely be left with aggressive, traditional policing agencies perhaps not well trusted by many, but who will maintain low crime rates and safe communities in which to live and work. On the flip side, and unfortunately this already applies to too many large cities in the US, will be cities and counties where cops are well liked, but with violent crime rates bursting through the roof. Not the sort of place I’d want to live, and certainly not the type of department I could ever lead. But people get what they ask for — and deserve — I think the next 4 years in particular will prove that.

Jerry may be contacted with questions, comments, and suggestions for future columns via exlasd@msn.com
By Jerry Boyd

Legacy: When Cops Carried Revolvers

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:05:15 +0000

Our history is a part of us, and to ignore our beginnings is to ignore our foundation. Today, cops only feel adequately armed if they have a polymer, high-cap auto on their hip, with 50 rounds of ammo on-hand in magazines. Yet, fewer than 30 years ago, most American law enforcement personnel carried double-action revolvers — facing many of the same threats cops face today — but armed with 18 shots on their duty belts. Yet they faced them anyway.

By the early 1990s, most US law enforcement agencies had transitioned from revolvers to semi-autos. This isn’t to infer revolvers were no longer employed, and indeed, revolvers continue to be carried daily by a grandfathered few — those who trained in revolver use as rookies. The sight of a holstered revolver on the hip of a uniformed police officer today usually indicates great seniority. Also, the small, lightweight and easily concealed snubnosed revolvers are still used by undercover officers as backup guns, as well as by off-duty cops.

Influencing factors leading to law enforcement’s adoption of the semi-auto include the 1986 FBI Miami shootout, the US military’s transition to the Beretta 9mm and increased violence by drug traffickers. However, there is some evidence American law enforcement was already sluggishly progressing toward semi-autos.

Colt .38 Special snubnose revolvers (clockwise from top left): alloy-framed Cobra, Detective Special with factory installed hammer shroud and alloy-framed Agent. All were popular for plainclothes, undercover and off-duty law enforcement use.

A Cop’s Choice

Ultra-conservatism and resistance to change have long been recognized traits of law enforcement agencies, and yet some personnel carried semi-auto pistols long before the term “transition” had anything to do with law enforcement handguns. However, the percentage of officers who carried semi-autos of any type was never high, even in the departments that permitted them.

The most popular semi-auto was the Colt 1911-type pistol in .45 ACP. Though an excellent handgun and among the very best for law enforcement work, it required a greater degree of training than the simpler revolver. While the Colt .45 was very safe in the hands of a trained officer, it could be just the opposite for those unfamiliar with it. A few large dents in steel locker doors in the old Dallas PD basement locker room blatantly evidenced careless loading or unloading practices. I don’t recall hearing of injuries from the mishaps however, as they probably went unreported.

During this time, many agency handgun policies were very liberal, making for quite a variety of sidearms. Some guns were department-issued, while others were individually owned. The minimum (or sometimes the only) cartridge chambering was the .38 Special, but perhaps a lesser caliber was permitted for off-duty carry. Agencies often required personally owned handguns, usually revolvers from Colt, Smith & Wesson or later, Ruger. Such guidelines insured only high-quality handguns were carried.

Colt L-frame double-action .357 Magnum revolvers used for law enforcement duty
include (from top): Python, Trooper and the .357 Magnum model, a slightly upgraded Trooper.

Most Popular

Mainstays included Colt’s Official Police and Trooper models as well as Smith & Wesson’s Military & Police and the Combat Masterpiece, usually in .38 Special. In past decades, most officers carried one of these revolvers during at least part of their tenure, and many carried one for their entire career. As with most full-sized police revolvers, those with 4″ barrels were always among the most popular. Colt has not manufactured double-action revolvers on a production basis in some time, but Smith & Wesson continues to offer them.

The small-framed Police Positive Special filled a role in police work. The popular snubnosed variant became the Detective Special. The Cobra and Agent were lightweight versions of the Detective Special. These easily concealable guns are seldom encountered with barrel lengths other than 2″, and plainclothes and off-duty officers often favored them.

Smith & Wesson introduced the Chiefs Special in 1950. Later, given the additional designation of Model 36, the 2″-barreled “Chief” enjoyed enormous popularity in the same roles the Detective Special (and its derivatives) had been filling for years. The Chiefs Special was even more compact and lighter than the Colt, and about as small as a revolver could be for the .38 Special cartridge. The trim cylinder only held five rounds, as opposed to the Detective Special’s six, but few saw this as a disadvantage. Most will agree, however, the slight extra bulk of the Colt made it easier to shoot well. Neither revolver was, or is, pleasant to fire using the more heavily loaded +P ammunition. The Chief remains in production today.

On a limited basis, semi-automatic handguns were used in law enforcement long before the semi-automatic “transitional” period of the late 1980s. Colt 1911-types were among the most common as typified by this 70 Series A1 in .45 ACP.

Variations

Just how many .357 Magnum revolvers American law enforcement personnel have carried over the past several decades is anyone’s guess, but the number would be sizable. Depending on agency policy or user preference, it’s a safe bet some of these guns were never loaded with anything other than standard .38 Special ammunition. Colt produced the utilitarian Trooper in .357 Magnum as well as the “.357 Magnum” model (a slightly upgraded Trooper) in the 1950s. The expensive and finely finished Python also saw considerable use as a law enforcement handgun.

Smith & Wesson made the original .357 Magnum revolver in the 1930s and a couple of decades later it came to be known as the Model 27. It was always S&W’s premier .357. The frame was slightly larger than the Python, but weight and dimensions of the two were similar. According to the 1960 Gun Digest, a blue-finished Python retailed for $125 while a comparable Model 27 was $5 less.

Smith & Wesson’s .357 Combat Magnum (later called the Model 19) hit the market in the mid-50s. It was built on a K-frame with several available barrel lengths. Weight and size were about the same as many .38 Special revolvers, hence an instant appeal for law enforcement use. For the uninitiated, the .357 Magnum muzzle flash from a 2-1/2″ Model 19 was nothing short of spectacular! It was blinding in a low–light situation. In 1970, the Model 19 was offered in a stainless steel version, the Model 66. For the time, this was a state-of-the-art police revolver.

Smith & Wesson Model 29s in .44 Magnum saw some use as law enforcement revolvers, but these proved difficult to handle for anyone other than experienced handgunners. The 4”-barreled version (here in nickel) was particularly hard to master with magnum ammunition.

Least Popular

The .41 Remington Magnum never came close to achieving the popularity as a law enforcement cartridge that was anticipated with its 1964 introduction. Some officers carried the no-frills, 4″ S&W Model 58 or the same firm’s Model 57, complete with an adjustable rear sight, shrouded ejector, rod, etc. Colt didn’t market a .41 Magnum revolver. With the standard factory round, ballistics were similar to the .44 Magnum. The .41 was loud, kicked hard and produced plenty of muzzle flash, just like the .44. A milder factory load geared for police use was an excellent round but saw limited use.

Smith & Wesson’s .44 Magnum revolver appeared in late 1955, a typical deluxe N-frame model, adjustable rear sight and all. When it became the Model 29 in the late 50s, it was used in a limited capacity for police work. Full .44 Magnum loads are simply too much except for highly experienced handgunners. Some officers conceded this fact, loading their guns with milder, yet effective, .44 Special ammunition.

Some personnel carried revolvers chambered in .44 Special, a cartridge long-recognized as an excellent police and defensive cartridge. Handguns were usually in the form of an S&W Model 1926 Military, a Model 21 or a Model 24. Many of these revolvers encountered today are considered collectible, as they were never produced in large numbers.

Handguns such as .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim revolvers — often military surplus 1917 Colt or 1917 S&W models — were used in a law enforcement capacity. Not only were the surplus guns plentiful and cheap, they were chambered for a cartridge, leaving little to be desired in a police handgun. Smith & Wesson manufactured a commercial version chambered for the .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim (Model of 1950, later called the Model 22) until the mid-60s.

The .45 Colt cartridge, though a fine defensive round, enjoyed limited use as a law enforcement cartridge. Few double-action revolvers were chambered in .45 Colt for a long time. This changed in the late 1970s with Smith & Wesson’s production run of the Model 25-5. Sufficient size and weight of the gun helped most shooters easily handle the cartridge with its heavy bullet at moderate velocity. Law enforcement discovered the .45 Colt too late, as within a few years the semi-auto pistol transition would be underway.

Mike Thomas in 1972 during his days as a patrolman in East Dallas.

Where Are They Now?

Where are the ex-law enforcement revolvers now? Dealers, often in large lots, purchased thousands from agencies. There has always been a collector’s niche for such handguns, but interest in this area has gained momentum during the past 20 years with the release of so many examples. Agency-marked guns in particular have become desirable additions to some collections. Personally owned revolvers, some with documentation, but lacking agency identification marks, occasionally come on the market. Many of these handguns show extensive finish wear, but most were fired little and are often fine shooters as-is.

A miscellany of information is available regarding the law enforcement revolver from when it was the preeminent weapon. Personnel were taught to quickly reload revolvers using nothing more than manual dexterity. Many shooters, including today’s police officers, would be amazed at how quickly this was done, even without speedloading gadgetry.

Various agencies used .22 Rimfire revolvers for initial handgun familiarization and training of recruits. It’s easier for a novice to develop good shooting habits and skills with a .22 before moving up to a centerfire revolver. One such .22 Long Rifle revolver commonly used was the Smith & Wesson K22 Combat Masterpiece (Model 18), a virtual twin to the original Combat Masterpiece (Model 15) in .38 Special. Colt offered the Trooper in .22 Long Rifle, complimenting the centerfire Trooper.

Still Effective

The mild recoil and muzzleblast of the .38 Special paid dividends for generations of cops. Never as worthless as its detractors claimed, the .38 Special revolver was instrumental in the abrupt termination of numerous criminal careers.

Certainly, it was a different time. It’s unlikely the double-action revolver will ever reclaim widespread use as a law enforcement tool. However, this takes nothing away from the history and allure of a handgun that served its purpose well for a very long time. Don’t shy away from taking a hard look at a small-frame revolver as an on-duty backup gun, either. It’s kept hundreds of cops alive in the past 60 years and those five or six reliable shots are just as important today as they were “back then.”
By Mike Thomas

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Lights, Sights And Lasers

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:01:53 +0000

Wes Doss and his Traveling Magic Show.

Free firearms training — yeah right! That statement ranks right up there with, “I only had two beers officer … really.” After a good number of years as my department’s training sergeant and then the rangemaster, I don’t think I remember ever being presented with the opportunity to send one of my cops to truly free training. Now Wes Doss and his training company, Khyber Training Group, has partnered with XS Sights, Crimson Trace, Blade-Tech, Gargoyles Eyewear, Steyr Arms and Spec Ops Brands to offer just that — free firearms training. Will wonders never cease?

The Origin

The original concept for the program was an idea from Khyber Interactive’s Vice President, Hye Chong Doss, Wes’s long-suffering wife. (Told you that you wouldn’t want me to write this Wes.) Anyway, Hye Chong approached XS Sights at the 2012 SHOT show about a partnership to start a law enforcement and military training division. From that idea additional sponsors were gathered and it’s morphed into a touring program capable of making an impact on law enforcement across the US, particularly in light of budget cuts, which always hit training the hardest.

I’ve known Wes for many years and have been exposed to many top firearms trainers across the country. I would certainly put him in the top tier of trainers both here in the US and internationally. He has a BS and MS in Criminal Justice Administration and a PhD in Psychology with emphasis on Performance Psychology.

Wes has a military, law enforcement and SWAT background. He spent 10 years active and 11 years reserves in the US Army as an infantryman, military police officer and a CID special agent. As a cop, Wes worked for Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and ran a patrol squad in the river district, supervised firearms training and was the team leader and training officer for the agency’s Tactical Operations Unit. He served 6-plus years in general investigations, working burglaries to homicides from Colorado City to Lake Havasu City.

Wes Doss looks on while a student learns proper finger placement along
the slide while using a Crimson Trace laser.

The Class

Wes developed the curriculum for the class, and is the host and lead instructor at all 19 tour stops throughout the US including Alaska and Hawaii. The Khyber Training staff will join Wes to assure a safe training environment and provide individual instruction when needed or requested. The staff consists of a cadre of 12 experienced trainers all with extensive and solid law enforcement and military backgrounds.

XS Sights, Crimson Trace and Steyr are providing their merchandise for student use. There are a variety of handguns, carbines and shotguns available, including several Steyr AUG A3s and handguns. All the guns have XS sights installed on them, and Crimson Trace has provided a nice selection of lights and lasers in red and green configurations.

Blade-Tech and Gargoyles supply product for the instructors and are helping fund the events — did we mention it’s free to attending LEOs? — and Spec Ops is providing range bags loaded with various products from the sponsors, which is awarded to the winner of a competition at the end of each class. Okay, the only thing that’s not free is the ammo, but I think you can understand that, given the current frenzy to buy up any and all ammo. And considering how few cops actually practice, I’d imagine your agency might have a bunch of training ammo you could use for the class.

To see tour dates or sign up for Lights, Sights & Lasers, go to www.kybergroup.com and click on “Schedule.”

Wait, There’s More!

The program has POST credit in most locations and includes a big, catered lunch. Free training and the opportunity to use products you might not otherwise be familiar with are all there for the taking. In addition, almost all the sponsors are offering discounts (from 10 percent to certificates for free merchandise). What have you got to lose?

Lights, Sights and Lasers will be presented twice at each location. So far, the average class size has been 25 students and sometimes considerably more — their test class at Fort Worth PD in Texas had 45 students each day. The size of the host agency’s classroom and range will be the determining factor. The response has been outstanding. Many of the locations have waiting lists because classes have exceeded max capacity. So, you better get your reservation now. Go to the Khyber Interactive website or the XS-Sights website for details. Also check back later for a list of tour dates and locations for 2014 — yup, thanks to all the generosity of the sponsors, Wes plans on bringing you another year of free training.
By Dave Douglas

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Decisions?

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:37:11 +0000

Anyone with anything between their ears except air knows a fight is in the wings over the lawful ownership of firearms. The proposed registration will ultimately (based on history) amount to confiscation. Think about the last time you voted in what are called “free and fair” elections, and see how well that’s working out for you right now.

With the scribble of a pen, law-abiding citizens will be in violation of the law for possessing certain guns. They’ll be required to take the guns they have to a place to be determined by armed personnel of the government, where the guns — now deemed illegal — will be confiscated. The guns deemed “okay” will be documented and the owner(s) fingerprinted, photographed, questioned, poked and prodded about why they need any gun. And then they’ll probably have their guns held in a “secure” place until they need them for hunting or something.

If you’re stupid enough to say, “Well I’ll bury my gun,” you don’t get it. If you’re considering burying it, you probably actually need to also consider using it.

Teachers in public schools will question kids about whether or not their parents own guns — all under the guise of “protecting kids” and making the world safer, or some other bunny-hugging gig. Every resource, every credit card purchase and any form of transaction will lead to information about what guns you have.

A doctor I know says things like, “I’m not giving up my guns.” Good thought, but he and his wife (who isn’t really into guns) have two little kids, ages 3 and 5. Under all this gun stuff he’d stand to lose his fancy house, his BMW, his practice and his wife, who will take the children out of the house when the gun police arrive to address him.

Even if his wife was into guns, personal protection and stuff, how far will either let this go before it puts their kids in danger? Then they roll over and give up the guns. Or not to worry, because his new practice at the FEMA camp will be busy, if not financially fruitful? I’m just saying, is all.

The Police

I know very few cops who don’t own guns, and most believe they’ll be able to keep their guns because they’re cops. A notable concept, except remember there are different classes of cops. It’s been my experience (and if you have a different experience, write the editor and tell her about it) that most federal cops think they are better, and most often believe they are exempt from laws affecting the rest of us. Let a Fed do something wrong, like shoot an unarmed-somebody, and see what happens. Let a local cop whack a guy with a stick and see how fast the Feds are there to push civil rights violations up and down the appropriate body openings. I’m not disgruntled, I’ve just seen it happen too many times.

Something to remember: The County Sheriff — elected I might point out — is always the senior law enforcement officer in his county. So will appointed federal law enforcement exempt local elected law enforcement? Possibly. Remember, Feds are always exempt, and often seemingly above the law (just ask them). And I say again, if you’re a local cop and you’ve had a different experience, let us know, we’d be happy to publicize it. There are sterling federal cops, but the general culture of federal agencies is as I’ve said.

The snag for all police, at least as I remember, is they took an oath. I did, and the gist of it is we swear under oath to “obey and support the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.” So what if the new law outlaws guns?

What’ll happen when cops retire? Will a retired cop be allowed to have a gun? If you’re a cop now (you won’t always be), you have the privilege to have a gun, but when you retire, what will you think about not being able to have a gun? The thought of you being a good cop for 30 years, upholding the law and never doing anything wrong and then, no gun. How does that feel for you?

In the vast majority of Australia, the local police have to turn in their duty guns at the end of shift and go home unarmed. Can’t happen? It did there, and the cops weren’t exempt from anything.

Military

Here’s another can of worms. Governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, military troops can decline to obey what they consider an unlawful order. They have a duty to obey lawful orders and an obligation to disobey unlawful orders — including orders by the president — that don’t comply with the UCMJ. Their moral and legal obligation is to the US Constitution and not to those who would issue unlawful orders, especially if those orders are in direct violation of the Constitution and the UCMJ.

Non-commissioned officers and warrant officers can only give lawful orders. Officers can give direct orders, and the only response a lower ranking officer, non-commissioned officer or private soldier can make, other than simply obeying the order, is to protest, demand the order in writing and then obey the order.

Picture this: “Secure this area, search each building, seize all weapons and detain people with these illegal weapons.”

That could be the legal order troops would be forced to comply with. Your military can — and probably would — be used against you if it came down to it. To fail to follow orders equates to mutiny or sedition, not good things if you’re in the military. Another issue will be whether this confiscation is ever declared a war of sorts on the American public. If so, it adds a new dynamic to how the troops can and would be used. Military assets will be used, from armor (Waco, Texas) to drones and more to solve this issue of non-compliant gun owners.

What goes for the cops goes for the military. After 30 years of service to your country, multiple combat tours and burying your friends all around the world, you now retire in your own country but can’t have a gun? A lot of Vietnam vets are asking the same question. We realize the War on Terror is a big deal, but trust me, Tet in ‘68 was also a big deal.

Tombstone Humor

If they pass laws stating you can’t own or have a gun until you’re 21, does this mean Selective Service is no longer valid? We require our sons to sign up for Selective Service when they turn 18 so they can take a gun to another country and kill our enemies in their country. Yet, when they come home to our country they can’t own a gun until they are 21, which seems a bit odd to me. Maybe even a little hypocritical?

I’m not saying all this will happen, but it certainly could happen. If you’re a cop, you need to be thinking about this stuff now. You have some important decisions to make about your future.

Choose wisely.

By Clint Smith

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Protect Your Communication Device

Cop — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:30:30 +0000

There are so many work-related uses for your Android phone, iPhone or tablets these days, like apps that help you do your job better and more efficiently. Even apps allowing incident commanders to track, communicate, better manage and even document any size incident can work with the phone you carry on your belt or in your pocket. They can save your jurisdiction plenty of cash and keep you safer.

The problem is phone manufacturers offer few if any affordable phones or tablets capable of withstanding the rigors of police work. And I can’t think of a single “ruggedized” model offering a fraction of the capabilities of even the now-dated iPhone 4S I carry with me daily.

Our Needs

We don’t expect our phones to take a bullet for us, but we need a level of ruggedness that’s sensible. The sheer size of a case that would protect your device from being run over by a car, struck by a bullet, survive temperatures -50 to +130 degrees and dunks in 100′ of water just isn’t realistic. They could be made with those features, but they’d weigh 10 pounds and add three times the volume.

We need protective cases for an average to crappy day in the patrol car. Realistically, the case should survive a 6′ drop or being flung across the cruiser’s seats during a pursuit and weather a good dousing of a grande-mocha-frappa-salted-caramel-two-extra-shots latte — or in my case, a large strong black coffee.

LifeProof

The LifeProof fre for iPhone 5 (they also make cases for iPhone 4/4S) is the lightest and slimmest of the cases we tried, weighing 1.5 ounces (without the belt clip attached) with dimensions of 2.64×5.41x.48″. The case is waterproof for 30 minutes in about 6.5′ of water, but I’ve got to be honest, none of us here have been brave enough to sacrifice our personal phone to test this claim from any of the makers. We’re satisfied knowing the cases will protect our phones from the average rainstorm or accidental drop on a puddle. The case performs as advertised in keeping out dust, gunk and other grunge you’re likely to come across. LifeProof says the fre will withstand occasional drops from a maximum height of 6.6′ and our phones were no worse for the wear after several drop tests.

A word of caution with this case: there are two belt clips included in the package, one for a standard size belt and the other for a thicker/wider belt such as your gun belt. Read the instructions and believe them! Once you’ve attached a clip to the case, you’re very apt to break the attachment point if you decide you don’t like that particular clip size. So, I recommend you see which clip will give you the most uses before you just slap one on. MSRP is about $80 and LifeProof offers a wide range of color options.
By Dave Douglas

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