Blue Sheepdog
Police Gear Reviews, Training and Officer Safety Tips.
Updated: 2 days 13 hours ago
AR-15 Safe Cycle: Dual Purpose Tool
Often the simple tools are the best tools. I think the Safe Cycle could be one of those tools: simple but potentially very useful. The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in law enforcement today. Most departments require officers to keep their rifle ready with a loaded magazine, but an empty chamber. When the officer […]
New PROTECH Level IV Armor Plate
PROTECH announced the introduction of a new level IV hard armor plate that conforms to NIJ-06 body armor standards. The new 10″x12″ plate runs 7.5 pounds and is a little more than one inch thick. It has a “shooter’s cut” allowing for easier shooting while wearing the plate. Level IV plates have to defeat multiple […]
Walther PPQ M2 Review: Excellent Handgun On- or Off-Duty
If the new polymer frame Walther PPQ M2 (Police Pistol Quick Defense) looks familiar, it should. Its form, fit, function and finish is an outgrowth from the Walther P99. The PPQ M2 differs from the modern PP in trigger function in that, after the chamber is loaded, it has a “constant trigger pull” (Walther’s terminology). […]
In Car Police Cameras
In car police cameras have radically altered our understanding of officer safety. In the past two decades, the videos coming from squad cars have made a huge impact on how instructors present training in the academy and have made lasting impressions on the psyche of many a rookie and seasoned cop. Before the widespread use […]
Continuing Education for Law Enforcement – Part II
If you are looking to be hired as a police officer or to advance your existing law enforcement career, a college degree can be a deciding factor on your success. While there remains a degree of resistance to higher education, the officers who advanced the farthest most often have a criminal justice or public administration […]
New Guns for 2013
Ed. note: Thanks to Walt Rauch and Police & Security News for bringing us this roundup of new guns for 2013. The annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show provides a major venue for manufacturers and dealers to showcase their products and introduce new models. It gets larger each year. The 2013 show, held […]
KCPD Badge Placement Study 2011-2012
In the last few months I was made aware of an incredibly important study conducted by the Firearms Section of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. The results of that study should have far-reaching implications for any officer who engages in enforcement action during an undercover assignment or while off-duty in plain clothes. The Background […]
Using Ballistic Shields in CQB Environments
I am an advocate of ballistic shields. They are not only appropriate for law enforcement clearing (slow methodical mode) or safety clears, but, with current weight reductions, can be employed in the slow dynamic technique mode which is a bridge technique between dynamic entries and law enforcement clears. Slow Dynamic Technique Explained Today’s Level IIIA […]
Proper Sniper Rifle Maintenance
The students had all been indoctrinated in a rather unusual method of cleaning their rifles. It was unusual in that it was totally ineffective (more on this later). To make a bad situation worse, one of my students had recently attended a state sponsored “seminar” which took police snipers out to the 1000 yard line […]
Comparing the Beretta PX4C Storm and Nano Subcompact Pistols
Beretta now has two polymer and steel subcompact pistols – the Px4C Storm Subcompact and the Nano. The Px4C is the subcompact version of the Px Storm (now the Px4), introduced in 2005, which was followed by a compact and, now, this subcompact version. Both the Px4C and the Nano are offered in 9x19mm or […]
The Trick to Training Cops
Two of the most common questions I get from officers around the country are: “How did you get started in training?” and “What is your advice for me (someone interested in training)?” Answering the first one is simple and it’s probably the same answer used by many instructors: “I kind of just fell into it.” […]
Problem Solving in the Aftermath of Disaster
In 1989, I found myself staring down the throat of Hurricane Hugo, a Category 4 hurricane which frequently gusted up to Category 5 status. My career had spanned a broad range of law enforcement experiences, but I quickly discovered how naïve I really was. The lessons learned didn’t come easy, but they proved invaluable in […]
Executive Leadership in Training
“No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair” – General George S. Patton Jr. Leadership in a law enforcement organization is every bit as important as it is in the military. Men and women in both organizations are asked to do hard things that most people shrink away from. A leader can […]
Ankle Holsters: Convenient, but Deadly
The first time I saw an ankle holster was in the 1971 Academy Award winning movie, The French Connection. I was in high school at the time and I hadn’t even thought about a law enforcement career. My total focus was on two things: girls and sports – in that order! I saw the movie […]
Continuing Education for Law Enforcement
There’s been a lot of discussion during the past three decades about the usefulness of a college degree for a police officer. During this time, it has become obvious that a degree can be a massively beneficial tool for someone looking to become a police officer and for an officer who wants to advance his […]
Springfield XDS Review
In this Springfield XDS review, I take a look at the most recent version (and the smallest yet) of the XD pistols which is imported from Croatia by Springfield, with final assembly done in the U.S. The history of the XD pistol begins with IM Metal, Croatia, which, in 1991, began manufacturing a 9mm pistol […]
Palm-to-Palm Handgun Transition
Back in November, Aaron wrote an article on off-hand shooting. A number of people left comments and sent in e-mails with some questions on the topic. To help clarify one of the things mentioned in the article, Aaron recorded this short video to show how to transfer a handgun from one hand to another using […]
Ryburn v. Huff: Threat of Violence and Warrantless Entry into a Home
The following is not legal advice. It was written some time ago and laws may have changed. Reach out to your department’s legal team for accurate and up to date information. In Ryburn v. Huff, 132 S.Ct. 987 (2012), the Court held that, based on the existing state of the law, a reasonable police officer […]
Position Sul Training Video
[Ed. note: This training article and video are on the firearm handling technique known as Position Sul. Position Sul is not a replacement for the low ready, rather it is an alternative that officers can use depending on the circumstances, training and department policies. Your thoughts and feedback are welcome in the comments at the end […]
More on the Comp-Tac Duty Holster
While at Media Day, the field trip to the shooting range for the media at the SHOT Show, I got to see the new Comp Tac duty holster that was announced a few weeks back. The holster is a hybrid of polymer and leather. The scabbard portion is form fitted polymer with a leather strap […]