Blue Sheepdog
Police Gear Reviews, Training and Officer Safety Tips.
Updated: 2 days 13 hours ago
Taser X2 Training – Follow-Up
In April, I wrote an article about the new Taser X2 and some of its proposed advances over Taser’s X26. I received a department-issued X2 yesterday and took the required block of Taser X2 training. I have a few thoughts. The X2 is slightly larger than the X26. From their spec sheet, the X2 is […]
Key Breaks
Key breaks are a momentary open mic typically caused by an officer bumping the transmit button on the radio getting into a car or reaching for gear. To the rest of the officers on the channel, it frequently sounds like just a burst of static. The vast majority of the time, key breaks are accidents. […]
Israeli Bandage Instructional Video
The Israeli bandage is something every police officer should have on his or her active shooter plate carrier and in their bail out bag. It allows the officer to quickly apply a very effective pressure bandage to themselves or to a fellow officer who has been wounded. Israeli bandages are inexpensive, and even if your […]
5.11 Taclite Coyote Boots Review
I put over 30 miles of hiking into a pair of 5.11 Coyote Taclite 6” Desert Boots while on an R&R trip to southern Utah. Intended as a desert tactical boot, the Taclites will serve well in most all mobile situations. 5.11 literature states the boots need no break-in period. To this, I can attest. […]
Defective Ammunition – Checked Your Ammo Lately?
[Ed. note: Defective ammunition is relatively rare, but it does happen. Aaron’s experience is not unique. Make sure you check your ammo for damage to prevent potentially dangerous problems.] Recently I attended an Advanced SWAT course that our regional Tactical Officers Association offers each year. During the week of training there are several different range […]
Tactical Pole Camera Operations
In this article, I’ll discuss some basic tactical applications for the use of a pole camera in supporting of both Patrol and SWAT operations. Several years ago, while I was still a Team Leader in SWAT, our commander found some unspent funds at the end of a fiscal year. Since the money would go back […]
Spike Strips & More Officer Deaths
We lost two more officers killed while deploying spike strips during the past few weeks. This makes a total of four officers this year who have been killed while trying to deploy tire deflation devices in a vehicular pursuit. Spike strips, also known by the brand name Stop Sticks, are deployed by an officer standing […]
Bushnell Equinox Night Vision Review
Night Vision (NV) can be a powerful tool for law enforcement during lightless conditions. Some officers are able to use department-issued night vision devices. The vast majority of officers do not have this luxury. This review of the Bushnell Equinox night vision monocular looks at an inexpensive option for officers who want to purchase their […]
Tuff Products Tacllet Review
I recently tested a concealed firearm pack for waist or shoulder carry that has great potential. Tuff Products makes the Tacllet, which is a combination of Tactical and Wallet. Tuff Products manufactures nylon and leather goods for the military, law enforcement, and armed citizens. Tuff Product’s QuickStrips were mentioned on BlueSheepdog.com in a previous revolver […]
Training for Police and Animal Encounters
It is part and parcel for our profession that we, as officers and deputies, regularly interact with the local animals. Not always the human kind. Whether dealing with a cow on the freeway or a bear in a neighborhood, law enforcement officers face deadly encounters with animals that we are not necessarily trained or equipped […]
Gen4 Glock Recall: Recoil Spring Assembly Problems
A voluntary recall on the recoil spring assembly of Gen 4 Glock pistols started on September 6 and affects all Gen 4 pistols except the G26 and G27. Several department armorers forwarded me a copy of the notice sent out by Glock. The announcement states Glock has initiated a voluntary exchange program for the recoil […]
Planning for the Unthinkable – Police Funeral Book Review
If you read the July BlueSheepdog Newsletter, you saw an article I wrote about Line of Duty Death Forms. In the correspondence I received about the article, I encountered a unique source of information about the arrangements for LODD funerals. Planning for the Unthinkable: A Law Enforcement Funeral Planning Guide is a book written in […]
Citizens Deserve Better Trained Police Officers
I read a story last week about an East Dublin, Georgia police officer who shot and killed a man on a traffic stop. Without even touching the circumstances of the shooting, there was a serious training issue in the 2010 case. The officer had not been through state-mandated use of force training in the prior […]
HK USP .45 Pistol Safety Warning
A serious safety issue may develop if you are carrying an HK USP .45 ACP pistol using the Surefire DG-19 grip switch according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In a safety warning bulletin issued by the LASD, the Weapon Training Unit described a situation where older versions of the DG-19 switch can cause […]
There I was, minding my own business…
Bluesheepdog has been emphasizing officer safety issues since its inception. Recently articles, videos, and stories from other sources have emphasized the dangerous job law enforcement has especially in the difficult times we live in now. Richard has posted the FBI research findings from interviews with prisoners who have felonious assaulted and killed officers. Videos have […]
Trauma Pak with QuikClot for First Responders Review
Adventure Medical Kits’ Trauma Pak with QuikClot is a recent offering that is an important addition to the patrol car, bailout bag, or go-vest. AMK markets a line of first aid products designed for outdoor adventurers and travelers. Their first aid kits are combinations of items tailor-made for different users’ needs from outdoor sport to […]
CIT—The Memphis Model
Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training is a model for first-responding law enforcement officers to more effectively deal with mentally ill persons, with the goal of improving safety for the officers, mental health consumers, family, and citizens. Developed in 1988 as a partnership between the Memphis, TN Police, the Memphis Chapter of the National Alliance […]
Norway Terrorism
Norway suffered a great tragedy on Friday when dozens of people, many of them teens, were gunned down by at least one subject dressed as a police officer. At this time, it appears this attack was coordinated with a bomb that was set off outside the prime minister’s office earlier in the day. If you […]
Controversy Surrounds Police Photo Lineups
In recent years, DNA exonerations have brought to light what are perceived as flaws in police photo lineup procedures. In some cases where DNA evidence has later cleared an incarcerated suspect, one of the factors in the original conviction may have been the false identification of the suspect in a photo lineup by an eyewitness. […]
Magnum Cobra 8.0 Boot Review
The author’s Magnum Cobra boots he reviewed. Over a month ago, I received a pair of Magnum Cobra boots to review. The Magnum Boot Company is a branch of Hi-Tec Sports, which was founded in England in 1974. Hi Tec first came to light in the U.S. when they designed a black lightweight tactical boot […]