Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. T It’s Worth It he police equipment market is a tough one to break into. Large departmental purchases are made on bid. Some elements of the market — body armor, for instance — are particularly cutthroat in nature. Some manufacturers of firearms and body armor will deal direct with large departments, bypassing you — sometimes after you’ve done the work to break the ground for that product’s acceptance at that agency. The easiest way to break in is through off-duty and backup gun sales. Check with your police customers for a high-ranking contact at their law enforcement fraternal association or union. Offer discounts to their members on guns and related accessories. Many cops are more loyal to their police associations than they are to their departments, and vote with their wallets for those who support the association. Ammo sales can be particularly tough, since smaller departments often “buy in” on state bids for ammunition. The key to cracking this market is having the ammo on hand for immediate delivery. A SWAT lieutenant, who heads his department’s firearms training unit, told me, “I stopped going in on state bids last year. Buying locally saves time and saves my department money in the long run, when you count overtime on the range and other factors that come into play when a police instructor has to reschedule training because the cheaper ammo wasn’t available when needed.” Yes, it’s a tough market to crack — but it can be worth the effort. Ask Mitch Shore and Ralph Demicco. 9 There’s no lack of L.E. products available for you to sell. You already know that, especially if you were at the SHOT Show, where the L.E. Section is an impressive show within the show. Gaining product knowledge is one thing, however, knowing what police officers want is another. A great source of “police” knowledge is contained in the pages of American COP magazine, a sister publication of Shooting Industry. Wealth Of Information www.americancopmagazine.com American COP is written by cops for cops and is packed with information that will help you address this important and — if done right — profitable segment of the market. FMG Publications, publishers of American COP, has a program to allow gun dealers to sell the magazine in their shops. For details on the program, call 1-800-597-8065. If you wish only to subscribe to the magazine, call (858) 605-0253 or visit www.americancopmagazine.com. www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 215 on Inquiry Card MARCH 2008 17