I had planned to link every month to good Use of Force and Police articles. However, there are too many good articles in one month for a reasonably sized post, so I am going to post links every two weeks instead of once a month. As always we discuss our thoughts about the article after the link.
Firearms Training Trends by Ed Nowicki
Nowicki discusses the current trends in firearms training: marksmanship, safety, realism, articulation, dry firing, technology, and professional organizations.
My favorite topic was realism. Here is a quote from Dr. Brian Kinnaird, editor of ILEETA’s Use of Force Journal.
“It seems that realistic firearms training and firearms training that is closely correlated to reality may not be the same.”
Looking at the Virgina Tech massacre from a tactical perspective by Sgt. Glenn French
To access this link you will need a Police One logon for restricted users.
This article gives all the details about the Virginia Tech attack. How the shooter prepared, his plan of attack, and his response once contact was made with officers.
After detailing what happened French gives some excellent solutions for similar incidents. One of my favorites was his thought on using a patrol car as a breaching tool and then as a warning for the shooter and an innocent beacon for civilians:
“Get training to use your patrol car as a breaching tool. A simple slow push from the front of any roller will push in the doorframe of most buildings. Once inside turn on your sirens and lights to provide a safe passage for fleeing victims and it will alert the shooter that you’re inside and on the way to neutralize him.”
Why even I tend to like Firemen more than Cops… by MotorCop
Every time I read this story I get mad. I have seen many officers that lose the big picture, worrying about their uniform getting dirty or when their shift ends, rather than the important things like backing up officers or helping people in extreme distress.
A recurring situation for me as a K9 officer was when we were tracking a suspect through the woods and the dog led us across a creek. I always knew my backup had the heart and mind of a true cop when they plowed right into the creek behind me and didn’t worry about getting wet. Real officers can’t believe they are getting paid to do this exciting and rewarding work.
Read this story and use it as a metaphor for situations where you have to decide between the right thing and the convenient thing. Then, however it translates into your circumstances, get in the fucking pool!
And never let firemen out hero us. That’s shameful.
Force Science News #113: New Study Explores Threats Posed by Prone Suspects
Another time/motion study by Force Science on the subject of suspects that are prone on the ground with their hands underneath them. Here is a short video clip of the movement.
Force Science News #114: Should Officers See Video of Their Encounters? Force Science States its Case
In my opinion, Yes.
Control the Circle by Gordon Clemmer
Clemmer discusses the tactic of keeping most suspects out of your circle, a 20 foot radius around you that is a high risk area. Instead, he advocates dealing with one suspect at a time inside your circle.
Handling an officer after an officer involved shooting by Betsy Brantner Smith
To access this link you will need a Police One logon for restricted users.
This article was written primarily for administrators and gives 3 good tips for structuring your officer involved shooting procedures. Officer involved shootings are critical incidents. Mistakes made in the aftermath can affect your department for years after the incident.
The Efficacy of the Patrol Rifle: Training not just for marksmanship by John Wills
This article is written for trainers and administration. It discusses some of the benefits of the patrol rifle and refutes some of the old arguments favoring the shotgun over the rifle.
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