http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/RSS.ashxAmerican COP Mar/Apr 2009 PagesTue, 03 Feb 2009 22:45:46 +0100http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=1http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=1Reality Check: Dangerous People! www.americancopmagazine.com $5.95 OUTSIDE U.S. $9.50 marcH/apriL 2009 Defense Attorneys: Do We neeD ‘em? Off-Duty Disaster spike’s shOrt Barrel patrOl rifle ? WIN AN S&W M&P .45 ACP! Cyber Crime Solutions Focus: Hi-Tec: VidMic Good To Go Gear: Blade-Tech Carry Options: 5 Shot Leather2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=2http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=2t a c t i c a l f o o t w e a r starring Armor-Dillo AbrAsion resistAnce and breAthAbility, lAterAl sUPPort and eAsy on & oFF co-starring trAction and comFort, Athletic cUshioninG, totAl Foot sUPPort music by AlloWs For cUstom Fit story by comFort, hiGh DUrAbility 888.476.7700 • www.originalswat.com seK 90002009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=3http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=3LOSE SIGHT FOR A SECOND AND YOU’RE OUT OF THE FIGHT 4 PM. STOLEN CAR. You need to see everything. everything The shine of a knife, the glint of a gun. You need to see their hands. Good thing your sunglasses aren’t just sunglasses. They’re Revision Hellfly. Made by the leader in ballistic eyewear for the military worldwide. And Hellfly is made for you. High impact protection, state of the art optics, 100% UV and wraparound lenses to keep you covered on all sides. All under one ounce. So you’re ready for the worst, ready with the best. That’s Revision Ready. PROVEN UNDER FIRE* “Any situation can turn bad, quick… Why take a chance with anything other than Revision. It’s not worth the risk.” – Federal Law Enforcement Officer BE REVISION READY www.revisioneyewear.com M I S S I O N C R I T I C A L E Y E W E A R® *12 gauge shotgun, 1-1/8oz #7.5 lead shot, 1,148 ft/s velocity at 16 feet. ©2008 REVISION EYEWEAR LTD. HELLFLY™ AND REVISION® ARE TRADEMARKS OF REVISION EYEWEAR LTD, 7 CORPORATE DRIVE, ESSEX JUNCTION, VT 054522009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=4http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=42009 Volume 5, Number 2, Issue 22 MAR • APR WWW.aMeRicaNcopMagaZiNe.coM 52 34 FEATURES 34 40 44 46 50 4 16 A Short Barrel LE Rifle. Spike’S TacTical ST-15 SBR Abner MirAndA DeliveRy NoT iNcluDeD JiM Weiss And Mickey dAvis pRoBleM: cyBeR cRiMe Jon HolloWAy How One Agency Brought An Airplane Home. Solution: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). dangerous diversion or practical pastime? coMpeTiTive ShooTiNg rAlpH Mroz iN DefeNSe of DefeNSe aTToRNeyS JEREmy D. CLOugH WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 Why We Have Them — Why We Need Them.2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=5http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=550 COLUMNS 16 HigH TecH ROGERÊ ECKSTINE LeAA KENNETHÊ ORROCK Ê 40 28 18 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 52 54 correcTions bRIaNÊ dawE PrivATe securiTy EdÊ palumbOÊ sTreeT LeveL JOHNÊ mORRISON HArd TooLs paulÊ maRKEl reserves pERRYÊ w.Ê HORNbaRGER evoc aNTHONYÊ RICCIÊ officer survivAL JOHNÊ RuSSO cArry oPTions maRKÊ HaNTEN reALiTy cHeck ii ClINTÊ SmITH RESOURCES 56 68 68 sPoTLigHT cLAssifieds Ad index 8 13 70 ON THE DEPARTMENTS COVER reTurn fire good To go geAr insider ruminATions 24 THis s s& s&W m&P &P .45 A AcP! 66 13 16 32Ê 34 44 50 52 54 BLAde-TecH vidmic off-duTy disAsTer sPike's rifLe cyBer crime defense ATTorneys 5 sHoT LeATHer dAngerous PeoPLe AMERICAN COPª (ISSN 1557-2609) is published bi-monthly by PublishersÕ Development Corp., 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. Periodical postage paid at San Diego CA 92128, and at additional entry offices. Subscriptions: One year (six issues) $24.95. Single copies $5.95 (in Canada $9.50). Change of address: four weeks notice required on all changes. Send old address as well as new. Contributors submitting manuscripts, photographs or drawings do so at their own risk. Material cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Payment is for all world rights for the material. The act of mailing a manuscript constitutes the author’s certification of originality of material. Opinions expressed are those of the bylined authors and do not necessarily represent those of the magazine or it’s advertisers. Advertising rates furnished on request. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission, is prohibited. Entire contents Copyright© 2009 Publishers’ Development Corp. All rights reserved. Title to this publication passes to subscriber only on delivery to his address. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS: For immediate action, write Subscription Dept., 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AMERICAN COP™, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 52009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=6http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=6AMERICAN COP BOARD OF DIRECTORs THomaS voN roSeN, Ceo; THomaS HoLLaNDer, raNDy moLDe, marJorIe yoUNG PUBlIsHER AND EDITOR roy HUNTINGToN EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sammy reeSe ART DIRECTOR rICHarD STaHLHUT MANAGING EDITORIAl AssIsTANT STePHaNIe JarreLL EDITORIAl AssIsTANT KerIN vaN HooSear ART AssIsTANT aNDy Loy PRODUCTION MANAGER LINDa PeTerSoN ADVERTIsING PRODUCTION DeNNaye CUSICK PROMOTIONs DIRECTOR raNDy moLDe‘ PROMOTIONs COORDINATOR LorINDa maSSey PROMOTIONs COORDINATOR eLIzabeTH o'NeILL CONTRIBUTING EDITORs FIREARMs TRAINING EDITOR CLINT SmITH CCW/DUTY CARRY EDITOR marK HaNTeN TECHNOlOGY EDITOR bob DavIS VEHIClE/EVOC EDITOR aNTHoNy rICCI OFFICER sAFETY EDITOR JoHN rUSSo PROFFEsIONAl sECURITY EDITOR eD PaLUmbo sUPERVIsORY sKIlls EDITOR JoHN morrISoN lEAA IssUEs EDITOR JameS J. FoTIS EDGED WEAPONs EDITOR erNeST emerSoN COMPETITION EDITOR rob LeaTHam lEGAl IssUEs EDITOR Jeremy D. CLoUGH EQUIPMENT EDITOR PaUL marKeL sENIOR FIElD EDITOR Dave DoUGLaS CONTRIBUTING EDITORs WeS DoSS, STeve aLbreCHT, raLPH mroz, beN DoUGLaS, brIaN HoFFNer, rICH GraSSI, FraNK boreLLI ADVERTIsING DEPARTMENT ADVERTIsING sAlEs DIRECTOR aNITa CarSoN ACCOUNT MANAGER DeLaNo amaGUIN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE STeve evaTT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE JeFF morey NATIONAl ADVERTIsING: 12345 WorLD TraDe Dr., SaN DIeGo, Ca 92128; e-maIL: DeLaNo@amerICaNCoPmaGazINe.Com; (858) 605-0206; Fax: (858) 605-0208 FMG PUBlICATIONs PUBlIsHER & EDITOR: roy HUNTINGToN ADVERTIsING: STeve evaTT amerICaNHaNDGUNNer.Com EDITOR: JeFF JoHN ADVERTIsING: JeFF morey GUNSmaGazINe.Com PUBlIsHER & EDITOR: rUSS THUrmaN ADVERTIsING: aNITa CarSoN SHooTINGINDUSTry.Com Special Editions EDITOR: Sammy reeSe ADVERTIsING: SCoTT mCGreGor FmGPUbLICaTIoNS.Com SUBSCRIPTION EDITORIAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PRODUCTION WEB SITE (858) 605-0253 subs@americancopmagazine.com (858) 605-0243 ed@americancopmagazine.com (858) 605-0235 class@americancopmagazine.com (858) 605-0202 production@americancopmagazine.com www.americancopmagazine.com WARNING: Firearms are dangerous if used improperly, and may cause serious injury or death. Due to the inherent variables in the reloading of metallic cartridges, verify all published loads with manufacturer’s data. Consult a professional gunsmith when modifying any firearm. Produced in the United states. 6 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=7http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=72009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=8http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=8retUrn FIRE The attitude they take is the one advocated: looks like a gun, treat it like one until proven otherwise. Jan/Feb Points As a very young man and a passenger in a vehicle that was not equipped with safety restraints, I was involved in an accident at low speed (less than 15 mph). My face collided with the dash and the result — false teeth. An older me (not necessarily wiser) was involved in a number of high speed shunts in rally racing. Result, bruises on chest from 4-point restraints. I was targeted for a swoop-and-stoop a few years ago. They didn’t know the rules and did it on a high speed 4-lane. Result? My shoulder/lap restraint did their job and so did my airbag. No damage to the driver, except his ego — I should have seen it coming). Pastel Pistols: Most officers I know have had the same concern about the color theme today. The attitude they take is the one advocated: looks like a gun, treat it like one until proven otherwise. Saw some www.americancopmagazine.com Gunfight Realities TM $5.95 OUTSIDE U.S. $9.50 January/february 2009 ER AND A CYLINDG P220 SLIDE SI AGE! PACK WIN! Rock Rive RiveR R’s AR Rifle/Pistol Combo! Combo ! Policing in combat Deadly DEA FoCus: Business really colorful ones at a gunshow FNH’s •the sound this weekend that would make COp of Crime? •Blade teCh someone really past tense. SHOTgUN Gear Toro Caca stuff: Been there, CorreCtions: etc. More stuff along the line offiCer Down! of when we retire, we are no Reality longer “qualified” to carry. We CheCk: have to go back to school and PlastiC get permission to do what we PRaCtiCe did for 20 or 30, sometimes more, years. My head is feeling fuzzy from lack of air. I’m looking of set the tone. forward to further issues. Love the mag! I am sure there are moments that reEarl B. Cadle quire abs for those that cannot drive,but Via e-mail I have had a few instances where the abs caused me to strike another vehicle.So guess I disagree with you learned mind. ABS Bull? IF you took evoc and learned how to use Editor’s note: We’re printing this the brake to actually turn a vehicle,then exactly as we received it to, uh, sort you realize that the turn under brake canJFCOP.indd 1 11/20/08 4:58 PM •Boot 8 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=9http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=9not be done with evoc.And there have been instances [ read accidents ] that I could have avoided IF the vehilce brakes could have been made to skid fro FRICTION and thereby stopping the vehicle before the accident.Trying to make a motor vehicle idiot proof,just made it driver proof,imnsho. Gues you can choose to differ,but I have had the experiences to prove my point to me. Steven S. Baum Via e-mail Steven, thanks for your letter. I have to tell you, having been an EVOC instructor during my tenure on the San Diego PD, you’re correct in pointing out it’s possible to turn (steer) through a braking maneuver as long as you have not begun to skid. This is true whether you’re a cop or not. ABS technology can only prevent the wheels from locking — that’s all. The belief your ABS caused you to run into something is flawed. If you crashed there are two distinct possibilities: you either didn’t steer around the hazard or you never had the stopping distance to begin with. Data also shows threshold braking and ABS braking have almost the same results, with ABS technology slightly ahead. This is a point proven to all, not just one person. Suzi Huntington Retired San Diego PD Detective and agency EVOC instructor. (Another Editor’s note: After having a “few instances” where the ABS “caused me to strike another vehicle” let’s hope they don’t let Steven behind the wheel until they teach him to stop crashing into other vehicles. Editor) Boots? Your feature on boots for duty wear (Boots Round-Up, Jan/Feb 2009) served a purpose. Being a woman, it’s often tough to fit a pair of “men’s” work boots. I now own a pair of BLACKHAWK! boots and my days in the field have just improved significantly. If your feet ain’t happy, ain’t nothing happy, and I’m a much happier cop these days. Don’t be afraid to cover the “non-essentials” since many times, they actually are. Officer Stephanie Murdoch Via e-mail such thing as a toy gun. Period. If someone points a gun at me he is in trouble. Colored guns for training is/was a “cute” idea. Cute gets people killed. There are better ways than coloring guns cute colors. What’s wrong with using real guns that have been retrofitted so they won’t function? I’m sure it would be possible to find guns not fit for duty, disable them, and clearly mark them with colors so they will not inadvertently be taken out for duty. Above all, do away with colored guns, real, toy or otherwise. The only color I can tolerate is camo, and some of the other super-durable finishes presently being used by major gun manufacturers. Bill Graham Via e-mail And … In regards to the article on colored guns, I have to agree with you. These guns are dangerous. Although they may appeal to the younger generation, and getting them involved in shooting is great, the risk they pose is not worth it. Another LE publication ran a similar article, but came to the conclusion colored guns are not dangerous. Apparently the article was prompted by comments made Pink Guns Pink or any other color — nuts (Officer Survival, Jan/Feb 2009). There is no such thing as an empty gun. There is no Winchester Ranger. Trust the best in the worst situation. ® ® When you’re left with no other option, count on Ranger to get the job done. Winchester Ranger Ammunition delivers unparalleled performance in every conceivable scenario or situation and for a wide range of law enforcement applications. With over 140 years of experience in developing true state-of-the-art handgun, rifle and shotgun ammunition for American law enforcement, Winchester also backs Ranger with the industry’s most comprehensive testing and training program. Winchester Ranger. Trust it to perform at its best— even when things are at their worst. Winchester.com/LawEnforcement WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM © 2008 Olin Corporation, East Alton, Illinois 62024 92009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=10http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=10RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN ARMED PROFESSIONAL RANGE & AGENCY HOSTING THE TRAINING YOU NEED from the name you trust. 10 Acad_AP_AmerCopMag.indd 1 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 8/28/08 4:22:12 PM2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=11http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=11retUrn FIRE by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg saying these guns were dangerous. I personally think Bloomberg is an idiot who should be arrested for the little “straw purchase” stunt he had done. That being said, Bloomberg’s statement is valid. What is more dangerous is NRA president John Siegler’s comments in the same article. Quoting the article, “‘Quite frankly, I am somewhat appalled that [Bloomberg] would think so little of his police officers as to believe that law enforcement officers wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a real firearm and a toy,’ says the 20-year Maryland police veteran. ‘I think that that’s a slap at all of the trained law enforcement officers across the country and it’s unfortunate that he has chosen to do this to otherwise expand his personal attack on the private possession and use of firearms by lawabiding citizens for lawful purposes.’” I can’t believe a 20-year police officer would say something like that. If that were the case, police would never shoot kids with toy guns that look like real guns, and we all know that has happened, and will happen again. What I envision is an attorney getting ahold of this quote and using it against an officer in a wrongful death suit because he shot a kid with a toy gun, brightly colored or not. I passed that article around and showed the pictures of the guns (one was painted like a brick wall!) to the other officers in the department and NONE of them could tell me if the pictures were of real or toy guns. Not only that, but in February of 2008, most of the police departments in western Washington received an Officer Safety Notice specifically referencing these guns and stating it is extremely hard, if not impossible, to tell the difference between them and toy guns. A recent lateral to our department from Evanston, Ill stated they got the same bulletin. Sorry to get into a rant. I love the magazine. Thanks, and keep up the great work. A Police Officer Name withheld by request Dominate the Darkness TM Bring blinding light to the night and gain life-saving seconds with the WX150! This high-tech LED weapon light, provides a disorienting strobe that can stop an assailant in his tracks, giving you the tactical advantage needed to dominate any low-light situation. BRIGH VEN NOW E TER ! 150 Powerful Lumens Adjustable Slide-Lock® Rail Interface Procyon™ Tactical LED Light Log onto our website to see our complete line of hand-held lights. • High Output, Shockproof Never-Change Bulb • Strong Corrosion Resistant Waterproof Construction • Precision Reflector for Exceptional Beam Focus • Fits in Existing M3 Holsters • Compatible with 1913 Rails for Rifles and Shotguns Constant Constant Momentary Momentary Double Tap for Strobe in Any Direction True Ambidextrous, Multi-Function Switch Promo Code: AC030409 TM Toll Free: 877-744-4802 Television Blow-Ups The latest issue arrived today and what struck my eye was the Plastic Practice article by Clint Smith (Reality Check II, Jan/Feb 2009), especially the part about cops being shot with “unloaded” guns. I have seen a few horrors and heard of a couple of others. The incident where a guy shot his TV happened to a friend of mine. Each evening he would take out the .41 Mag he kept for protection in his bedside table, empty it, and click away at the TV. One evening he did exactly this and, when his arm got tired, reloaded the gun. Then the phone rang in the bedroom. He answered it and spoke on it for a while. He returned to the living room, picked up WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 112009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=12http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=12his revolver, and blew his TV into oblivion. The bullet did a three-point ricochet around the room to land behind the couch on which he was sitting. He muttered in his mustache for a few minutes, and then decided this gave him the excuse to buy a new color TV. Nobody was hurt, luckily. Keep up the good work. Tony L. Via e-mail Retiring In an article you once ran about retiring cops, it talked about what a shock it would be not to be in law enforcement anymore and how basically, once you were a cop, you would forever look at people differently. My wife and I own a business and it has done well for the last few years. I have been in law enforcement as a patrol officer for 11 years and recently put in my notice to leave and go to work in the family business full time. As the date draws closer, reality sets in and I wonder if I will actually be able to make the transition. It is much tougher than one might imagine. If I did not love this profession, I would not have had a badge tattooed on my left arm as well as a picture of my police K-9 (deceased) to forever remind me I once did what I love! One thing is for sure, I won’t miss the politics! Great magazine by the way; the best I have ever read. Corporal Derek Welch Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Sherman, Texas Derek & Cathy Welch Owner/Agents Lake Texoma Insurance Inc. Whitesboro, Texas Derek, you had your fun now go to work! Seriously though, I retired about nine years ago after 20 on the San Diego PD. I too had heard the horror stories about losing your friends, your “meaning” in life and never being able to identify with “normal” people. Frankly, it was all bunk. Life went on just fine, I’ve been having a great time, “civilian” people are great, you have a bucket of skills you can put to work and being in private industry means there isn’t a city government fund to take from so you have to keep your wits to make a living. Now, when I meet a retired cop who moans about “the old days” and how much they miss them I try to remind them retirement (or moving on like you) is what you make of it. I find I use my experiences as a cop almost every day to read people, stay prepared for emergencies and keep a non-victim mindset. Use the tools you learned as a cop to help make your business a success. On a side note, you might find those friends you have now Continued on page 61 P.O. Box 370 Barrington, IL 60011 • Tel: 847-277-7258 Fax: 847-277-7259 • Email: customerservice1@dsarms.com 12 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=13http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=13G2G GOOD TO GO GEAR XTi Procyon Tac rail-MounT lighT Insight Tech Gear was among the first manufacturers to recognize the effectiveness of disorienting strobe lights. Unlike some, they refused to stuff strobe-control circuitry into obsolescent technology and rush to market with it. Instead, they invested the bucks and time to engineer combattough, user-friendly and extremely high performance tactical strobing lights. Their latest offerings are three new handheld models and the xTI (xtreme Tactical Illuminator) Procyon weaponlight. at the heart of the Procyon — pronounced “pro-see-on” — is a digitally-controlled high intensity LeD D light from a radial-faceted reflector. With that much power, a suspect’s night vision can be very significantly degraded at close to moderate range in constant-on mode, and on strobe, it’s absolutely stunning. The light is pre-focused and balanced to provide facial recognition at 25 meters, and we found the beam powerful enough for canyon-and-woods searches on a long gun. Two Cr-123 lithium batteries provide a generous 90 minutes of burn time. The case is hard-coat anodized aluminum except for the polymer compression-sealing back plate, which mounts ambidextrous levers controlling constant-on and momentary modes for both steady and strobing functions. operation was easy to learn and execute whether mounted on handguns or at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions on rail-equipped long guns. at 3.2" long and under four ounces in weight, this is one rugged, powerful little package for $169.99. www.insighttechgear.com. Go to www.americancopmagazine.com and click on “Web Blast” for more on this product. launches a powerful, less-lethal inflammatory agent at 90 MPH that instantly stops an assailant. See it in action at www.pepperblaster.com PepperBlaster™ fits most brands of 1911 pistols. Installation takes one minute without tools. Adjustable sight is included. .22 LR Conversion Kit Training Barrel By By Blade-Tech The Training Barrel isn’t a new item anymore, but we’re going to spotlight it here because first, it was only available for a few pistol models when it initially came out, and though smart cops who used it liked it, most gun writers lost interest quickly and leaped on to the next wonder-widget. Second, because now it’s available for several more pistols in common Le use, and it’s one of the cheapest yet most valuable training devices for cops. Simply put, it saves lives, specifically, cops’ lives. Is that reason enough? Precision molded from a durable, bright yellow plastic, the Training Barrel quickly and easily replaces the functional barrel of your pistol from chamber to muzzle, leaving your weapon totally safe, but with full slide and trigger function. Now you can use your own pistol to safely practice grip, draw and trigger-control drills, malfunction clearance techniques, magazine changes, and disarming and handgun retention skills. If you’ve ever fought for control of your own sidearm with a whackedout homicidal scumbag, you know how valuable that last exercise can be. If you haven’t, just ask somebody who has. Why not use a solid plastic training gun? They’re three to five times the Training Barrel’s $13.95 cost, can’t be used for slide and trigger training, they cannot replicate the true feel of your own pistol, and you can’t get a good sight picture while “presenting” to a threat. www.blade-tech.com. Go to www.americancopmagazine.com and click on “Web Blast” for more on this product. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM offers premium 1911 night sights, magazines, grips, performance parts and refinishing in the high-tech KimPro II ¨ process. The Kimber Custom Shop™ KimPro® Tac-Mag® The ultimate .45 ACP magazine for any brand of mil-spec full size or compact 1911. Three quick-change bases. Stainless steel with Teflon-coated follower. For more information on Kimber products, please send $2 to: Kimber, Dept. 242 One Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705, call (800) 880-2418 or visit www.kimberamerica.com Pep2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=14http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=142009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=15http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=15G2G The array of available gun safes and mini-vaults is a rich but rocky field. Often you have to give up speed of access for strength, reliability for speed, strength for a lack of flexibility, and way too much money. The Titan Gun Vault answers all those needs with a discreet, rapid-access strongbox, which passes stringent California DOJ requirements for gun safes — no easy task. Tests include the 250-pound vault door pull, 120-stroke hacksaw attack under ten-pound load, plus lock manipulation, drop and impact tests. The TGV consists of a 14-gauge hardened steel box measuring only 11" long, 8" wide and 2.5" deep. A tamper-resistant covered pivot secures the door, which houses a time-tested Simplex all-mechanical pushbutton lock system. Users can choose from 2,200 possible combinations. Did you notice the box is only 2.5" deep? So, how are you gonna get your ham-sized fist in there to grab your roscoe? Do you have to turn the TGV over to pour your pistol out? Nope — and this is cool — as the door swings open, a mechanical arm pulls the included universal holster out to “draw me” position. Mounting brackets are available for any flat surface; vehicles, under desks, behind dressers or nightstands, even on bed frames. “Docking” or release takes seconds, so one Titan Gun Vault can adapt to multiple points, or be carried by its luggage-type handle like a small briefcase. TGV lists at $229. www.titangunvault.com. Go to www.americancopmagazine.com and click on “Web Blast” for more on this product. titan gun vault BENCHMADE.COM ©2009 BENCHMADE KNIFE CO. OREGON CITY, OR, USA RingeRs extRication gloves Here’s one of those often overlooked items which belong in the Big Bag in every cruiser’s trunk; something you hope you’ll never have to use, but when you need `em, you need `em bad: Dedicated, purpose-built extrication gloves. Not just “heavy gloves,” and “tactical gloves” won’t do the job either. These are the wrecking-crew gloves you need to safely — and sometimes very precisely —tear through the rubble of a natural gas explosion at a high school; the crumpled bus half-buried under a collapsed overpass; an aircraft spread over half a cornfield or whatever. You know the scenarios, and you know who’s usually first on-scene. As the official supplier of gloves to NHRA, of course, Ringers first outfitted the drivers — but when the crash crews asked for gloves designed specifically for emergency extrications, Ringers responded. From a distance they look like everybody else’s “SWAT-heavy duty” gloves, but put `em on, and up close you find significant — and sensible — differences. Thoughtful design put protective, gripenhancing and dexterity features in precisely the right places in the web, over knuckles, fingertips, and in the signature palms. An elasticized cuff keeps out shattered glass, and Armortex material provides cut, puncture and abrasion resistance. Extrication means you need both strength and sensitivity for dealing with already-injured victims, protection for yourself without compromising dexterity, and ergonomics to lessen strain during long, demanding rescues. Ringers Extrication Gloves do it, for $49.99. www.ringersgloves.com . Go to www.americancopmagazine.com and click on “Web Blast” for more on this product. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM PREPARE FOR THE BARRAGE ™ The First AXIS ® Lock Assist MODEL SHOWN: 585 MINI-BARRAGE™ * Stronger. Faster. Benchmade. 152009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=16http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=16HIGH TECH ROGER ECKSTINE CuTTING EdGE WIdGETs — ANd OTHER NEW sTuff. ops, the TV show that brought “smile, you’re on candid camera” to law enforcement may soon be joined by, “say hello to my little friend!” Testifying in court or in a deposition can be a tension-filled experience for even the most veteran officer. The VidMic was designed to bring real time surveillance to the eyes of the jury by adding still and action photography with sound to the clip-on radio routinely worn on an officer’s uniform. We wanted to know if this was a gimmick or a new technology that can help cops do their job and win more cases in court. According to Officer Rob Campbell of the Provo, Utah PD, “where the VidMic comes in handy is you can show the situation as you saw it and how you perceived it as an officer. Then you can have the VidMic running so they can see the event as it transpired.” For every arrest in which Campbell was able to provide footage collected by a VidMic — the cases were plead out. The rear of the unit shows an LCD monitor so when hand held you can frame still shots to record an accident or crime scene. Images produced by the 5.36 megapixel camera are reproduced in the jpeg format. For hands-free operation the unit is best worn in the center of the body rather than on the shoulder so the lens is in line with the eye. Be it compliance or a dangerous furtive movement, the camera sees what the officer sees. 16 C GiMMiCk Or GOOD Gear? the VidMic: S ome agencies asked if it would replace the patrol car-mounted dash cam. Selling for $700 per unit compared with thousands of dollars for a dash cam makes this sound tempting. But most cops we spoke with liked having both cameras in play. The VidMic must be turned on manually but dash cams such as the Digital Ally are a seeing-eye that’s always on. Once the patrol car’s lights are turned on the hard drive is imprinted with what it saw beginning some 60 seconds prior. This makes the dash cam more reliable because in the heat of the moment officers have forgotten to activate the VidMic in time to record the action. Having it and not using it could be a liability. Imagine a line of questioning by a defense attorney: “Why didn’t you turn on your VidMic to record the arrest. Did you have something to hide?” WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 Not StaNd aloNe2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=17http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=17The camera function operates on a rechargeable lithium battery good for more than three hours of total recording time depending on whether the unit is used as a still camera or for motion pictures. Maximum run time is based on turning the VidMic on and off when needed. But, how often does a simple call such as marking an abandoned car turn into something else? Compared with a dash cam that automatically records past action, the VidMic is slower, needing up to seven seconds of warm-up before it’s ready to record. The preferred option is to leave the VidMic on standby for instant recording. But, the standby mode drains energy from the battery and cuts down on run time. Fortunately an in-car charging unit comes with the VidMic. Should the internal battery run down, the radio function will remain operable and compatibility with radios currently in use includes the majority of units produced by Motorola, Kenwood and Vertex. The old sales tip of “never tell someone something you can show them,” means officers will spend less time having to explain. At the end of a shift the one gig flash memory of each VidMic is downloaded via a USB port to department computers using VidMic software that is locked and secure. Once recorded, the images and sound cannot be erased. The camera cannot be rewound or reviewed prior to download. Officer Campbell reports pulling over a car because the driver was smoking what appeared to be a marijuana pipe. The stationary eye of the dash cam couldn’t confirm this but upon searching the interior of the car while wearing the VidMic a smoking pipe was found lying on the seat next to the driver. The inability to manipulate the recording assured that the pipe had not been planted. An ominous event captured by the VidMic showed officers responding to cries for help by a female coming from behind an apartment door. Forced entry revealed an older male raping a seven year old girl. Hoping to find a loop hole in the arrest the offender was set to enter a plea of not guilty. But, once his defense attorney viewed the tape the plea was changed to guilty. Video evidence recorded by VidMic not only saved the city time and money but additional trauma to the victim was avoided. There may be not be a more powerful weapon on the side of justice than video evidence. This powerful weapon just got handier to use. For more info: www.earhuggersafety.com WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM * 172009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=18http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=18CORRECTIONS BEHIND THE FENCE. BRIAN DAWE A Matter of Honor O n September 26, 2008 11 correctional officers from across the United States received the highest honor of all; peer recognition by their fellow officers for going above and beyond the call of duty. In Flagstaff, Arizona officers from California, Massachusetts, more stories — but more medals. New York, Florida, Washington DC and Kansas were awarded the The stories of these officers and the corrections profession American Correctional Officer Medal of Honor. Over 150 officers were depicted by slide shows and Powerpoint presentations. The from 25 states attended the ceremony. There were officers, serfeatured speaker was Dora Schriro, Ph.D., Director for the Arizona geants, lieutenants, captains, wardens and directors in attendance Department of Corrections. The awards banquet was held on the honoring these men and women who give so much. Officers came second evening of the annual ACO Fall Conference. Hundreds from as far away as Alaska to attend and show their respect. of officers attended the conference and dozens more came for the The ACO Medal of Honor was founded by correctional ofbanquet. The Arizona Honor Guard and Pipe Band posted and ficers for correctional officers. It’s the only retired the colors. Sergeant Katina Murphy gave national recognition the corrections profesthe crowd goose bumps with her incredible sion receives. With various jurisdictions and rendition of the National Anthem. elected officials recognizing different dates for Correctional Officers Week, and recognition by the media and the public being he awards are divided into three Bronze Medal of Honor: Correcvirtually non-existent, ACO felt it was long categories, Medal of Honor, tional Officer Chad Yarborough, Union overdue our profession was recognized as Meritorious Service and Life SavCorrection Facility, Florida. an elite arm of law enforcement. Ask youring awards. The Medal of Honor Life Saving Award: Correctional self this question, where would our criminal award is also broken down into smaller Officer Daniel Callahan, Nassau County, justice system be without corrections? categories, the Bronze, Silver, Gold and NY. Honorable Mention; Correctional OfThere would be no system. We’re the end National awards. ficer Brian Dickhaut, Sousa- Baranowski of the line, the last stop, the final chance. This years recipients were: Facility, Shirley, Massachusetts. Sergeant Henry Ruiz (Morris County, National Medal of Honor: CorMeritorious Service Award: CorNJ), who chairs the Medal of Honor rectional Officer Elizabeth O’Campo, rectional Officer Jeremy Welch, Lansing Committee, told me the biggest problem Ironwood State Prison, CA. Correctional Facility, Lansing, Kansas. they had this year was the volume of Gold Medal of Honor: Lieutenant Honorable Mention; Correctional Ofnominations received for these honors. Patrick Matzen, Sergeant Mike Slanficers Nellie Ford and Annie With over 2.1 million inmates and 400,000 kard, Sergeant Umberto Silva, Jr., and Brown, Washington, DC. officers there are lots of stories needing Correctional Officer Steve Cacciola from If you would like information and to be told about the heroic efforts of the the California Correctional Institute, posters for next years awards contact officers who toil behind the walls of our Tehachapi, CA. nations prisons, jails and juvenile detention Silver Medal of Honor: Correctional me at ACOIN1@aol.com and as soon as the packets are prepared we’ll get facilities every day. What the ACO needed, Officer Richard Morales, Sousa-Baaccording to Chairman Ruiz, were not ranowski Facility, Shirley, Massachusetts. them out to you. The Heroes T * Brian Dawe is the Executive Director for The American Correctional Officer (www.americanco.org) and the American Correctional Officers Intelligence Network (www.COIntel.net). He can be reached at ACOIN1@aol.com or by calling him at 307-883-9707. 18 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=19http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=192009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=20http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=20LeAA KENNETH ORROCK THE LAW ENfORCEMENT ALLIANCE Of AMERICA. y ou’re a good cop. You play by the rules. Now you find yourself outside your home state accused of violating a local concealed carry law. But wait, what about the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (LEOSA)? I’ve been trained by my agency on this law. As long as I follow the rules, I am allowed to carry my weapon nationwide — right? This is the situation four law enforcement officers from Washington State found themselves in after vacationing in Sturgis, South Dakota and attending a motorcycle rally. Two Seattle P.D. officers and two Customs officers — who, combined had over 100 years of experience — found themselves accused of violating an obscure state InterpretInG LeosA law that bans the carry of concealed pistols in places that make over 50-percent of their profits from alcohol sales. This came after a member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang viciously and (allegedly) with premeditation attacked one of the Seattle officers, apparently because he was identified as a cop. The Seattle officer used his personal weapon to stop the attack, shooting one of the H.A.s twice while the H.A. was attempting to strangle the officer. After an investigation, the case was turned over to the local prosecutor. Incredibly, the prosecutor indicted the four officers, claiming he had the authority to prosecute in spite of LEOSA. The officers found themselves having to defend themselves over 1,000 miles from home. his case is a prime example of conflict between federal and state laws. Under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, federal law can and does pre-empt and supersede enforcement of a state law, particularly when Congress expressly intended the federal law to do so. Anyone who has read H.R. 218, the bill that became LEOSA, knows that is exactly what Congress — and the LEAA — intended to do. But instead of being viewed by the local prosecutor in this case as a bar to prosecute under the state law, he tried to create a loophole allowing him to go after the four officers — who were following the law and their training. In the debates in both the U.S. House and Senate, LEOSA supporters made it clear they were overriding the patchwork of state laws that left officers, traveling from state to state, uncertain as to when and where they could carry. Congress was clear; it was a benefit to the entire country if qualified officers were ready to defend themselves — and others — regardless of where they were. T Who’s In Charge Here? F irst, remember professionalism goes a long way. Second, keep in mind the investigators and prosecutors, who are normally on your side back home, may have their own agenda where you now find yourself. Be polite, be cooperative, but remember “anything you say can and will” — enough said. Third, get experienced legal counsel early on, whether or not you have been formally charged. You shouldn’t try to do this on your own. And finally, don’t expect a quick fix. Educate yourselves, fellow officers, supervisors and your prosecutors on LEOSA, and join LEAA. Spread the word and highlight the importance of off-duty and retired officers being able to protect themselves and the general public. Protect this hard won right. In the end, the court — against the wishes of the prosecutor — dismissed the gun charges. However, all four officers had to deal with the collateral challenges of being under indictment, including the costs of legal representation and administrative proceedings and hearings conducted by their own agencies. All four were suspended or placed on light duty while the charges were pending. It appears, not even their agencies were willing to accept LEOSA as the controlling law, until a judge said so. LEOSA is the law of the land, but it must be defended. Carry your gun — have the tool to defend yourself and those you love or wish to protect — and be ready for “round two” of the fight, after your gun is back in its holster. Your Role * Gues2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=21http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=21Now the Stinger DS® LED is everything you’ve ever wanted in a light. With C4 Power LED Technology and a proprietary re ector, the new Stinger DS LED is e ectively 3x brighter than previous LEDs. Plus, it directs and intensi es the light to pierce the darkness. With Dual ©2008 Streamlight, Inc. Switch technology, a run time of nearly 7 hours on a single charge, multiple lighting modes, a disorienting strobe, the ability to t a tra c wand and a rubberized grip, it’s the most complete LED in your arsenal. TM 30 Eagleville Road, Eagleville, PA 19403 800.523.7488 • www.streamlight.com2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=22http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=22prIVAte SECURITY Ed PALuMBO IssuEs ANd TRENds ON THE PRIvATE PRIvA vATE vA ATE sIdE Of LAW ENfORCEMENT. RCEMENT RCEMENT. T h p g o u l i o c e h T “B ut it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” This is the final sentence of George Orwell’s 1984 — some believe the most frightening novel ever written in the English language. In Orwell’s London of 1984 reality is never objective; it does not exist in the individual mind, which is fallible and prone to mistakes and must be “controlled” in oror der to save each person and, by extension, society. True reality exists only in the mind of the Party — the government — which is collective and immortal. The Party has deployed monstrous, consuming surveillance mechanisms to insure this; constantly watching citizens for signs of rebellion or thought, while attempting to appear kind rather than ruthless. It adopts the reassuring persona of “Big Brother” and the slogan: “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” You’ve heard this before? One of the most important ways the Party maintains a surveillance state — total security — is through “telescreens” found in rooms belonging to Party members, and all public places. Thought Police watched all screens, all the time. Thought Police? In 1949 this was considered by some a literary invention, unless you lived in the Eastern Bloc. Now, for police in the US, once you’ve arrested someone for a “hate crime” aren’t you, in effect, a member of a literal Thought Police? We can save that notion for another column. W Fiction Based Reality? hat’s the point? Anyone can find literary or filmic references for any aspect of law enforcement or security technology, fairly or unfairly depicting those elements. With or without George Orwell, sentient beings should be frightened to live in such a dominated, controlling, heartless place. Or more secure? Or both? Many of us already live in those places. The question is not are we there yet, but rather, which places are not subject to Big Brother? Should law enforcement or security systems practitioners have a higher obligation to ask these questions? Have police, security and elected governments become the grotesque martinets envisioned by Orwell? Let’s be frank, elected governments have become grotesque, and there is widespread opinion they can’t control anything, so it may be unfair to lump police and security with that group. Much in our brave new world not only resembles a society foretold by Orwell, but he was also disturbingly prescient about particular elements of public life in western civilization. Although certainly benign in intent, Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard, to name just two giants in the field of boundary-less realities, have created virtual meeting places on IP platforms allowing viewers in different places to see each other with startling clarity. Cisco calls their product “TelePresence” — sound familiar? High tech firms are creating a world where such hardware forms the spine of a new generation of communications media allowing any of us to be instantly transported into other spaces. (Author’s note: I manage physical security programs, including systems, for Cisco.) Could they be used for the wrong purpose? Is there, should there be, a natural limit to the reach of such communications technology? Do we trust TSA or the US Congress or MI5 or HP to know these limits? A purportedly fictional, 2008 BBC drama, The Last Enemy, portrays LonWWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 222009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=23http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=23don (again!) as a place where no individual can walk, work, spend, travel or even talk without monitoring by ubiquitous audio/ visual surveillance. Oddly, critics were unkind, but not because it was unrealistic. Anyone who lives or travels there will quickly recognize the truth of the film: London is a city under inescapable, neverending surveillance. Deployment of such systems is accelerating at a too-rapid pace, according to some, and not limited to London. New standards-based video servers and IP video surveillance cameras, with application enhancements to improve interoperability, user experience and storage, are commercially available to public and private sector security organizations. New products and solutions will use IP networks as a platform to manage applications such as video surveillance, physical access control and communications and notification, designed to help safety and security professionals better integrate and manage complex video systems. The safety and security industry is undergoing a massive technology shift away from closed, proprietary systems to more open, interoperable solutions. With these solutions, could we be moving to wider systems adaptations, expanding to the point where London becomes the norm, where constant and transformative surveillance is a standard part of the bedrock societal infrastructure? Should anyone care? Really now, shouldn’t crooks or terrorists be the only ones concerned about being overheard, captured on video or surveilled at every opportunity? (For those interested in a filmed version of a pre-network, all-encompassing A/V state, visit The Anderson Tapes, Sydney Lumet’s 1971 farcical look at New York city all wired-up). The State of Israel has legislation pending before the Knesset that would require all citizens — the entire nation — to submit to biometric identification and registration as a prelude to transforming that country into a surveillance-based polity where all living people, from birth to death, will only “exist” if government machinery can identify their fingerprints, irises or speech patterns. “With the development of television, and the technical advance which made it possible to receive and transmit simultaneously on the same instrument, private life came to an end” — from 1984 — in 1949. Positively Orwellian. ed you cover t o g e ’v e W Mission Brief: Rock >> Forged A4 Upper Receiver >> A2 Flash Hider, 1/2-28 Thread >> 16” Chrome-Lined, Chrome Moly R4 Barrel, 1:9 Twist . River Arms Entry Tactical >> 6-Position Tactical CAR Stock 1 MOA @ 100 Yards >> R-4 Handguard with Double Heat Shields >> Two Stage Match Trigger >> Star Safety Selector >> Hogue Rubber Grip Rock River Arms Elite Comp 1.5 MOA @ 100 Yards Rock River Arms NMA2 hether you’re defending our borders, the farm, your record at Camp Perry or anything in between, Rock River Arms has a rifle to get the job done. You can also customize your rifle, choosing from a wide selection of calibers, receivers, stocks, handguards, barrels, triggers, grips, and accessories. This combined with Rock River Arms’ unsurpassed quality makes Rock River Arms the ultimate choice for durability, dependability, accuracy, and versatility. It’s not just another AR, it’s a Rock River Arms LAR. W .75 MOA @ 100 Yards Rock River Arms Coyote Carbine Scope not included .75 MOA @ 100 Yards Shop Online at WWW.ROCKRIVERARMS.COM 1042 Cleveland Rd. • Colona, IL 61241 • (866) 980-ROCK (7625) * WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 232009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=24http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=24street LEvEL JOHN MORRIsON sTRAIGHT TALK ON suPERvIsION & LEAdERsHIP ON THE fRONT LINEs — THE sTREETs. DeaDly DOnut DreaMs he scene was midday, at the mouth of a driveway off a road, which had very recently been a little-traveled farm and ranch access. Following extensive development, traffic had increased significantly. It became a link between the rapidly growing county seat, a major highway bringing in tourists and recreation seekers, and mountainous national forest areas. In other words, the kind of road where an officer could be dealing with longtime locals, newly-arrived urban types, or a variety of felons either trolling for fresh victims or running from heat elsewhere. A two-deputy sheriff cruiser had stopped a pickup truck with four XXL-sized dudes jammed onto the bench seat. The vehicles blocked the driveway, where a birthday party was going on and over a dozen kids were playing basketball, running about or gawking at the cop-action. When our witness arrived, one deputy was giving the driver a field sobriety test. The other sat in the cruiser, head down, writing and using the radio. The three other men were still in the truck, occasionally turning their heads to check their pal’s status. In the bed of that truck were over a dozen rifles of various types in plain sight. None of the players had been patted down, and only the driver had been taken out. The driver failed the test and was hooked up. As our witness watched in growing concern, one deputy engaged the passengers in conversation, while the other began lifting rifles out of the truck bed and checking their chambers. For our witness — not a cop, but a person who previously lived in a high-crime metropolitan area — this scenario evoked 19 kinds of critical comment, and the conclusion it could have resulted in a horrifying incident. Can you guess how many deputies have been shot in the line of duty in that S.O.’s long history? How low — but increasing — their rate of resistance-to-arrest has been? t hen I was a patrol sergeant — back in the Jurassic — I would frequently meet with my graveyard shift officers at a certain beach-area restaurant, where I reviewed their reports. The owner was a good guy who welcomed cops. 24 W He was working the late shift himself one night when some of my crew asked for a report review. As I rolled up I saw two cruisers and one officer standing out front looking at me. Through the big front windows behind him, I saw the owner holding a chair in the “batter-up” position, a cop squared off with his baton in hand, and four raggedy scumbags lunging in and out, trying to land blows with their fists and coffee mugs. The cop out front was still smiling until I screeched up, leaped out and yelled, “follow me!” The fight had been going on for several long minutes, during which time the second officer never once Glazed Or Powdered Sugar? glanced inside. Other officers arrived later, and I couldn’t count the comments made about how “nothing ever happens here; not at this place!” Why did they think that? Years later in another division, I met some of my graveyard officers at a favorite doughnut shop. It was about 0400; the best time, I’d been told, to score fresh, hot doughnuts. When I rolled up, four officers were smiling, looking at me, while inside, a vicious fight raged between a bloodied officer and a guy in a white hair net. That lone cop had gone in to use the bathroom. As he walked in, a newly-hired employee thought the officer recognized him — he didn’t — as a wanted fugitive. As the cop came out of the bathroom, the suspect smacked him with the door, and the fight was on. Afterward I heard several variations of the theme, “been here a hundred times and nothin’ like WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=25http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=25this ever happened.” I integrated it into my basic Officer Safety class as “Doughnut Dreams.” Memories Of The Future Lawrence Gonzales’s father was a B-17 pilot in World War II. When his aircraft blew up over Dusseldorf, he fell — without a parachute — 27,000' to the ground and survived. Not surprisingly, Gonzales grew up studying survival. Over time he noticed that frequently, those who should have been best prepared for dealing with a variety of life-threatening situations were those who died, while those we might logically least expect to survive did so. He wondered why, and intensified his research. This led him to formulate the theory of “memories of the future,” which essentially holds that some people, in given situations, develop a mindset in which they fundamentally disbelieve that even emergencies they train for can actually happen to them. We’ve all seen it happen; Gonzales illustrates it thoroughly. Gonzales’s book Deep Survival — Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why (W.W. Norton, publishers; ISBN 0-393-326152) should be required reading for anyone who rolls the dice of survival daily — and especially for those who lead and supervise them. Read The Book, Load The Dice It has always amazed me how savvy, experienced cops can fall victim to the phenomenon of “routinization;” the suspension of tactical alertness simply because they’re doing something — or doing it somewhere — they have not encountered threats previously. It defies logic, but it happens again and again. I’ve been thankful for my combat experience before becoming a cop, where I learned things like if you walk any trail twice, you double the odds you’ll be ambushed on it. This demands the same kind of thinking which teaches you your most survivable actions are often those which defy basic human instincts. For example, assaulting into a close ambush rather than freezing in place or running away — the two moves sure to get you killed. Learning such things by experience works, but too often, it’s lethally costly. As a cop, you must roll the dice, but nothing says you can’t load `em with some selected studies. I highly recommend “Deep Survival.” WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM » D&L Sports AR-15 » Knife Steel Mythology » S&W Model 500 » 1911 Project Gun » Aerial Gunnery » Plus Much More Order Your Copy While Supplies Last (outside U.S. $17.95) Call Toll-Free Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. PST Order at www.GUNSmagazine.com P.O. Box 502610 • San Diego, CA 92150-2610 * 252009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=26http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=26HArD TOOLs PAuL MARKEL Shedding A LITTLE Light It was not quite 1 a.m. when my friend was walking back to his hotel with another conventioneer. He spotted a couple of transients approaching from across the road. The first was a woman, “excuse me,” she said. “No, not tonight,” my friend said, holding up his hand in a stop sign fashion. She quickly melted away. As the next bum approached, my friend cut him off before he could even speak. “Not tonight,” he said. “No, you don’t understand,” the street dweller said without slowing down. My friend squared off and hit the slow-learner directly in the chest/face area with a blinding beam of light from the compact tac light SureFire’s “Backup” is handily used as just that — a back-up light. At a mere 2.8 ounces he was concealing in his and only 4" long, it’s easily carried off-duty too. hand. “I said, not tonight.” very major city has its panhaneled to a convention in a large city. “Whoa, okay, we’re cool,” dlers. They’re generally annoyAfter the show a group of guys went the transient said as he recoiled away ing but harmless. Talk to any out on the town for dinner. A few also from the bright light. “When I hit beat cop and he’ll tell you the decided to check out the local nightlife him with the light he stopped dead in beggars are also, by and large touched and hit the clubs. The city’s entertainhis tracks and started to backpedal. in the head. ment center was only four or five I always keep a light on me, even in A cop friend of mine recently travblocks from their hotel so they walked. street clothes,” my friend told me. EssENTIAL TOOLs fOR THE JOB. E T 26 Lumens here are a number of companies making tactical flashlights and they’re all tough, durable, extremely bright lights. Unless you’ve been a castaway on an island for ten years, you know the name SureFire. While at the NRA Convention I visited with Dick Williams of SureFire and he introduced me to their new Backup model. Specifically, the Backup is a one-cell, white LED light, powered by a single 123 Lithium battery. Cataloged as the “E1B Backup,” it’s constructed of aerospace aluminum and coated with a hard black anodized finish. The Backup has a dual pocket clip so it can be carried lens up or down. You can also attach it to the bill of a ball cap for hands-free use. Internally, the Backup is strictly high-tech. The rubbercoated tail switch has two settings: high and low. The high setting puts out 80 lumens of light with the low setting producing five lumens of useful utility light. The switch allows temporary or constant-on modes for either light setting. With a new battery you can expect better than one hour of run time on the high setting and 37 hours on the low setting. S ince I picked up my Backup light, it’s been a constant companion. It only weighs 2.8 ounces and is 4" long. There are no sharp edges or corners so it rides comfortably in a pocket all day/night long. I don’t even know it’s there unless I need it. I truly appreciate the dual switch setting. For years I carried a tac light, but had to cup my hand over the end to keep from blinding myself when I wanted to read or search for something in the car. We all like to take down the bad guys, but the truth remains you spend a lot more time reading and writing with your flashlight in-hand than you do blinding crooks. The Backup is an excellent off-duty light or a great one to augment your existing duty gear. Naturally, its compact size and light weight make it an easy choice. Size Matters * For more info: SureFire, www.surefire.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=27http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=272009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=28http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=28reserVes PERRY W. HORNBARGER dEdICATION ANd PROfEssIONALIsM THAT GOEs BEYONd PAY. eing a reserve means having the same obligations as any fulltime cop. Your equipment, your ancillary gear and your thinking needs to be up to speed — the equal of your full-time partner’s. Keeping this in mind, don’t scrimp on equipment. Like they say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well,” and the fact most of us do this for free shouldn’t matter. B Flashlight genes ur department just finished a tactical shooting qualification using flashlights during low light encounters. One of the terms our range master used during the training was, “two is one, one is none.” I’m told it’s a military term but frankly, I’d never heard it before. What he was saying was if you’re in a situation when your primary flashlight fails, without a backup, you might be screwed. I carry a smaller, less powerful flashlight on my belt (read John Russo’s Officer Survival column in this issue for some other ideas about this concept) and it’s proven handy too many times to count. Recently my second call of the evening was to check an open window in an abandoned building. It was around dusk and when I reached for my issued rechargeable flashlight — it wasn’t there. Like an idiot, I’d failed to pack it before going on duty. Fortunately I had my small, backup flashlight on my belt. It was adequate for what I needed to do, but I wouldn’t want to depend on it as a primary light. When I was done with the call I immediately snuck back by my house and got my issued flashback flashlight. I came to realize the “two is one, one light. is none” concept made sense. My intent is to drive home the importance My of having a second, or backup light when you of need it, not to tout certain brands, as there are need experts out there with far more knowledge than me on that topic. You already know there than are many brands and styles of flashlights availare available for a patrol officer to carry. Some may be a personal choice, while others department-mandated. But whatever you do, carry a back-up light — really. 28 o 2 We may still be putting our lives — and the lives of our partners — on the line at times. So we need to think and work smart. You either have the flashlight “gene” or not. If you do, you probably already have more flashlights than you need, and that’s a good thing. If you don’t have the gene, you may only invest in the minimum needed, maybe only one light — and that’s not enough. If most of your duty time is at night, you already know one of your best friends is your flashlight. But what about daylight hours? Is your flashlight any less important? There are many situations during day shift when your flashlight can come in handy. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve had to go into a dark basement or windowless room, look in that attic or into the black hole of a closet. Whether your department issued you a decent flashlight or whether you decided to buy one on your own doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is there will be times where you’ll need a flashlight other than at night. nUmber tWo A nother area worth applying T.O.O.N. would be with your patrol car keys. Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of getting locked out of your own patrol car? Each police car I drive has at least two keys available for use. If you have two keys when you go out, make sure you take the time to separate them and keep one in your pocket. If you don’t have that second key available, get a copy made and keep it with you. It’s such a simple idea and good insurance against embarrassment — not to mention being an important officer safety issue. Take a few minutes and look at your own habits, are you T.O.O.N.ed in? CAR KEy CAPERs * Perry W. Hornbarger is the Unit Commander of the Chesterfield, VA Auxiliary Police Unit. He can be reached at hornbargerp@yahoo.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=29http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=29International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) 2009 Conference & Expo “Outstanding!” and “The Best Conference Ever” were just some of the comments. T his is the best economic value for instructors with over 100 separate topics offered, including more than 20 separate instructor certifications. Conveniently located near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Take the next step by attending the 2009 ILEETA International Conference and Expo. A filled vendor expo, plus raise money for the NLEOMF and the ILEETA Scholarship Fund by competing in The ILEETA Cup Shooting Match, The ILEETA Iron Cop Championship, and the ILEETA International Law Enforcement Driving Skills Competition. Plus, have fun by competing in the World Cop Donut Eating Contest and the ILEETA Flatfoot Five 5K Fun Run/Walk. Attendance at the 2009 ILEETA Conference and Expo includes: • See the latest and greatest technology & information • Receive instruction from world class instructors and trainers • Get reenergized by interacting with your peers • Network opportunities through professional and social interaction • Receive and unbelievable amount of giveaways • Get to the next level in instructor development • Opportunities to win valuable door prizes • The largest “instructor only” conference ever held Wisdom and Courage Through Knowledge and Skill April 20-25, 2009 Register NOW! C h i c a g o, I L 262.279.7879 www.ileeta.org2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=30http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=30eVoC ANTHONY RICCI suRvIvING IN YOuR MOBILE OffICE. Slip Slidin’ Away Veteran town constable Alfred E. Hornswagel of Squirrel Fart, Minn. says: “Oh yeah, sure, you betcha’ — yah’d better be slowin’ down.” or those of you in climates where winter conditions change the driving environment it’s important for you to prepare yourself — before the inevitable happens. Snow and ice won’t take sides for the good guys; when your vehicle slides, it slides. You have to prepare yourself well before winter conditions hit. As colder temperatures are setting in, factors like black ice and frosty mornings can really sneak up on us. If you’re not prepared, temperatures ranging from 30 degrees at night to 60 degrees during the day can play some funny tricks on driving conditions. Stop and think before you start your shift, and always self F Losing Your Grip assess. Ask what problems could be encountered — and will you be ready for them? I’m not talking about crime trends and what happened last night, but more about driving issues. At roll call, nobody says: “Remember, it rained heavy last night, there’s a lot of sand, dirt and debris in the road and watch those blind corners.” You’ll have to do this yourself. You may never be prepared for everything, but taking a minute or two just before your shift begins to assess common routes and trouble spots will help you be more alert and ready for the unexpected. U nderstanding your vehicle and how it works is all part of the preparation. Is it a front wheel hile driving, read the road and understand the envidrive Chevy Impala, a Dodge ronment. You should know your area inside and out. Charger with the Hemi packWhat do the turns look like without snow on them? age, a four wheel drive Chevy Do you know where those big pot holes and tight Tahoe or a rear wheel drive turns are? Bridges always freeze before the rest of the road so slow Ford Crown Victoria? Check down before you go over the bridge or around Dead Mans Curve. for proper tire pressure — letKnow the roads that are crowned for water run off; that pitch won’t Snow cuts down traction ting air out will not get you and driveability, regardless help you when going into a turn in slippery conditions. And you’ll better grip, unless you have need momentum before attempting to get up that big hill so make of the tire that tackles it. off-road tires and are preparsure the coast is clear before gaining speed prior to hitting the incline. ing for a rocky hill climb. Check the During slippery conditions you’ll have to deal with significantly reduced traction. windshield wipers and quickly clean The degree depends on the vehicle and things like weight and driveline configuration, the front and side windows. And suspension and traction control system and how it works. Horsepower and torque, make sure the defroster and heater tires, the type of snow (wet/dry), temperature, speed and radius of turns and many work. Did you put extra clothing in more small variables should also be considered. the trunk, a shovel and maybe a cell A curve normally driven at 40 mph during dry conditions might only be negotiated phone charger, electric flares or a at 15 mph before losing grip and going into a slide during a snowstorm. Driver input signaling device? You’re probably has to be very smooth and precise since it directly affects the weight transfer of the thinking you’ll never need that stuff vehicle. Your objective is to keep the vehicle balanced and not allow a sudden change because you have a radio. This works of force against the vehicle in any direction, which could introduce an unwanted slide or until the accident is bad enough and loss of control. The more sudden the weight transfer the faster the vehicle starts to spin, nothing in the car is working propand the harder it is to correct the situation. erly. If you’re working a stretch of Vehicle manufacturers have developed technology such as traction control and ABS, highway in rural America it’s possible which help ke2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=31http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=31® •••• K•T S•N•• •••• WWW••••••••••• • ••••••••••••• • •••• ••••• •• ••• •••••• •••••••• •• ••••• ••••••••• • •••• •••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••••2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=32http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=32offICer suRvIvAL JOHN RussO Off-Duty Disaster? T “That’s a nice 1911 you’ve got there,” I said after noticing the high dollar custom 1911 on an officer’s hip. “I like to be prepared for the worst when off-duty,” he said. “Where do you keep your spare mag?” “I got 11 rounds in this baby, Sarge. I think that’ll get it done.” GETTING HOME IN THE sAME CONdITION YOu WENT TO WORK IN. When you’re off-duty that means you’re probably without a back-up unit. The cell phone may suddenly become your best friend — but don’t forget a good knife, light, selfdefense handgun and, um … spare ammo. his isn’t the first time I’ve heard this from people who carry guns for a living. We know the number one cause of pistol malfunctions is usually magazine-related. Anyone who carries off-duty usually won’t carry extra ammo. I usually hear, “hey, I may as well wear my duty gear then.” When teaching off-duty carry/conduct classes, I ask the students why they carry a gun off-duty — and what type of Little is okay, but you may want to carry a full-sized light incident they may be involved in. Once you have the answer, and “real” handcuffs. The Streamlight Microstream falls you’re better prepared to decide what gear you may want to somewhere between tiny and small but puts out real light. carry. You have to find what works for you. I have a friend who carries a full-sized SIG, two spare mags, cuffs and OC in a large fanny pack when off-duty. For most of us this is a little much, but it works for him. Personally, I carry a gun, holster, spare ammo, string cuffs and a flashlight. nother thing people tend to overlook is having a flashlight. You can always find me with one of the new style small lights recommend you carry a gun you can shoot — and conceal. In most states your in my pocket. These are extremely bright gun must be concealed when off-duty. Notice I didn’t say comfortable, I said but easily carried. My favorites are models concealed. As Clint Smith is known to say: “It’s supposed to be comforting, not by SureFire. Look for small, bright, LED comfortable.” lights with long run times and dual intenThe 5-shot revolver is once again gaining popularity, and rightly so. Guns like the sity levels. You’ll also want lock-out tail S&W 442 or 340 are well made, good shooters and conceal easily. This is especially caps which I feel is a must for any back-up handy in warm weather where shorts and t-shirts are common. There are some who light. But other manufacturers like Streamsay you need a big gun with a lot of ammo. The truth is, when cops hit — the gunlight, BLACKHAWK!, Pentagon Light fight is usually over with a few rounds. and Insight Technology offer similar lights So, whichever gun you choose — pracif you prefer other styles. The soft but tough tice, and remember, you still need to All of these items are great tools to have “off-duty” cuffs from carry some type of extra ammunition. in an emergency. However, they are only Handcuff Warehouse Next, use a good holster, whatever as good as you are. Take some time and make it easy to stay the specific type you prefer. Don’t spend train with them, including some range time prepared off-duty. a ton of money on your roscoe then stick firing and reloading. As always, consult it in a $5 piece of nylon you got from with your Range and D-Tac instructors for a friend of a friend. Do some research additional guidance. too. Just because it’s expensive, doesn’t Finally, remember your cell phone. Your mean it’s any good or will work. best off-duty action is usually to Most incidents don’t involve a shootcall 911 and be a good witness. ing but may involve an arrest. Bad guys will only sit quietly for so long while For more info: Tuff Ties, www.handcuffyou wait for back-up to arrive. During that time they may get it into their thick skulls warehouse.com; SureFire, www.surefire. to try to do some more bad things — like hurt you or try to escape. There are many com; BLACKHAWK!, www.blackhawk. options out there besides steel c2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=33http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=332009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=34http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=34law eNforceMeNt ready Abner Miranda ST-15 SBR “N 34 spike’s tactical ever play fair in a gun fight!” Those were the for SWAT” trend is no longer ideal. On our patrol shift the words of my academy firearms instructors other officers and I must gear up and make entry, hence my many years ago. All you have to do is watch hard look at rifles for patrol work. the news to see that sometimes, as we’re outThis rifle, by its very design, lends itself to tight fighting. gunned. Luckily the gap is Clearing corners with such closing quickly thanks to the advent of ARs. a short barrel is a breeze Magpul’s virtually indestructible mags When it came time to choose a patrol carbine and it also makes for safer complimented the Spike’s rifle. I chose a custom rifle based on the Spike’s Tactimaneuvering around felcal ST-15 platform. It may look like something low officers. It’s tricked out of a movie, but it’s far from fantasy. Short out with all the latest budbarreled rifles are what officers are transitioning get-friendly goodies too. to as engagements increasingly occur in city enStarting with the stock, I vironments. Fast approaching is the day when chose a Magpul CTR M4 the global war on terror will be fought on our stock. The CTR is a radiown turf. Then it’ll be critical to have the right cal upgrade allowing for a weapons and training to get the job done. rock-steady shooting platform. Extend the stock, give the second lever a New Rules squeeze and any “rattle” The terrorist attack on 9/11 irrevocably is instantly eliminated. It changed the rules of engagement. The “wait makes telescoping-type WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=35http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=35The YHM flash suppressor does double duty for punching glass and as a breeching tool. Magpul’s stock allows for a rock steady hold. stocks feel like fixed stocks. A Yankee Hill Machine ambi-sling mount allows for the quick attachment of the BLACKHAWK! Storm single point sling. The safety catch is a DPMS ambi-part and has a mil-spec safety latch on both sides of the weapon. The grip is an Ergo Grip 4005 series. It’s a stiff polymer over-mold with solvent resistant, textured rubber for added grip. The ergonomics are remarkable, plus it has a storage compartment for batteries and bullets. Magpul’s Enhanced Trigger Guard is similar to a G36K, and is made of aircraft aluminum, has comfortable rounded edges and makes shooting with gloves on easier. The upper is built from a Del-Ton M4 A3 receiver with integrated feed ramps and a 7.3" CMMG chrome-lined 1-7 twist 5.56mm barrel with tuned gas ports. Barrels are everything, so spend money on a good one. The barrel is shrouded with a YHM free-floated, quad-rail handguard. It covers the entire barrel including a low profile CMMG gas block and is protected by the new Magpul XTM rail panels. They’re a modular two-piece design that can be installed without the need for optics removal. To finish the upper I went with the YHM 5C2 flash suppressor. The 5C2 is in my opinion the best flash suppressor on the market. Not only does it kill muzzle flash, it also has blades for glass punching and “other uses.” It’s very useful as a breaching tool against padlocks and slidelocks. Just center the locking mechanism between the blades and shoot it in half. No longer do you have to wrestle with a bolt cutter. Just keep in mind to use steel-cored M855 for this maneuver to keep fragmentaion to a minimum. Control The Fight The Streamlight TLR-1 is a lot of light in one place. It’s made of aircraft aluminum and has an 80 lumen LED. It’s simple to operate, with an ambi-switch for momentary or constant on. It’s also waterproof and has a run time of about 2.5 hours. It’s a quality, white light that won’t let you down. For my optics I chose to go top shelf. Optics are where you must spend money. The Aimpoint CompM4s is definitely top shelf. It’s night vision compatible and then some — and they’re hard to break. Recently, I was on the range with The US Marshalls. They had several old carbines with obviously “used and WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 352009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=36http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=3636 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=37http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=37ST-15 SBR WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 37 Spike’s Tactical2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=38http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=38With an Aimpoint red-dot sight, Streamlight weapon-light, Magpul mags and quality ammunition, the Spike’s Tactical allowed a wide range of tactics to be employed during training. abused” CompM3s. They said they were older than dirt but still ran flawlessly. That’s a testament to their engineering — let’s face it we aren’t nice to our gear. For my mags I chose the Magpul, Polymer Magazine. It’s a lightweight 5.56mm magazine featuring a pop-off storage/dust cover alleviating pressure from the magazine feed lips. This allows for long-term storage and does away with feed lip creep entirely. The mags are damage resistant to the extreme and they come in black, flat dark earth and OD green. They also feature a window with a round count indicator. They cost less than their USGI counterparts and have infinitely more survivability. Test Firing The short rifle is not any longer than a handgun would be in this officer’s hands. Why limit yourself if you don’t have to? Shooting the Spike’s tactical rifle is fun because of its small size, and I had to deal with a lot of nay-sayers thinking I couldn’t hit anything with it. The short barrel does limit effective range to only about 50 yards for any real level of accuracy. But ask yourself when was the last time any officer-involved shooting went further than 15 yards. Most of what we have to do is close-in fighting. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 382009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=39http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=39The YHM quad-rail thingie holds the Streamlight weapon light handily. YHM supplied the sling mount to hold BLACKHAWK!’s Storm single-point sling. Spike’s Tactical short barreled patrol rifle offers a host of custom features. This is why I really like this short-rifle for building clearing. I designed it with CQB and door-breaching in mind. Remember how Seung-Hui Cho padlocked shut all those doors at Virginia Tech? Imagine not being able to get medical help in because the guy who has a bolt cutter in his trunk is off today. Test firing involved multiple target engagement at ranges inside 25 yards. I test weapons in the same manner in which I would use them in real life. I also stuck to only two types of ammo: Hornady 5.56mm TAP and WinWWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM chester 5.56mm M855. This decision was born of simple criteria — reliability. I’ve never experienced an ammoinduced malfunction with Winchester or Hornady. Out of shear curiosity, the furthest shot taken was 50 yards from a shooting rest. I wanted to test the combination of ammo, weapon and optics. It was easy to drill the targets at this distance using the M4s and the 3X Magnifier. As cops we should always play the “what if” game. “What if I had to take a 50-yard shot with this rifle — could I do it?" While accuracy can be discussed at length, this rifle can hit a human sized target at 50 yards with little effort. Of all the aspects the one I enjoy the most is its size. It’s 24" from end to end meaning, if need be, you can engage from inside your patrol car without having to clear your barrel around obstacles. Also, it means it can fit inside a subgun case. You can use Blackhawk’s 26" “Homeland Security Discreet Weapons Carry Case.” It looks like you’re carrying an artist’s valise or any number of other items — but certainly not a rifle. When making your selection for a patrol carbine it would be in your best interest to shop carefully and explore all the options available, especially if you’re going to build a custom rifle. My decision to go with Spike’s Tactical line of weapons proved sound for me. * For more info: www.spikestactical. com; www.blackhawk.com; www. magpul.com; www.hornady.com; www. winchester.com; www.aimpoint.com; wwww.streamlight.com; www.yhm.net; www.ergogrips.net. 392009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=40http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=40e m o H e n la p ir A n A t h How One Agency Broug : y r E v i DEl D E D u l c Not iN Jim Weiss and Mickey Davis E veryone likes to get something for free. With LE agency budgets already strapped and continuing to shrink “free” sounds even better than ever. Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office wasn’t one to pass up a bargain, especially a donation enabling them to practice realistic antiterrorist training at their own facility. With busy Tampa International Airport located in their jurisdiction, St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport in a neighboring county and other smaller airports nearby they needed to prepare. So when Deputy William Hill’s brother told him there was a stripped-down, engineless Boeing 727 jet available for free from Capital Cargo International, they jumped at the chance. The hitch? The plane was located at the Orlando Airport, nearly 100 miles from the Sheriff’s Office’s rural training site. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office certainly had the will. All they needed to do was find a way. there; it has to be hauled there. But what about wires, railroad crossings, tree limbs and traffic? How do you make sharp turns with an aircraft 133' long? And, how do you prepare the final site so the 55,000 lb. airliner won’t sink into Florida’s sandy soil? The 100-mile journey would eventually involve an unprecedented cooperative effort by 100 people, 24 businesses, law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, the railroad, the phone company, hundreds of hours of volunteer labor, donations of equipment, manpower, and time by private corporations. Many thought it couldn’t be done, but Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office did it. Here’s how. Preparation Before the 727 could be moved from its Orlando Airport location, a concrete pad had to be constructed at the training site. The soil in most of Florida is essentially sand, so the pad had to be strong, thick and large. Training facility maintenance employees laid the reinforced concrete on large, interlocking pieces. The pad was built 6" thick in most places, but thicker in the spots where the plane was going to be mounted. Special concrete supports were also constructed to hold WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 You’ve Got A Problem How do you move a plane to the center of the county, a plane towering 34' from ground to the tip of the tail and a wingspan of 108' — without engines? You can’t fly it 402009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=41http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=41the airliner to maintain the landing gear struts and preserve the integrity of the body. Because the bellies of newer, larger planes vary in distance from the ground, cylinders were used in the supports. These can be filled with nitrogen to raise the plane. So while older planes have a 4' space under the belly, newer ones have 6' or more. Airplane entry and antiterrorism training needs to be as realistic as possible. After many meetings and considerations the project was given to Deputy William Hill for completion. Also heavily involved were Robert Hollis and Jim Nelson. At first it was thought the engineless plane could be ferried to the closer Tampa International Airport on a C-5 Military transport plane and then hauled overland to the training facility. This idea was quickly discarded when it was discovered the 727 was too long to fit into a C-5. It was clear the wings and tail would have to be removed for the plane to fit on the special low bed trailer needed to haul it on highways. The Sheriff’s Office first talked to the military. A Joint Task Force from Ft. Bliss, Texas, said they would send knowledgeable Air Force personnel to help take the aircraft apart. However, two weeks before they were to arrive, the Iraq War began and they had to cancel. The Sheriff’s Office found a Delta Airlines employee training at the Sheriff’s Office site who was also a reserve officer with an Atlanta-area agency. Through him, WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM A wide cross-section of agencies from several states are using the 727 for counter-terrorism training. John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted dedicated the plane. 412009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=42http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=42Delta Airlines and the Delta Pioneers in Atlanta were contacted. Delta Pioneers promote contact between longtime friends and coworkers at Delta and assist Delta by volunteering for certain events. Mechanics, those unseen individuals at the airport who keep our planes in the sky, volunteered to help out. And Delta shipped equipment needed — such as four heavy lift jacks — at no cost. The SO also developed a relationship with people at the Boeing factory who shared information in the assembly and disassembly of the plane. Remove Tab A From Slot B Special jacks were installed to keep the plane stable. In studying the transportation problem, it was immediately clear I-4, the interstate linking Orlando and Tampa, and what should have been the easiest overland route could not be used. Even with the tail section removed, the highway overpasses were not tall enough to allow the plane to pass under them. The huge airliner would have to be made smaller to travel over country back roads. However, no one involved with this 727 had ever taken the wings or tail off of a plane before. The wings were unbolted and removed using a crane and straps. They were stored on stacks of tires to prevent damage. The engine housing on the tail and the landing gear were also removed and the tail section sawed off, rear to front. The nose cap was also taken off to shorten the plane. Super Size Me The TV show America’s Most Wanted paid to have their logo displayed on the plane. You don’t just hook a 133' long, 12' wide airliner to a pickup and haul it away like a camping trailer. This was a job for professional movers. So, HCSO contacted Miami Transfer Company’s Tampa office. Miami Transfer specializes in heavy and specialized hauling, equipment and machinery moving and rigging and cranes. For the cost of insurance and equipment, the company was ready to help. The Sheriff’s Office got the permits and enlisted the help of McKee’s Oversize Load Escort Service, a company experienced in accompanying large items and wide loads. In the two months before the move was made, the route was planned using a GPS system as well as vehicles to look for roads that were not on maps. Then six to eight runs were made over the route, with 18' poles used to measure heights and ensure a safe journey. Sometimes trees need to be trimmed to allow the plane to pass. The moving company loaded the front of the plane’s stripped body on an 18-wheeler, flatbed and the rear onto a 10-wheeled, separate truck bed steered by a second driver. The tail section and wings traveled on different 18-wheeled vehicles. Including the truck used to pull the plane and the separate trailer to manage the back, the length was now 175'. The Sheriff’s Office had 24 hours to move the plane from Orlando Airport to their training site. The journey began shortly after midnight to avoid traffic. It was also important the plane be out of the airport and across the CSX railroad tracks before the 9:00 am Amtrak train sped through. To do this, a crane needed to remove and then replace the arms and lights guarding the crossing. Some Assembly Required Along the route, four, bucket-trucks lifted phone and power lines. The trip took a little longer than anticipated, and as the sun rose, the airliner was passing through the small 42 W WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=43http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=43town of Bartow. Traffic came to a standstill, waiting as the huge plane made its way through one of the main intersections. However, commuters had an excuse for being late even an imaginative child wouldn’t think of — “There was a Boeing 727 on the road, boss — no, really.” At 12:30 pm, the plane arrived at the training facility. Two cranes carefully hoisted the plane body off the trucks and onto the maintenance cradles provided by Delta. Once in place, the tail section, nose cap, and wings were reattached. Wheels were installed and used seats added for realism. These were purchased for $3,500. Capital Cargo donated plane flaps. At the dedication ceremony a multi-agency SWAT team conducted a mock hostage rescue on the 727. Dedication At the dedication, the plane stood on its own small tarmac in an empty field. It had been repainted with green and gold stripes — the colors of the Sheriff’s Office — and sported an America’s Most Wanted logo on the tail (paid for by the TV show). After a national competition and used with permission of the Beamer Foundation, it was dubbed “Let’s Roll,” in remembrance of Flight 93 that crashed into the Pennsylvania fields on September 11, 2001. “Let’s roll” were the cell phone words of Scott Beamer as the passengers decided to fight the hijackers and keep the plane from continuing on to Washington, DC. John Walsh from the television show America’s Most Wanted dedicated the plane and commended the training. Then, a helicopter and armored vehicle arrived, and a SWAT team made up of members from various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, simulated the rescue of civilians from a terrorist hijacking. Today The Boeing 727 is now in active use by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and other Florida law enforcement agencies. The FBI trains there, as do police and sheriff’s offices from other states. The rural training facility now contains outdoor sniper and other shooting ranges, indoor dark house, obstacle course, rappel tower, driver training circuits, classrooms, mock disasters structures, a 360-degree bomb detonation area and the Boeing 727 — making it one of the most complete training facilities in the state, if not the country. The vision of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the cooperation between local, state and federal agencies has paid off. It trains cops to fight terrorist actions and to keep the Americans safe in today’s world. Used with permission of the Beamer Foundation, the plane was named “Let’s Roll,” in remembrance of passenger Scott Beamer’s final cell phone message as they fought the terrorists on flight 93 on 9-11-2001. * WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 432009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=44http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=44Problem: Jon Holloway Cyber Crime Solution: internet Crime Complaint Center (iC3) i 44 t’s toward the end of your patrol shift and you’re dispatched to a burglary report. Writing a report on a cold crime isn’t exactly pegging your enthusiasm meter, and you can’t be late for your eldest son’s Little League game — again. When you pull up in front of the XYZ Software, Inc. firm and meet the owner, you realize something is a bit weird here. There’s no sign of forced entry at all. When you talk to the owner he says something about an “exploit” via a “shell script” allowed the person committing the “intrusion” to steal XYZ’s data on its new software package. What kind of burglary was this? This scenario is a computer intrusion, and it’s really similar to a burglary. Instead of creeping into a dwelling or business and stealing something, the criminal illegally gains access to a computer system and steals information, intentionally interferes with the operation of the computer system, or commits other criminal acts. Would you know what information to include on a report so the detective who’s assigned the case has enough information to determine how to proceed with the investigation? If you’re the detective who gets these kinds of cases, what are you going to do when the Internet Protocol (IP) address indicates the attack originated out of state and out of your jurisdiction? What if the attack originated from a foreign nation? You can get help in these situations. In fact, I’m here from the US Federal Government to help you. Wait — quit laughing, this really is one instance where we’re here to help. Who Ya Gonna Call? Cyber crime is a booming, global industry. US citizens and businesses are being routinely victimized. Many of the perpetrators are located in foreign nations. Most traditional fraud schemes and confidence games have online counterparts, just as the computer intrusion can be thought of as an online counterpart to a traditional burglary. From online auction fraud to WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=45http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=45phony lotteries, identity theft and bank fraud, it’s being done on the Internet and it’s big business. Who can fight this “cyber menace”? Who investigates these kinds of crimes? Who can successfully shut down organized cyber crime groups, arrest members, and seize assets when the criminals may reside several states away from the victim, reside in a foreign nation, or have tried to cover their cyber trail to such an extent we’re not really sure where they reside? My agency, the FBI, is not the answer, and neither is any other federal law enforcement agency. The answer is all of us, local, state, federal and international law enforcement. To be successful at fighting this type of crime we have to work together and we need a little help from citizens, industry and non-profit organizations. This is what the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is all about. The IC3 is not just another FBI unit. It’s a public-private alliance between the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), a non-profit organization, and the FBI. In addition, another non-profit organization, the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA), has several analysts and staff embedded within the IC3. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also has a representative. The primary function of the IC3 is to receive and process reports from private citizens who have been victimized via the Internet. Currently, the IC3 receives over 20,000 such complaints every month. The complaints are received via the Internet through the IC3 Web site, www. ic3.gov. In 2007, victims reported over $239 million in losses to the IC3. The median dollar loss per complaint was $680 (1). Currently, there are well over 1,000,000 complaints in the database. Meaning? How many first responders and switchboard operators/telephone report takers are taking what you know are “feel good reports”? These are the crimes you know are unworkable; reports that will be forwarded to the detective division, where they’ll be placed in a “pending inactive” or “administratively closed” status. Such reports include those where the victim resides in your jurisdiction but is defrauded on the Internet by someone who lives in another jurisdiction, maybe even another state or a foreign country. With no subject in your jurisdiction and no means to travel and conduct investigation and interviews, in most local departments, such a case is over before it even starts. Supervisors and administrators, if your men and women are taking such reports, you’re burning up scarce law enforcement resources with no real results to show for the effort. However, the upper administration knows if you do not take such reports, you’re unpopular with the citizens because they have been victimized and you “don’t care and aren’t doing anything.” Why not Continued on page 58 45 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=46http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=46Tactics applied during competition can be applied during training and in the real world, and in reverse. These Australian officers are training in lowlight with inert guns, but later put what they learned to use in live-fire. While this is live-fire training, not everyone is able to attend classes like this one. Yet, local matches often give opportunities for some live-fire action outside of a static police range. Competitive Dangerous Diversion N 46 othing says training can’t be fun. Action-based competitive shooting is both derided as the province of silk pajama-wearing game players, and praised as the single most important exercise you can do to improve your shooting. They’re damned as a superb way to ingrain habits that will most surely get you killed on the street. Yet, participation in them has been noted as a common characteristic of police officers who have won street gunfights by no less an authority than the late Jim Cirillo. So what’s the truth? Politicians would say the truth is somewhere in between. I’m not much suited for public office, so I’ll say it seems to me both sides of the argument are true — which is not the same thing. The Good You do indeed feel stress in a match. It’s not life-threatening stress, to be sure, but it is stress. This serves two very useful purposes (besides the fun, if you enjoy the challenge that stress creates). It serves to inoculate you from some stress. This is more inoculation than you get at the range while qualifying. You really don’t want the first time you feel stress with a gun in your hand to be when you have to use it for real. It’s like martial arts or boxing — neither is real fighting, but both give you some reasonable experience in handling stress, as well as providing you some useful skills. The skills competitive shooting helps you to develop are important too. Simply put, there is nothing like shooting matches and training for them to get you familiar with your equipment to the point you can unconsciously run your gun (load, reload, clear malfunctions, and so on), and teach you to shoot fast and accurately. Fast, accurate shooting is what survival shooting — the kind of shooting cops do in the street — is all about. Enter a local IDPA or IPSC match and if you thought you were fast, you’ll be humbled. If you thought you were accurate at speed, you’ll get a whole new perspective of what that means. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=47http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=47Here, top competitor Athena Lee demonstrates winning competition form — which may not be what you want to use during your own competition. A more realistic approach may be better. You can see Doug Koenig’s muzzle flash and laser here. Regardless of your thoughts on the equipment, at least he’s getting realworld experience using it. Photo: Yamil Sued Shooting: or Practical Pastime? Ralph Mroz Getting good at these sports will force you to practice; your badge is no substitute for a case of ammunition and a few hours on the range. And by the way, there’s really no silk pajamas involved in the sport. A touch of polyester at the high end, yes, but hey, who doesn’t enjoy that now and then? The Bad Doing well in a match, at least if you care about the score, will force you to perform tactics completely unsafe on the street. You’ll be forced to shoot from out in the open — indeed, you’ll be forced to charge right out into the open from perfectly safe cover; you’ll have to expose way too much of yourself from behind cover and you’ll WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM frequently shoot from open doorways. The concept of the “fatal funnel” has no relevance in the sport shooting world. The issue here is you will react as you’ve trained in a real situation. In the real world, most often safe and practical tactics involve obsessive use of cover, slow and deliberate clearing, light management and stealth shooting, to name a few. These tactics are not practiced in competitive shooting, and in fact, you can’t begin to score well if you apply them. Perhaps the most dangerous habit you can ingrain from competitive shooting is quickly shooting at targets as you see them. Judgment and target discrimination have little place in these events. The “no-shoot” targets used in IDPA matches are too primitive to count as real judgment training, in my opinion. The Bottom Line If competitive sport shooting ingrains both valuable gun handling and shooting skills, yet unsafe tactics, should you engage in the sports? Absolutely. The key is to keep the habits learned in competitive shooting separate from the habits you need for survival shooting. There are three ways to do this. Only do a relatively small amount of competitive shooting. The key word here is “relatively.” If you default to your strongest training — your deepest reflexive rut, if you will — then using competitive shooting as a way to enhance your 472009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=48http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=48Springfield Armory’s XD is available in a “kit” you can put right to work — mag pouch, holster, gun and even a mag loader. All might do double-duty as a working gun too. Simple is good. This basic Glock was in a competitor’s holster and would serve as a duty gun just about anywhere. The smoke from Jerry Miculek’s shot is visible in the beam of his rail-mounted light in this stage. When was the last time you actually fired your handgun at a target using the mounted light? A speed rig is good for fun, but for serious training — use your duty gear. Photo: Yamil Sued speed and accuracy can be done safely so long as it’s done in moderation compared to the survival shooting practice you do. Lot’s of cops take this approach. Compete, but forget about the times (and therefore the score), and run the stages correctly from a tactics point of view. You’ll be a heck of a lot slower on any given stage, but you’ll be ingraining the good tactics you already know. I know a couple well-known trainers who take this approach to the shooting sports. Engage in both survival and competitive shooting practice heavily and often. Master competitive shooter Bryce Linskey of the Bristol, Con48 necticut, PD SWAT team takes this approach. I once asked him if he was afraid of defaulting to dangerous competitive shooting tactics while working SWAT. He replied, “Look, when I’m in uniform, wearing all my SWAT gear, my operating context is clear, and I have no trouble maintaining a real-life mindset.” Pick one of the above, but by all means, don’t neglect to participate. There’s a competitive shooting league somewhere close to you, and it will force you to shoot more often, improve your shooting, give you some fun and let you shoot courses of fire you don’t have the time or equipment to set up yourself. Are you afraid your shooting isn’t up to snuff? Well, you’re probably right. The average competitive shooter is a better shooter than the average cop. But you know something? They already know that. But they’re a friendlier, more supportive bunch of people you’ll ever find. So swallow your pride and get to it. Light And Laser Invitational The newest format for competitive shooting is one allowing the use of railmounted lights and lasers, both of which WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=49http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=49You don’t need a fancy gun to compete, your duty gun will almost always work at some level, or a basic 1911 like this ParaOrdnance might be your “competition” gun if you carry a 1911 on duty. Here, Dave Sevigny drops a mag during the 2005 Nationals. If you compete and train using tactical reloads, this would be the time to do it, rather than use gamesmanship. are not usually allowed in traditional IPSC and IDPA matches. This format was kicked off at the Smith & Wesson ranges in Springfield, Massachusetts on February 24, 2008. This by-invitation-only match pitted nine of the world’s best shooters against IDPA-type courses of fire in light ranging from dim to none. Using IDPA scoring, K.C. Eusebio, Todd Jarrett, Doug Koenig, Rob Leatham, Max Michel Jr., Jerry Miculek, Dave Sevigny, Phil Strader and Bob Vogel competed for the $5,000 cash first prize. Crimson Trace and SureFire were match co-sponsors, and their products were well represented in the competitor’s equipment. Most of these shooters had only a couple of weeks to practice with their rail lights and lasers, and to say they shot well and fast would be an understatement. Dave Sevigny won the match with his near-stock Glock, something to keep in mind if you think fancy, multi-thousand dollar pistols are necessary to compete effectively. In fact, it’s the shooter, not the gun. A thousand dollars can buy you the better part of 10,000 rounds of ammunition, and unless you are at the level of these guys, that’s going to be a better investment in your shooting than almost any gun modification you can get done. Plans for the Low Light/Laser format include another invitational next year, according to Paul Pluff at Smith & Wesson. Part of the motivation for the match was to try and push rail lights and lasers into mainstream competitive events, and with these accessories being so common and practical, it definitely seems like a good idea. Maybe the honchos who run IPSC and IDPA will pick up on the notion. In any case, there’s nothing preventing a local club or agency from running a match or stage incorporating these tools. It would be yet another reason to look at competitive shooting as a way to enhance your survival shooting skills. A great way for firearms instructors to both improve officer’s shooting skills and have a lot of fun is to set up an IDPA-inspired stage or two and run them through it. Instructors could control the event, and dictate and evaluate proper survival-shooting tactics. If you use photo-realistic targets with hand overlays, such as those made by Law Enforcement Targets, you can also incorporate decision-making into the event. Couple that with low light and you have a pretty realistic depiction of the kind of shooting situations officers get involved in. * You can be perfectly competitive using your standard duty gear like this classic Don Hume leather. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM For more info: www.smith-wesson.com; www.crimsontrace.com; www.surefire. com; Law Enforcement Targets, Inc., www.letargets.com. 492009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=50http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=50In Defense JeremyÊ d.Ê Clough WhyÊ WeÊ haveÊ ThemÊ Ñ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê WhyÊ WeÊ NeedÊ Them Of Defense AttOrneys You can talk about the Constitution anywhere, but it’s here — a couple hundred square feet of carpet in the front of a courtroom — that your rights are really decided. You have only the rights that you’re given here, and defense attorneys play a critical role in ensuring that the accused receives due process of the law. 50 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=51http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=51The profession of criminal defense is often at its best when it’s practiced by those who view it as a public service, and whose interest is not in money, or their own reputation, but in seeing that each of their clients — no matter how unpopular, how poor, or even how guilty they are — gets the full protection they’re promised by the US Constitution. F or the cop, the defense attorney serves as something of a fly in the ointment of an already-unpredictable legal system. A faithful antagonist in an adversarial system, he (or she) is always there to dog your steps; to ask why you didn’t do more investigation in the case against their client, or to demand why you did so much if you were certain they were guilty, or any of a million other questions designed to put you on trial instead of the accused. As one defense attorney friend of mine put it, when her cop son asked her how to build an airtight case, “you’ll never do it good enough for us.” As a DA, I see the same thing, as I routinely watch them mislead juries with claims they know are untrue, sandbag judges and prosecutors alike with incorrect legal declarations, and in the worst cases, lie, forge, and steal in the name of zealous advocacy for their client. While the last few examples are relatively rare, it’s the kind of conduct people usually associate with criminal defense attorneys. It was against this backdrop when I was asked, “Are there any defense attorneys you respect and if so, why?” “Yes,” I replied quickly, “because they protect people’s rights.” That’s the short answer. End Justifies The Means? Although the United States’ legal system is generally described as “adversarial,” that’s only partially correct. In civil law, each party hires a lawyer, whose sworn duty is to fight for whatever their client wants. Although the attorney picks the path, the client always Continued on page 63 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 512009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=52http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=52CARRY OPTIONS FROM HOLsTERs TO HAvERsACKs. MARK HANTEN 5 Shot Leather O ne of the best rifle advertisements I’ve ever seen is from Dakota Arms. The caption reads, “Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun!” I’ve adopted that credo to encompass several aspects of my life, and that’s why my duty pistol is a Les Baer Ultimate Recon with a set of custom Desert Ironwood burl grips from Wicked Grips. Life is too short to carry an ugly gun — and life’s too short to wear an ugly holster. know times are tough for many of us, and the idea of a custom leather rig may seem out of reach, but I’m amazed how many professional cops buy outrageously expensive guns and pack them around in a butt-ugly plastic holster they got for $20 or free “from that guy who retired.” And then they strap it to a floppy 1" leather belt that only takes up about half of the holster’s slot space and the whole thing just sort of sags there like a soup-sandwich in a baggie. If you think I’m exaggerating, just go for a stroll through your detective offices or hang out at court for a while and you’ll see this painful display of plastic floppiness. Don’t go on an empty stomach though. So what can be done about this? I suggest getting on the Web and finding yourself some quality leather gear that looks professional and actually fits your gun. Once you’ve worn a high quality holster you’ll never Another CBS with matching mag go back. Things pouch in black cowhide with like well made elephant trim. Life’s too short! kydex or BladeTech plastic and a good Wilderness 5-Stitch Instructor’s Belt when you’re training or really casual makes perfect sense. But when it’s time to look sharp, you’ll definitely wear your good stuff. Can you say “barbecue gun?” 52 Check out the detail on the backside of the shark rig and hand made belt. Are those Carbon Creation grips? Yup. I A Tuxedo And Tube Socks? AppropriAte Courtroom Attire elative newcomer John Ralston of Vancouver, Washington makes some of the best leather I’ve seen. John started 5 Shot Leather a while ago and it’s transitioned from a part time hobby to a full time endeavor. His leather is great. Actually, it’s better than great — it’s downright spectacular. The first time I eased my Les Baer into the elephant hide-trimmed black cowhide rig he made for me, I was blown away when it actually snapped into position. The fit was was perfect. You kind of expect that snap with kydex or injectionmolded holsters, but when your gun snaps into a leather holster it’s impressive. Once you’re hooked on the thrill of wearing professional-grade leather you’ll always have your eye on WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 R2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=53http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=53DPMS_AmCop_MarApr 1/9/09 1:23 PM Page 1 some kind of custom exotic rig. It’s just like a true gun enthusiast having his eye on a custom gun or grips, or maybe a special finish and checkering. There are some great ways to dress up a holster without breaking the bank. A little elephant or shark trim adds a whole new dimension to an otherwise plain design. Using all sharkskin is just spectacular as you can see from the rig I have for my stainless 1911 Commander. John specializes in custom rigs that don’t cost your entire paycheck and will last a lifetime. He can also get it done in a reasonable time. Like any handcrafted product, it won’t be ready the next day, but this kind of quality is absolutely worth the wait. Whether you choose the concealment belt scabbard design I prefer, or a pancake, snap-attachment pancake, or one of the inside the waistband styles, you won’t be sorry you stepped up to a rig made by an artist of John’s caliber. Do yourself a favor, because life really is too short to wear an ugly holster. For more info: www.5shotleather.com; www.lesbaer. com; www.blade-tech.com; www.thewilderness.com; www.wickedgrips.com; wwww.carboncreations.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM * DPMS Firearms, LLC • 3312 12th Street SE, Dept. ACOP • St. Cloud, MN 56304 • (p) 1-320-258-4448, Ext. 2267 • (f ) 1-320-258-4449 • (e) dpms@dpmsinc.com 532009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=54http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=54REALITY CHECK II COuNsEL, WIsdOM, GuIdANCE ANd TEACHING. CLINT sMITH DAngERouS ? We PEoPLE i might? acrifice is the surrender of something for the sake of gaining something else. At a firearm’s instructor development school here in Oregon a regional law enforcement officer and lead instructor of the class said, “we might need to sacrifice safety for realism in firearms training.” S got an e-mail from an officer from Missouri who was asking about the training he just participated in. I was appalled at the drills being taught. The instructors had students moving down-range going to theoretical cover or concealment while other students were firing live rifle rounds past them. This Missouri cop was so freaked out he didn’t go back, and considered filing a formal complaint. I asked how the instructor had prefaced this drill. The instructor said, “the movement forward and gunfire going by you will get you acclimated to gunfire … like if you’re ever in a fight.” I’m not sure you’ll ever get “acclimated” to incoming rifle fire. As a modest instructor of firearms for a few decades I think my job is to get my students acclimated to the concept of using — and not leaving — cover unless it’s life threatening to stay there. I would never let some knucklehead who calls himself an instructor, or student, shoot past my head — ever. How many Using unloaded rifles Clint demonstrates a dangerous drill. If you do people do you know who you’d this for real, you’re an idiot. Just don’t. want behind you with a loaded gun in a fight? Better yet, how about in training? killed in training by other students, and my personal favorI remember reading about the SWAT cop from the Portite, the deaths of students at the hands of the instructional land area and the Fort Wayne, Fort Custer cop killed — in staff. So, I guess the training could fall into several areas training. There have been many law enforcement students that should be considered. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 542009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=55http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=55World’s Finest Magazines T his training program is all about tradition. It goes on, unimpeded by progress of any kind. It’s bad and outdated; and all too often the range staff is comprised of instructors who haven’t updated their own gun handling skills in more than a decade. Heaven forbid we work on any gun handling fundamentals. Status Quo The Innovators MEC-GAR is proud to offer “Optimum” - our new and unique series of high capacity flush-fit pistol magazines. The new design of the magazine housing and interlinked magazine components, together with a special Anti-Friction Coating offer far superior performance even in difficult operational environments. “OPTIMUM”. THE WORLD’S BEST MAGAZINES The increased firepower of MEC-GAR “Optimum” magazines can be further raised by an optional “Plus Two” adapter. “Plus Two” is a new set of hollow butt-plate and inner base to raise the capacity of the MEC-GAR “Optimum” magazine by 2-rounds and stick out only 5/8” from the butt of the pistol! Available For: Beretta 92FS 9mm 18rd / 20rd Beretta 96FS .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Para-Ordnance P14 .45ACP 14rd SIG P226 9mm 18rd / 20rd SIG P226 .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Springfield XD 9mm 18rd Springfield XD .40S&W 13rd Taurus PT92 9mm 18rd / 20rd Taurus PT100 .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Mec-Gar USA, Inc., 905 Middle Street, Middletown, CT 06457 Tel: (800) 632-4271 Fax: (860) 635-1712 www.mec-gar.com These guys are famous for “cool shit” like the Flaming Monk Drill and they’re damned dangerous to the people they train and to the departments they serve. Maybe instead of shooting past students heads, maybe they could work on some simple stuff. Does that sound too boring? I think addressing a lack of personal awareness and application of personal tactics along with basic firearms skills might be a good place to start. Don’t take my word for it. Look at how many cops were killed last year in environments that you work in everyday; the same types of calls, same time of day and same types of threats. Detectives call these things clues and if anyone on the planet should know about clues it should be cops. LOOK at where cops work, LOOK at where cops get killed. Maybe training should address these issues and leave the cool shit to the movie industry. It’s damn tough for most agencies to sufficiently budget for firearms training, let alone bullets. This being the case now would be a good time to consider how to use the limited budget and training time wisely. Get the most for the money you do have. Use it to develop and nurture the perishable skills officers aren’t practicing. Maintaining the basic, safe shooting skills may — just may, save an officer’s life. It’d be worth it and you really don’t have to do that tactical ninja, black magic voodoo shoot bullets by the head stupid stuff. By the way, a sacrifice can also be the killing of a victim on an altar. Hopefully for you cops it won’t be on the altar of training, because personally, I think we sacrifice enough police officers every year on the altar of the street. Train safe, work safe. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM K.I.S.S. Principle * 552009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=56http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=56SPoTLIGHT OGRE Manufacturing EnviROcLEAn FA 8060 LED FLAsHLigHt Pelican Introducing the all new full size, full power 8060 LED. Powered by a rechargeable NiMH battery pack or 4C cells, the Pelican 8060 LED is the longest running duty light today. Full size equals full performance and, at almost 13" in length, you can be sure that your 8060 will deliver in any emergency. Six hours of run time and 190 lumens of output ensures that your light will keep burning even when all hell breaks loose. Two features include a no-slip grenade grip and optional in-vehicle charger. To see more log on to www.pelican.com. P U!!! Are you cleaning your gun again? Why not try one of the most user-friendly gun cleaners on the market today. Enviroclean FA is low odor and biodegradable. The flash point of Enviroclean FA is over 200 degrees F so it is safer to use than most gun cleaners. Enviroclean FA contains no water, no ammonia, and no detergent so it is safe to use on all types of guns including black powder. Enviroclean FA is currently used by law enforcement. Check it out at www.ogremfg.com/. DOcking stAtiOn Gamber-Johnson Gamber-Johnson announces the first magnesium docking station designed specifically for the Toughbook 30 computer. Gamber-Johnson will utilize the magnesium alloy AZ91-D, which contains aluminum and zinc as the primary alloys. This presents a smooth, user-friendly surface that blocks electromagnetic interference (EMI), especially at a higher frequency, EMI used for commercial applications. It readily dissipates heat and absorbs energy that dampens vibration and reduces noise. Magnesium AZ91-D is readily recyclable, abundant in nearly inexhaustible quantities, and extracted without non-toxic and nonpolluting byproducts. The most critical benefit of magnesium is that it is very light, yet exceptionally strong. The docking station only weighs around six pounds, so it is less top-heavy, less likely to vibrate and compounds the strength of the mounting solution as a whole. That means less wear and tear on the computer and its connections. Learn more at www.gamberjohnson.com/. MAtRix sERiEs sHiRt Matrix MatrixSeries poly/cotton shirts feature discreet underarm gussets which allow multi-directional stretch, mobility, and extended garment life. On Class A/B shirts, permanent creases keep you looking crisp and professional all day long. You will love MatrixSeries’ superior hydrophobic resistance to water, yet inside of the fabric wicks away moisture. Fabric boasts extraordinary color depth and retention through H2UltraDye process and enhanced comfort through engineered stretch grants ease of motion yet shape retention. Visit www.perfectionuniforms.com. cOvERt DREss sHiRt 5.11 The “business casual” Covert Dress Shirt from 5.11 Tactical conveys a professional look as it effectively covers your gear or concealed sidearm. Moisture-wicking CovertMesh lining reduces printing so the exterior fabric drapes naturally. The front placket houses a unique snap/button-combination with 5.11’s RAPIDraw system for instant backup access, while concealed pockets hide behind the placket. Other details include a chest pocket, hidden button-down collar, slightly curved hem that can be worn tucked in or out. The shirt is made of comfortable, easy-care 60% cotton, 40% poly with moisture-wicking performance. Two different plaids, in khaki and blue, are available, as well as a solid blue oxford. Pricing begins at $59.99. See the Covert Dress Shirt, Covert Casual Shirt, Covert Khakis and more at www.511tactical.com. FuLL-sizE FLAsHLigHt cAps Bust A Cap Bust A Cap attaches to your existing full-size Streamlight and Mag-Lite flashlight that gives you a tactical advantage to break glass. Bust A Cap is a rapid entry tool that is being utilized by police, fire and government agencies, giving them a tactical and safe entry or exit from an automobile or house. It applies in less than a minute, requires no training and breaks glass upon impact. To see more log on to www.2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=57http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=57For more information on seeing your product featured in “Spotlight,” contact Delano Amaguin (888) 732-6461. nsp-1100 sERiEs NIGHTSTICK The NSP-1100 series is the newest member of the NIGHTSTICK flashlight, floodlight dual-light family of professional flashlights. It is easily carried in suit coat, shirt pocket, purse or tucked in behind the belt. Powerful super-bright LEDs and long run-time provides maximum officer safety and utility. The NSP-1100 comes with premium AAA alkaline batteries and 1 year warranty. Visit www. nightstick.biz for more information or contact sales@nightstick.biz, 1-800-233-2155. gHOst zippER Ridge Outdoors Ridge Footwear firmly believes in providing comfort, quality and durability for Law Enforcement Officers. Ridge offers these features in the 8" Ghost Zipper, a lightweight 23 oz. boot, durable Rip-Stop nylon, triple stitching and slip resistant outsole. It has vapor wick lining and the original tactical air heel system. The shock absorbing cushion benefits the officer no matter what the day may bring. An added bonus is the YKK zipper, providing convenience of lacing once, then zipping for easy on/off. Visit their Web site for more information at www.ridgeoutdoors.com. WOME ELitE WOMEn's LigHtWEigHt pAnt Woolrich Elite Series Tacical In response to the growing number of active female operatives, Woolrich Elite Series Tactical today entered the women’s market with its first tactical pant designed specifically for women. The Women’s Elite Lightweight Pant is manufactured of fade resistant, lightweight cotton ripstop fabric and designed for a woman’s unique frame. The pant features ten strategically placed multi-use pockets, built with critical seams, double-needle stitched and bartacked at stress points for durability. It will be available in Khaki. For more information on Woolrich Elite Series Tactical line, visit www.WoolrichEliteSeriesTactical.com. OpERAtOR gRADE FiELD JAckEt EOTAC EOTAC announces the new Operator Grade Field Jacket, a retro look based on a fifties era European military issue jacket updated with contemporary materials and features. The Field Jacket is constructed of a durable and wear resistant 9 ounce all-cotton iron twill, and is loaded with features including four spacious front cargo pockets. Four internal pockets with elastic loops provide plenty of storage for additional gear. The zipper is placed to keep the jacket closed yet still allow freedom of motion and the ability to reach under the jacket. A drawstring bottom with cordlock and elastic cuffs with adjustable button closure help keep the wearer further protected from the elements. The Field Jacket is available now and comes in three colors, black, coyote brown or OD green. For more information on this and other EOTAC products visit www.eotac.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM DEFEnDER Code 3, Inc. The new Defender lightbar from Code 3, Inc. was introduced at IACP in San Diego. Featuring patent-pending TriCore technology, the Defender is the brightest, most advanced lightbar available. Exclusive to Code 3, TriCore is two times brighter than any other lighthead, providing enhanced officer safety in both daytime and nighttime operation. In the Defender lightbar, TriCore maintains astonishing visibility a full 360 degrees, with bright, clear signals from every angle. The Defender lightbar will be available late first quarter 2009. For more information, visit www.BeBrightBeSafe.com or www.code3pse.com. cLiMB Assist CLIMB Assist is a tool whose first and foremost use is on wrought iron fences. It will allow you to get in and get out with ease. Unlike a ladder, CLIMB Assist is a two-way climbing tool. Now you can pick your point of entry and climb … quickly, quietly and most important . safely. CLIMB Assist is also designed with a leaning feature, which assists you in climbing block walls, wood fences and some chain link fences. Now you can secure a fenced area with your hands free or on your weapon. CLIMB Assist is made of lightw2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=58http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=58CYBER CRIME Continued from page 45 have the citizens who have been victimized on the Internet file a complaint with the IC3 instead of tying up your agency’s resources? The citizen fills out the complaint online and they now have their complaint on file with federal law enforcement. It’s what happens after the complaint is filed at the IC3 that makes this process worthwhile. First of all, the NW3C analysts look at each report and if an initial determination can be made in regard to subject and victim venue. The report is then forwarded to law enforcement agencies which have jurisdiction and have a membership with the NW3C (see the sidebar on the NW3C for information on joining and free services NW3C can provide to law enforcement agencies). This ensures your agency gets a copy of the complaint without the expense of having its personnel take the report. The FBI analysts assigned to the IC3 use automated tools, sophisticated analysis techniques, and a lot of good, oldfashioned, hard work to review complaints, group them together, determine subject venue and forward investigative packets where more than ten people have been victimized or the dollar loss is at least $10,000 to all law enforcement agencies that have venue. These packets consist of copies of the individual complaints, burned to a compact disc, along with a preliminary analysis showing how the complaints linked together to one perpetrator or group of perpetrators. The packets are sent to state, federal and local law enforcement agencies, and, if the subjects seem to reside in multiple locations, all of those agencies receive it as well. CrossBreed Holsters LLC. ARE YOU TIRED OF UNCOMFORTABLE HOLSTERS? ARE YOU CARRYING A SMALLER GUN THAN YOU WANT TO JUST SO YOU CAN CONCEAL IT? I got my SuperTuck holster from you for my XD 4” back in February. I use it everyday 10 to 12 hours, sometimes tucked, sometimes not. This is the most comfortable holster I have ever had. Holds my XD close to my body and just makes it disappear. It holds the gun firmly, yet easy and fast to draw. Who says you can’t conceal carry a full size gun? They never tried a SuperTuck. I love it! Thanks, Foreign Crime Why not try a CrossBreed TODAY? Lifetime Warranty! Try-It-FREE-Guarantee! 888.732.5011 www.CrossBreedHolsters.com 58 For foreign subjects, investigative packets are forwarded to FBI Legal Attaches, who are located in over 70 major cities worldwide and who operate out of U.S. embassies. These attaches work with law enforcement in over 200 nations. In addition to referring potential investigations and supporting ongoing investigative efforts in foreign nations, the IC3 also takes complaints from foreign citizens who have been victimized on the Internet. It’s entirely possible for the IC3 to refer a potential investigation to Canadian law enforcement agencies, via the FBIWill Legal you At- be tache in Ottawa, involving Canadian ifof he shows citizens defrauding Americans hundreds of thousands of dollars; while, on the same day, referring a case to American law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts regarding Canadian citizens defrauded by a cyber crime A RE Y O group operating out of Boston. In this segment of this two-part ar- A RE Y WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2009 WA2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=59http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=59ticle, I have described the IC3, how it obtains and analyzes data regarding cyber crime, and how it refers cases for investigation to local, state, federal, and international law enforcement. The conclusion to this two-part article will be published in the next issue and I will explain other ways the IC3 may be able to assist you and your police organization. In the meantime, if you need to discuss a cyber crime issue with someone at the IC3, contact us on Law Enforcement Online (see the sidebar on LEO). (1)National White Collar Crime Center, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (2008). 2007 Internet Crime Report. Internet Crime Complaint Center. Retrieved July 2008 from www.ic3.gov/media/annualreports.aspx. The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) is a non-profit organization providing a myriad of free services for law enforcement. The NW3C provides training, investigative support and research to agencies involved in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of economic crime, cyber crime and terrorism. Funded for over 30 years by the Department of Justice, the NW3C serves over 2,900 law enforcement member agencies located on four continents. The NW3C provides direct support to its members through investigative and analytical services, case funding, research and technical assistance. In addition, members have access to state-of-the-art training on financial investigative techniques, financial analysis, intelligence analysis and cyber crime. Membership in the NW3C is free. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 59 National White Collar Crime Center2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=60http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=60To see if your organization qualifies for membership, call Membership Services at 804-273-NW3C. For more information on the NW3C, please review the Web site, www.nw3c.org. Other Contact info: J.P. Meade, Mgr. Investigative Support Services (ISS), jmeade@nw3c.org; Barbara Shanes, Membership Services Supervisor, bshanes@nw3c.org. Law Enforcement Online Law Enforcement Online (LEO) is a global virtual private network provided by the FBI to all levels of the law enforcement, criminal justice, and public safety communities and is an “anytime and anywhere” system for secure dissemination of Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information. The LEO system provides its membership, free of charge, a secure internet-based communications network. LEO is used to support investigative operations, to send notifications and alerts and provide an avenue to remotely access a wide variety of law enforcement and intelligence systems and resources. Users of LEO will have LEO e-mail accounts assigned and can use this email system to converse with their law enforcement peers. In addition, access to various information and special interest groups (SIGs) is provided on the various LEO Web pages. SIGs for financial investigation topics, gang investigations and others exist. If you’re law enforcement and wish to contact the IC3 with a request for assistance or analysis, please visit the IC3 SIG on LEO at https://www.leo.gov/. While on this Web page, click on the link LE.IC3.gov, and you’ll be directed to a page that allows you to fill out your name, department or agency, and what kind of assistance you require from IC3. If you’re law enforcement and don’t have a LEO account, please go to www.leo.gov, click on the link allowing you to download an application for a LEO account, print the application, fill it out, and fax the completed application to LEO per the instructions contained on the application. LEO allows you to access a great deal of good information, to communicate with your peers and request assistance from the IC3. * Jon Holloway is a Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who has over 16 years of law enforcement experience. Within the FBI, he has worked organized crime, drugs, asset forfeiture, counterintelligence, and cyber crime matters, among others. At the time of this article, Holloway was assigned to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, but was in the process of transferring to an FBI Field Office to take over as a squad supervisor. 60 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=61http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=61RETURN FIRE Continued from page 12 may sort of quit noticing you once you get out of the game. It’s sad, but all toooften true. You’ll see. Now go get ‘em. Editor Americancopmagazine.com Possibly the best laid out Web pages/ magazine I have ever seen! The ability to click on nearly any page and bring up the advertisers site is fantastic. The articles in this edition are interesting and informative. Keep it up! Lt. Grant Lanier Boynton Beach Police Communications Division Congratulations on having a great online magazine. I’ve seen some others and American COP is by far the best. Don Smith Liaison/Team Leader Citizens on Patrol FBCOPTEAM1 Professional Courtesy? I just read Sammy Reese’s article Professional Courtesy (Officer Survival, Sept/Oct 2008 ) and I could not disagree with his stance more. First my credentials: 30 years experience as a police officer, 17 years as a SWAT officer/sniper with a major metropolitan law enforcement agency, a Masters degree in administration, and now chief of police in a small rural agency. And yes, I too have a heavy foot at times. I just paid my speeding ticket I was issued by the State Patrol here in Colorado. I did not identify myself to the trooper until after he had written the ticket and given me my copy, and then only because I did not want to hear the lecture on the dangers of speeding. My own officers questioned me as to why I did not show my badge to get out of the ticket. There is only one reason, it is unprofessional to do so. Professional courtesy does not mean letting an officer go because he is an officer. Your “brothers” do not deserve more than any other citizen. Professional courtesy means you act like a professional and treat everyone the way you would wish to be treated. Start a “ticket war”? That is the most unprofessional thing I could hear a cop say. Please answer this for me and let’s see if you can change my mind. What do I, as Chief of Police, tell Mr. Average citizen when he comes into my office and asks me why he got a ticket for speeding but he saw an officer let go with no ticket for speeding in the same area? Do I tell Mr. Average that we are better than you, so we deserve more, or WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 612009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=62http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=62that we are “family” and you are not, so we deserve more? As to Mr. Reese’s experience with his local deputies, maybe they thought he was not part of their family so he didn’t get the good treatment. How unethical for both parties involved, if you ask me. In my humble opinion this is exactly why we have to fight so hard for the respect of our citizens, because officers often think they deserve more. I will not tolerate that attitude in my department. And before I get the slew of e-mails from the new generation, yes I believe law enforcement deserves more pay, more equipment and maybe more understanding due to the very nature of our chosen profession. However we do not deserve more in the way of special treatment just because we are in law enforcement. Ronald E. Grannis Chief Of Police (303) 857-4011 Last I heard Chief, a ticket was an infraction and no officer has to take any action and doesn’t have to explain himself as to why they either gave a verbal warning or a citation. And I wonder exactly how a citizen would know if an offduty cop was issued a cite or released, and why either thing happened? I’ve always noticed plumbers give one another “breaks” and “at-cost” work. Ditto for doctors, lawyers and most of the business community, but I have to pay retail. Hell, I loan my neighbor tools since he’s my neighbor and I wouldn’t loan one to a stranger. I believe it’s called “professional courtesy” regardless of the industry and I don’t mind at all if a plumber or anyone wants to cut a fellow a better deal. I once let a doctor go without a cite because he was obviously distracted by a difficult case he was about to attend at an emergency room. He said he was a doctor and asked if I would give him a break. I did, it was my prerogative according to the law and I exercised it. But, I’d like to throw this one out to the troops: “Do you extend professional courtesy when it’s warranted in your opinion?” I’m not talking about letting criminal action go unpunished, but do you enforce infractions on fellow-officers if they identify themselves? Tell me why you cite — or not. Reach me at Editor@americancopmagazine.com and I’ll print some of your, I’m sure, spirited responses! Editor * AmericAn cOP Tm welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit all published letters for clarity and length. Due to the volume of mail, we are unable to individually answer your letters or e-mail. in sending a letter to American cOP, you agree to provide Publishers Development corp. such copyright as is required for publishing and redistributing the contents of your letter in any format. Send your letters to return Fire, American cOP, 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, cA 92128; www.americancopmagazine.com; e-mail: ed@americancopmagazine.com. 62 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=63http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=63DEFENSE ATTORNEYS Continued from page 51 chooses the destination. The criminal system differs in that the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury all share the obligation to seek the truth and do justice. While the defense attorney has a similar duty, current ethical standards have found a lawyer’s obligation to his client’s interest is so strong it trumps this obligation. Of all the parties in the courtroom in a criminal trial, only the defense attorney has the freedom to pursue the ends desired by his client, even in defiance of what he knows to be true. The fact he has that freedom only underscores the importance of his role. When you consider the ability we (both cops and prosecutors) have to destroy people’s lives, it’s absolutely right to have that power controlled in some way. And that’s what defense attorneys do; they check the power of the State, which otherwise would be controlled by nothing but the consciences of the people who fill its various roles. When they built America, the Founding Fathers weren’t making it up as they went; they had principles to build on, and two of the basic ones explain why they incorporated the different facets of the Anglo-American legal system as we know it, including defense attorneys. The first was a belief in the rights of man, and the second was what they believed about the nature of man. The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins by saying the Founders believed people were endowed with certain rights that were given by their Creator (whom they believed to be the Judeo-Christian God), and the role of government was to recognize these rights, not create them. Although it’s popular to believe the government gives us our rights, a “right” created by vote — either the vote of Congress, or of citizens at large — can be taken away just as easily. It’s no right at all; it’s just a privilege granted by whoever happens to be in authority. The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights says the same basic thing: wherever you are, whatever race you were born in whatever country, you have rights that cannot be taken away from you by any government. Although the UN declaration lacks the philosophical foundation that drove the Founders (if you can’t give a good source for rights, are you sure you have them?), the Founders thought the true source of man’s rights was so obvious that it was “self-evident.” A belief in these rights — such as the essential liberty of man, which is taken away by imprisonment — is worthless without creating a system for their protection. Our Bill of Rights is this system, an interwoven framework of rights that depend upon and support one another. For example, while the Fourth Amendment says we’re free from unreasonable search and seizure, it’s almost meaningless without the Sixth Amendment, which says we have the right to have an at63 Meprolight® night sight sets are available for most popular brands and models of pistols, revolvers and tactical rifles. They are tough, 20% brighter than other night sights and backed by the strongest warranty in the business. Meprolight night sights in both fixed and adjustable versions are offered in a variety of contrasting colors. Their brightness and quality are unequaled. Pistol Sight Sets AR-15 & Clones Quick to install, Meprolight night sights for Colt, Bushmaster, DPMS and others ensure a positive aiming point in low light. Meprolight reflex sights provide a bright, dependable 24-hour aiming point without using battery power. 3X magnification is available. Distributed by Optical Systems Call or write for free catalog. Kimber, Dept. 241 One Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705, call (800) 880-2418 or visit www.kimberamerica.com Kimber and Kimber of America are registered trademarks of Kimber Mfg., Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. ©2009 Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=64http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=64torney who can explain to a judge (or jury) why a given search was unreasonable. In a legal system made up of people who, even at their best, are capable of making mistakes, the Founders recognized the value of having one figure in the system who is capable of stepping into the shoes of the accused and fighting to ensure their rights are not violated. Base Tendencies Note I said people “even at their best.” The US government operates under a series of checks and balances because, contrary to another popular idea, the Founders didn’t believe mankind was inherently good. Hav- ing seen tyranny, they were convinced there was something in people — all people — that couldn’t be trusted. Around the same time we had our revolution, the French were having their own, based on other ideas. While ours led to freedom, theirs turned out bloody and oppressive, partially because they believed mankind was good and could be trusted with power. If there was any doubt after the reign of terror the French experienced, World War I proved the point; the more the human race advanced, the more capable we were of indulging our most base tendencies. Most cops are past thinking we’re all A-okay, but if you have any doubt left, look at your kids. Did you south florida police, fire and security expo 2009 the newest and latest technology for those who protect and serve location palm beach county convention center, west palm beach, fl. the expo is free to those who register on-line free training dates june 3rd & 4th, 2009 • • times 9:00am • to 4:00pm • • seminars demonstrations • raffles to sign up or obtain additional information. web www.southfloridapoliceexpo.com phone 800.743.4948 / door prizes giveaways $5.00 door fee the day of the show ever have to teach them to misbehave? With this view, the Founders understood there had to be a figure who challenged every facet of the legal system in each case, and this figure had to have the freedom to do it effectively enough to ensure whatever was done, was done right. While many newly-minted attorneys start with criminal defense to “defend the innocent,” they’re often quickly disillusioned as they realize the vast majority of their clients did what they were charged with; if they really want a job where they’re governed by their conscience, they belong on the other side of the courtroom. The successful defense attorneys — the ones who stick at it, the ones who earn my respect every day — are those who understand their clients may not be good people, may not be innocent people, but they’re entitled to due process of law. No matter how bad they are or how heinous the crime they’re charged with, they’re citizens with rights that must be protected. Once we start to allow our view of an individual to affect the legal protection they’re given, we’re on a fast track to a place the Founding Fathers didn’t want us to be, because they understood the law had to apply equally to everyone, or it really didn’t apply at all. Think about it: if you were on trial, would you want the quality of your defense to depend on what your lawyer thinks of you? The profession of criminal defense is often at its most admirable when an attorney takes on unpopular cases simply to ensure that, whatever the odds arrayed against him, and whatever the outcome, his client gets a fair trial. With all of this in mind, some of what we think of as “unethical” behavior on the part of defense attorneys makes perfect sense. Take, for example, the accusation they’re lying when they tell a jury an alternative theory about how a crime could have been committed, when they know their client did it. First of all, many defense attorneys really don’t know if they’re client is guilty or not. But second of all, even if they do, the State is required to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; how else do you determine if a doubt is reasonable, if you aren’t allowed to suggest other reasonable ideas about what could have happened? Although many of us can’t stomach th2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=65http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=652009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=66http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=66WIN! THIS PACKAGE! COMPLETE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE GRIP FRAME AND THREE MAGAZINES! QUESTION 1 Have you read our online interactive edition of American COP Magazine? A) Yes B) No QUESTION 2 Where did you learn about our American COP online editions? A) On the American COP Web Site B) From another LE Web Site C) From a friend D) In an online forum E) In an FMG publication QUESTIONS QUESTION 3 What do you like best about the online editions? A) Searchable format B) Clarity of the pages C) Ability to go directly to a company’s Web Site by clicking on the image D) Archive of past issues of American COP Magazine E) Ease of sharing articles via the “Tell A Friend” button QUESTION 4 How likely would you be to tell a co-worker about the online edition of American COP Magazine? A) Very Likely B) Not Likely 66 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=67http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=67Win this S&W T M&P 45ACP! he M&P’s reinforced polymer chassis, superior ergonomics, ambidextrous controls and proven safety features have quickly garnered the attention of the police market. The M&P line-up covers virtually any need a law enforcement officer may have, from small concealed carry models to full-sized duty guns with light rails. In designing the M&P, S&W considered the needs of military and law enforcement from every conceivable angle. And one of the best features? The M&P is backed by S&W’s lifetime service policy! From the polymer frame with interchangeable “Plamswell” grip sizes to the black, stainless steel slide and ergonomic controls, the entire line of M&Ps have proven themselves to be reliable, accurate and versatile. This model — in the legendary .45 ACP caliber — brings big-bore punch to a design already delivering reliable performance. SPECS Model: M&P Caliber: .45 ACP Capacity: 10 Rounds Action: Striker Fire Action Barrel Length: 4" Front Sight: Steel Ramp Dovetail Rear Sight: Steel Lo-Mount Carry Overall Length: 7.5" Weight: 27.7 oz. (Empty Mag: 3.0 oz., Full Mag: Approx. 10 oz.) Grip: (3) Interchangeable Palmswell Grip Sizes Frame: Polymer Material: Stainless Steel Slide & Barrel Finish: Black Melonite®, 68 HRc MSRP: $743 www.smith-wesson.com TO ENTER CONTEST: Use a postcard (no envelopes, please) and answer the four questions on the left and follow the sample shown on the right. Send to AMERICAN COP Dept. X2, P.O. Box 501930, San Diego, CA 92150-1930. You can also enter on our Web site www.americancopmagazine.com. Entries must be received before May 1, 2009. Limit 1 entry per household. This contest is open to individuals who are residents of the United States and its territories only. Agents and employees of Publisher’s Development Corporation and their families are excluded from entering. Contest void where prohibited or restricted by law. Winners must meet all local laws and regulations. Taxes and compliance with firearms regulations will be the responsibility of the winners. Winners will be notified by CERTIFIED MAIL on official letterhead. No purchase necessary to enter. COP MAR/APR 2009: NAME ___________________________________ ADDRESS _____________ CITY, STATE, ZIP____________ EMAIL ADDRESS _______________________ IF I WIN, PLEASE SHIP MY PRIZE THROUGH: Sample STORE HOURS __ AM __ PM DEALER ___________________________________ ADDRESS _____________ CITY, STATE, ZIP____________ PHONE ( ) ____ - ________ WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 672009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=68http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=68Order Your Copy While Supplies Last ONLY $9.95 PERSONAL DEFENSE (outside U.S. $17.95) 2008 ANNUAL Call Toll-Free Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. PST 888.732.2299 Order at www.americanhandgunner.com LOOK INSIDE: » » » » » » P.O. Box 502610 • San Diego, CA 92150-2610 3-Gun Home Battery First Aid Ammo Knife Defense Carry Guns Plus Much More INDEX AlÊ MarÊ KnivesÊ ALSÊ TechnologiesÊ AmericanÊ CopÊ MagazineÊ BAEÊ SystemsÊ BenchmadeÊ KnivesÊ BLACKHAWK!Ê CopquestÊ CorÊ Bon/Ê GlaserÊ CrossbreedÊ HolstersÊ CylinderÊ &Ê SlideÊ D.P.M.S.Ê DeSantisÊ HolstersÊ DSAÊ Inc.Ê EliteÊ OperatorÊ EliteÊ SportsÊ ExpressÊ GalcoÊ InternationalÊ GlockÊ Inc.Ê GunsÊ MagazineÊ ILEETAÊ InsightÊ Tech-GearÊ KimberÊ KimberÊ 68 OF ADVERTISERS 59 10 14 17 15 19 55 62 58 60 53 62 12 58 23 6 27 33 29 11 13 72 The companies listed have featured advertisements in this issue. Look to them first when you are ready to make a purchase. 53 31 55 63 25 8 2 6 61 3 11 23 64 10 71 21 65 60 7 9 59 M4Ê CarbineÊ LLCÊ MagpulÊ MecÊ GarÊ USAÊ MeprolightÊ MossbergÊ Officerstore OriginalÊ SWATÊ PearceÊ GripÊ ProÊ MagÊ IndustriesÊ RevisionÊ EyewearÊ RickÊ HindererÊ KnivesÊ RockÊ RiverÊ ArmsÊ S.Ê FLÊ PoliceÊ &Ê SecurityÊ ExpoÊ SigÊ SauerÊ Springfield StreamlightÊ ThunderÊ RanchÊ TOPSÊ KnivesÊ TrijiconÊ WinchesterÊ XSÊ SightsÊ WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 20092009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=69http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=69INSIDERRUMINATIONS Continued from page 70 Ten Years? I T en years ago Terry Mackness had an idea: Why not build tough-duty boots fitting more like athletic shoes than, um, tough-duty boots? Most boot makers “fit” boot sizes to handle a wide range of feet in order to handle the “jillionboot orders” from the military and the like. Terry’s company, Original S.W.A.T., fits feet like the athletic shoes most of us wear so often — so we’re more familiar with the feel and fit. When you put them on, you say, “oh, these feel like my running shoes, I like that.” So a big, American COP congratulations to Terry and Original S.W.A.T.’s great ideas. Can I have something in a teal color? Just kidding. www.originalswat.com t was one of those “duh, of course!” moments when I saw this. LockWrite combines two of some of the mostused things we have as cops. “Hey, where’s my pen” or “got a cuff key handy” are all things we’ve heard — or said — before. The LockWrite is a real pen, complete with replaceable ink cartridges and everything, but it also acts as a handcuff key. So, it’s your back-up key and your “secret get out of jail for free” key. Nifty. www.lockwrite.com Pen-KeyThIngy INSIDER INSIDERRUMINATIONS Doing The Woolrich Elite Ladies numbers M ToTal local aND sTaTE lE offIcErs as of 2004. ToTal sworN local polIcE as of 2003. YEarlY spENT pEr offIcEr bY local pDs. YEarlY spENT pEr rEsIDENT bY local cITIEs. ToTal sworN DEpuTIEs as of 2003. YEarlY spENT pEr DEpuTY bY couNTIEs. YEarlY spENT pEr rEsIDENT bY couNTIEs. of 17.8 mIllIoN sToppED IN 2005 fEElINg polIcE haD usED or ThrEaTENED EXcEssIvE forcE. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 1,076,897 451,737 $93,300 $200 y wife, Suzi, is a “just-retired” cop (can you say 24 years?) and spent some years wearing BDU-type duty gear. She’s tall and slender and must have spent thousands on tailoring bills over the years trying to get men’s and even “women’s” BDU pants to fit. It was always an ordeal, so before we men-folk pass this bit of info off as a so-what, trust me when I say tens of thousands of lady-cops are jumping for joy at this news. Woolrich Elite has designed these new “Lightweight Pants” to actually fit a woman’s, shall we say, different body, than what we squarish-men have. The result is manufactured of fade resistant, lightweight cotton ripstop fabric and features ten multi-use pockets, built with critical seams, double-needle stitched and bar-tacked at stress points for durability, whatever all that means. This adds up to the fact our lady-peers now have “real” pants as tough as the ones we’ve been lucky enough to wear for years. And it’s about time. www.woolricheliteseriestactical.com 174,251 Mighty Scriber r $124,400 $82 1% ick Hinderer is an old friend, and since he’s a fire fighter (don’t hold that against him though) and accomplished knife-maker, knows about hard-use tools. Rick designed a series of, well, sort of “weapon-pens” that can be custom-configured according to your needs. This latest version keeps one end as an honest pen, and the other, threaded end, allows you to screw-on all kinds of cool things. It’s built like a Russian T-34 tank and just the ticket as a lastditch sticker for anyone who needs a solid back-up weapon. Oh yeah, you can write a citation with it too. www.rickhinderedknives.com * 692009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=70http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=70ROY HUNTINGTON INSIDER RUMINATIONS “One of many tough assignments I had to deal with.” d ave’s gone, but not forgotten. He’ll still write now and again and inbetween goofing off, take a few pictures for us too. Dave helped us bring COP to life and I’ll always appreciate that. You’ll notice Sammy Reese is now the Executive Editor. Sammy’s been writing for us for a few years now. He left the Marines as a captain, then put eight years on the Escondido PD, working patrol, SWAT, range duties and other stuff until an uninsured jerk rammed his patrol car. The city made Sammy retire due to an injury and I snatched him up. He’ll help to keep things wellgrounded here in reality; and be fore warned, his bull-meter is well tuned. I’ve found I’m wearing the editor’s hat here now. That word “Publisher” just means I get yelled at by the “big” boss, but “Editor” is where the meat is. COP was our brainchild a few years ago, and the staffers at FMG were foolish enough to believe everything I said (or most of what I said …). We got the green light and the ride hasn’t slowed down since. We’ll soon have the largest circulation of any of the copzines, and the kudos continue to roll in. It’s not because we’re particularly smart, but because we tell the truth and get people who know their stuff to write the articles. The buck will continue to stop directly on my desk, and if there’s something needing attention, that buck won’t be passed off to anyone else. So call if you need to and we’ll sort it out, whatever it is. Honest. “Just so you know,” as Clint Smith would say, I wanted to be a cop since I was 12 years old. Lived it, breathed it, wanted it badly and couldn’t hardly wait to be 21. I became an Explorer Scout with the Chula Vista PD in 1968 and had my own Rayovac flashlight, genuine handcuffs and a spray-painted-white old GI helmet liner with an official CVPD logo on it. Who would have ever thought directing traffic for the 4th of July parade could be a heady experience? “Sorry ma’am, the street’s closed.” Whew. At 21 I became a Reserve with them, and left there four and a half years later as a Reserve Sergeant — and much wiser. Or at least a bit wiser. I shot on the pistol team there (even against Mexican Federale agents and Tijuana cops in Mexico — but that’s another story), and left at 25 to join the San Diego PD as a full-time cop. Damndest thing that, as I actually was doing what I had dreamed about, maybe just like you. And, it didn’t disappoint. Okay, maybe sometimes, and even then mostly because of administration idiots and fellow beat cops who were too stupid (or just plain jerks) to BAck IN The SAddle INSIDERRUMINATIONS be wearing a badge, but had slipped in anyhow. You know them. We still have them. But it worked, and I thought I was good at it, until I would periodically be reminded I too was an idiot at times, and only by the grace of the gods of new cops escaped with my skin on more times than I care to admit. I worked the gamut of jobs, with the focus being patrol-oriented gigs, with periodic stints in a suit in the likes of public affairs and such — which taught me you need to talk too in order to be a good cop. I did some vacation reliefs for detectives but, simply put, hated it. I appreciate a good detective (my wife was one so I have to say that), but it wasn’t for me. Up-front, on the street, in their faces was what I liked. I spent some time driving police boats in Mission Bay and that was, well, um, ‘er, a pretty fun job. But I learned bad guys drive boats and are just as stupid on the water as in the parking lot around the bay. I was still in their faces, but wore tennis shoes and a floatation vest. Did I tell you about the jet skis we drove? How do you carry a gun on a jet ski? I’ll tell you some day. Ask any cop worth their salt what the favorite part of their job is and they’ll say — sometimes wistfully, as they look back on a career — “putting cuffs on a genuine bad guy.” And it’s true. Doesn’t matter what they do now2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=71http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=712009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=72http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanCop/ACMA09/?Page=72The Custom Crimson Carry II™ is light, powerful & absolutely dependable. Carry Light. The Ultra Crimson Carry II™ features a 3-inch bushingless bull barrel & short grip to enhance concealability. Weight is only 25 ounces. Introducing Kimber Crimson Carry 1911 .45 ACP Pistols. Crimson Carry pistols combine light weight and unequaled Kimber® quality with . Standard Kimber the proven tactical advantage of Crimson Trace® Lasergrips® features like match grade barrel, chamber, barrel bushing and trigger, rounded and blended edges, beveled magazine well and high ride beavertail grip safety ensure unequaled performance. Custom touches include a new recessed slide stop pin and two-tone non-reflective finish. Proudly made in America, a Kimber 1911 is the best choice for duty, home defense and concealed carry. See Kimber pistols in action at www.kimberamerica.com. The Pro Crimson Carry II™ has a 4-inch barrel & fulllength grip. Ideal for duty carry or home defense, it weighs just 28 ounces. Crimson Carry .45 ACP pistols feature Crimson Trace Lasergrips in a new, exclusive rosewood nish with classic checkering & the Kimber logo. The Choice of America’s Best. www.kimberamerica.com For information on products and dealer locations please send $2 to: Kimber, Dept. 184 One Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705 Information is also available at (800) 880-2418 2008 Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Kimber names, logos and other trademarks may not be used without permission. Names of other companies, products and services may be the property of their respective owners. Kimber firearms are shipped with an instructional manual and California-approved cable lock. Copy of instruction manual available by request.2009-02-03T22:45:46+01:00