2016

How to Bring Firearm Combatives to the Street

In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic change in how law enforcement officers are trained, with some firearms training evolving to more closely reflect the reality of actual street encounters. In the not so distant past, firearms training was mostly conducted “on the line” under strict control and command of the range master and his “range safety rules.” Unfortunately, in some places, this is how training still occurs. The addition of these highly controlling “range safety rules” to the Firearms…


How to Raise the Bar in Your Firearms Training

Why have a great many officers grown indifferent to firearms training? Many law enforcement officers regard firearms training as one of life’s many inconveniences, much like a dental checkup or filing a tax return. They know it’s not the end of the world, but there are many other ways they would rather be spending their time. Unfortunately, many officers fail to make the connection between the range and the street. Trainers not only have an obligation to provide the “how…


Law Enforcement Leadership Nov/Dec 2016

Michael Carpenter The Will to Lead There is no substitution for the will to lead others. The young police officer thought his journey was over. He had received very good reviews on his performance evaluations. He had worked hard to get his college education while on the job. He had prepped diligently for six months for the written promotional exam and certainly impressed the oral board with his responses. He got the promotion to sergeant and a nice pay raise…


Is Non-agency Training Worth Your While?

The answer to this question is, “Of course.”  That is unless you have such stellar, world-class training from your agency that you don’t need to consider anything else. We are in the golden age of training – there are more firearms trainers, with more knowledge and more experience and more data to draw on than ever before in history. This would be the case now even if we didn’t have droves of highly trained and experienced military personnel returning from…


Busted! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity Nov/Dec 2016

This is what happens when family pets find out they’re about to be neutered… A family in Greenfield, Wisconsin, was taken hostage in their own home by another family member. Fearing for their safety, the wife managed to sneak a quick call to 911 and police officers were dispatched to the scene. When the officers arrived, they discovered that the situation was not what they had expected. As it turns out, the family was being held hostage by the family…


…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH Nov/Dec 2016

Duterte’s “War on Drugs” Imagine this: You’ve decided to take a vacation to take in the sights and culture of the Pacific Islands: Bora Bora, Fiji, the Phillipines. You know, places where you can relax on some Pacific shore while sipping coconut juice and, well, kill a few drug dealers. What was that? If you haven’t heard already, Phillipine President Rodrigo Duterte, elected by a landslide vote this past June, is rather strong on crime. That’s always a good thing,…


Busted! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity Sept/Oct 2016

Who’s a good boy? Who?? Who is that good boy?… Officials say a family dog in Mississippi recently came home with more than a toy to play fetch – the pup had a big bag of marijuana in his mouth. The Jones County Sheriff’s Office reported that narcotics deputies were sent to the home to investigate the unusual incident. Police statements say the homeowner told deputies that, when his dog came home with the bag, he initially thought it was…


Busted! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity – July August 2016

Hilariously appropriate… After a string of thefts at Walmart® stores in Murrieta, California, store security personnel spotted a suspicious car in the parking lot which matched the description of a vehicle seen during recent thefts and called the police. Police officers noticed the car had two different license plates and neither matched the information on the vehicle. The driver consented to a search of the car and police found drug paraphernalia and a set of burglary tools inside. In addition,…


Patrol Rifle Skills and Training

  The urban environment presents a unique set of circumstances which require officers to adapt their tactics to overcome the many obstacles contained within. As we’ve seen in Dallas, Baton Rouge, Orlando, San Bernardino, and a number of other areas across the country, the willingness of assailants to use rifles against law enforcement seems to be on the rise. As in the case in Baton Rouge, some of these individuals have a military background, including military combat training. Because of…


How to Advance Your Education and Career – Part I

Practical Advice for Helping You Achieve Your Degree – While Continuing on the Job Advancing your knowledge translates to personal satisfaction; career achievements; setting an example for others; and, many times, higher earnings potential. When you make the decision to study toward a degree or certificate, you’ve already taken the first step toward betterment. Now you need to answer more specific questions about your education plans: What are your goals for higher education? Are you seeking advancement in your present…