Blue Sheepdog
Police Gear Reviews, Training and Officer Safety Tips.
Updated: 5 days 5 hours ago
ASP P12 Baton – In the Wild!
The new ASP P12 baton was recently spotted by one of the BlueSheepdog readers at a local shop in Hollywood, Florida. Here is what Matt had to say about it: Hey Richard, I was at my local toy store (911 Store in Hollywood, FL) and came across the new 12″ baton, took some comparison pics […]
Brite-Strike EPLI Flashlight
Need a bright, compact flashlight as a back-up or to carry off duty? Take a look at the Brite-Strike EPLI flashlight. The EPLI is a refined lighting tool that can easily blend in with any off-duty carry. However, Brite-Strike claims it is rugged enough for tactical operations. EPLI stands for Executive Precision Lighting Instrument. Frankly […]
SOG BladeLight Knives
SOG Specialty Knives& Tools attended the SHOT Show this year, and it was on my list of places to visit. I’m glad I did as I got to see all of the new products the company would roll out this year. One of the most interesting new products was the BladeLight series. Typically, a knife […]
Magnum Intrepid HPi Review
The Magnum Intrepid HPi is a “performance-training shoe” that takes its cue from the best trail running shoes on the market. The Intrepid HPi was developed by Magnum to meet the training needs of law enforcement and military personnel. Magnum offered to send me a pair to test, and I jumped at the chance. I’ve […]
Armored Mobility Provides Lightweight Level III
Richard, Aaron, and I were meandering around after lunch at 2012 SHOT Show Media Day when we came across the Armored Mobility, Inc (AMI) display. We were able to speak at length with company president Michael Berritto III, who was proud to show us his innovative Mobile Armored Shield (MAS). Quite a few things stood […]
Saiga-12 Shotguns in Law Enforcement?
Reports have come out that the Russian-made Saiga-12 shotguns are being sold to US law enforcement agencies. For those not familiar, the Saiga-12 is a detachable-magazine-fed, semi-automatic shotgun that has a passing resemblance to the AK-47 rifle. The Saiga-12 has been popular with three-gun competition shooters and firearms enthusiasts, but I have not heard of […]
Fighting Hallucinogens
Twice in two nights this week, my officers had to fight people who were out of control on hallucinogenic substances. These drugs are a serious cause for concern for law enforcement. In the first instance, an officer rolled up on an unknown situation in the middle of a large intersection. A Good Samaritan was trying […]
FLIR Debuts Entry Level Thermal Imagers
FLIR Systems, Inc. has released a new line of thermal imagers that are affordable (by thermal imaging standards). The Scout series is initially aimed toward the civilian hunting market, but will branch into the law enforcement and maritime markets this year. I stopped at the FLIR booth here at 2012 SHOT Show and checked out […]
Streamlight SL-20L LED Flashlights
The Streamlight SL-20 was one of two options when I was looking to buy a quality flashlight when I first entered police work some 14 years ago (the other being the MagCharger). For me, the Streamlight was a much better choice than the MagCharger, as I preferred the pre-focused beam, lighter weight and charging sleeve […]
SWATSCOPE Surveillance Tool Review
Tony Leonti is the designer of the SWATSCOPE by Micro-Times, LLC. He took time out at his very busy booth at SHOT Show 2012 to give us a tour of his tactical periscope. The SWATSCOPE is a hand held tactical sniper periscope that extends 22 1/2″ above the operator and provides a safe view of […]
New ASP Batons
Two new batons, the P12 and P16, will be officially introduced by Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP) at the 2012 SHOT Show. At this time, there are no details on the specifics of the two new batons. A guess, however, might suggest a 12″ and 16″ length for the P12 and P16 respectively. I don’t […]
Coast HP7 Review
Coast Products designs and markets reasonably priced LED flashlights, multi-tools, and pocketknives. I am testing their new HP7 model that has some features I really like in a handheld search light. The HP7 is an LED flashlight with an anodized aluminum barrel, rubber rear switch, and a spot to flood focusing head. The light is […]
Dangerous Carry
I have seen a recent trend in off-duty and concealed firearms carry that strikes me as dangerous. The proliferation of smaller, more powerful handguns has spurred a wave of creative carry ideas that are potentially lethal to the user. I would say these carry methods tend toward the “holsterless” gun. Two examples of this are […]
Massachusetts State Police, Vermont State Police Adopt Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson announced the Massachusetts State Police and Vermont State Police selected the S&W M&P handgun as their primary duty pistol. MSP picked the M&P45 while VSP chose the M&P40. The Massachusetts State Police ordered 2,500 M&P45 pistols. The Vermont State Police ordered 390 of the M&P40 handguns. I’m not sure what the two agencies were […]
Magnum RD Short Sleeve Shirt Review
I have been wearing a Magnum RD short-sleeved shirt from the Magnum Boot Company that I think will interest you. Magnum long ago branched out from boots and now makes an entire line of footwear, apparel, and accessories. The shirt I am testing is a Desert Sage colored short-sleeved shirt fit for covert carry or regular […]
CRKT M16-14ZSF Folding Tanto Knife Review
Recently I purchased a CRKT M16-14ZSF knife. I happened to be on a military base (no tax) and the price was great (just under $30). I was looking for a nice field and duty knife and I really appreciated what this knife had to offer. This knife from Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is […]
The Tactical Weapon Light – Poor Man’s Laser Sight
If you already have a weapon-mounted flashlight, then by default you possess a quick firearm aiming device…if you do a bit of homework! Laser sights are all the rage and I confess to having purchased a couple. But they are not always financially justifiable or even allowed by policy for many coppers. At half the […]
Demise of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Our last shipment of Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors has arrived at our City Public Works Complex. A moment of silence, please. Ford introduced the CVPI, or product code P71, in 1992. Built in St. Thomas, Ontario Canada, the rear-wheel drive V8 sedan has been a staple of American law enforcement for almost twenty years. […]
Officer Stabbed, Suspect Shot: Chase Video
In October, Lafayette, Indiana police officers engaged in a vehicle pursuit of a subject who was reported to have just committed a battery, burglary and arson. After a chase of approximately seven minutes, the subject left the roadway and got stuck, unable to flee any farther in the car. Here’s what then happened in the […]
I Miss My PR-24
From when I was a rookie until the late 1990’s, I carried a Monadnock PR-24 on duty. My first one was the aluminum shafted model. Our agency had gone to dark navy uniforms with a large shield-style badge in the early 1980’s. With that dark blue uniform, oval shield, and PR-24, we fairly looked like […]