Blue Sheepdog
Police Gear Reviews, Training and Officer Safety Tips.
Updated: 2 days 13 hours ago
Reserve Police Officers
Some people say that police officers are crazy. We go out looking for violent criminals for a relatively small amount of compensation knowing that being killed is a very real possibility. You know who is crazier? People who will do it for free. Reserve police officers and deputies are men and women who volunteer their […]
Are Spike Strips Killing Officers?
Stopping a fleeing suspect has always been a dangerous proposition. Criminals fleeing the police pose a very real risk to citizens and officers alike. Getting them stopped as quickly and safely as possible is the goal, though there is no “sure fire” way to accomplish it. It used to be that officers would set a […]
Police Tactics Used Against the Police
As I was reading another officer down article the other day, it struck me that our own tactics are the very ones being used so effectively against us. When I went to SWAT school in the late 80’s, most police teams visually resembled the British 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). You know, black BDU’s, […]
Dry Fire Practice – Snap Caps
Dry fire practice can save your butt. Seriously. Spending a few minutes every day working on trigger control and sight alignment through dry firing can translate into huge improvements on the range. Probably the biggest problem anyone has with shooting is trigger control. Learning to master that is probably the biggest thing you can do […]
Pedestrian Stop Shooting Video
Walking backwards almost got a North Carolina deputy killed. At about 4:15 am on August 29, 2009, Guilford County (NC) Sheriff’s Corporal J. Mecham made a pedestrian stop on a suspicious person later identified as Daniel Roy Smith. Unknown to Corporal Mecham, Smith was an escapee from a halfway house where he was serving time […]
Policing in Joplin After the EF-5 Tornado
[Ed. note – Aaron spent time recently in Joplin, MO providing support to the local law enforcement agencies. The following article is his observations from his time spent there.] The large media outlets have covered the weather event that on Sunday evening, May 22, caused an EF-5 tornado (the most powerful form of a tornado) […]
Minimize Your Risk in an Ambush
On Saturday, May 29, 2011, there were two separate criminal ambushes on law enforcement officers with different situations and results. In San Antonio, TX, Bexar County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kenneth Vann was responding to an accidental shooting call across town. While enroute to the call, he stopped in traffic at an intersection and was fired upon […]
Traffic Stop Shooting
Seeing his partner dragged under a car on a traffic stop gone bad, an Albany, NY police officer was forced to shoot and kill the car’s driver to save the first officer’s life. This is the video that was presented to the Grand Jury, which found the officers’ actions reasonable. It is a combination of […]
Traffic Stop Video – Deputy Dragged by Motorcycle
Traffic stops remain one of the most dangerous actions a patrol officer can engage in, yet it is frequently seen as a “routine” activity. The below video shows a deputy sheriff in Palm Beach County who is dragged by a motorcycle through a busy intersection. Fortunately, the deputy was not seriously injured and the suspect […]
Streamlight Sidewinder Compact Light
Information on the new Streamlight Sidewinder Compact flashlight designed for SWAT and combat troops to mount on their helmets. The BlueSheepdog.com staff recently attended the vendors’ exhibit at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida. While we were utterly blown away by Dillon Aero mini-guns, MRAP armored vehicles, and the latest microwave/laser missile […]
Kentucky v. King: Supreme Court on Exigent Circumstances
Note: The information provided here is from a former police officer and is not legal advice. You should not rely on anything here to make any cases. Contact your department’s legal representative for legal advice. On May 16, 2011, the United States Supreme Court officially ruled on an exigent circumstances case brought forth in Kentucky […]
Karbon Arms: Alternative to TASER
Did you know there was an alternative to the TASER? Randall takes a look at the Karbon Arms MPID, an affordably priced alternative to the TASET X26. In September 2010, the Karbon Arms company purchased Stinger Systems, Inc. and its holdings. Stinger Systems had marketed an electronic control device that was an alternative to the […]
Traffic Stop Shooting Video
This police shooting happened during a traffic stop in Tomah, Wisconsin. Notice that the driver immediately exited the truck and started shooting. Watch how the suspect engaged both officers while he was shooting. You see him shooting at one officer, then shift his fire to a second officer and then back to the first officer […]
6 Things That Can Save Your Life
There are six things you can do before going on duty tonight that may save your life. The list is short, but critical to your survival. 1. Commit yourself mentally to survival – This is the most important, so I lead with it. You must mentally commit yourself to survival right now. If you are […]
LAPD Adopts Ruger, S&W .380 Pistols
In early March 2011, the following unsubstantiated information, purported to be from the Los Angeles Police Department, began circulating around several Internet forums. A call to Smith & Wesson confirmed that the content is true. In order to encourage officers to carry back-up and off-duty firearms, as well as to take advantage of the technological […]
K9 Needs Patrol
If your agency has patrol K9’s then you have probably worked with the dogs and handlers at some point. Deployment protocols vary among departments, and from differing geographic terrains. Tracking K9 units need help from their patrol counterparts. A K9 team cannot track as fast as a suspect can run. Contrary to how it looks, […]
Flashbang Accident Kills SWAT Officer
One kind of flashbang manufactured by CTS Combined Tactical Systems This week, a search warrant service when the accident occurred. Approximately 45 minutes after the operation, the officer was in his driveway at home “attempting to render his equipment safe” when the distraction device inadvertently exploded. He suffered massive internal injuries and efforts to save […]
Criminal Interdiction- BlueSheepdog Podcast 08
This week’s police podcast focuses on criminal interdiction. In the past, many officers and trainers have focused on drug interdiction in rural stretches of highway. I suggest that criminal interdiction techniques can, and should, be applied in all areas of your jurisdiction. Among other things, I talk about officer safety, vehicle occupants and vehicle contents. […]
Elzetta Designs Flashlight Mounts
Scouring the SHOT Show 2011 booths, our staff was introduced to several low cost, American-made light products by Elzetta Designs of Lexington, Kentucky. Product Engineer Bryan Marcum showed us light mounts for AR-15-style rifles and shotguns. The first was the Elzetta ZFH1500, which attaches to the A2 front sight of a Black Rifle without the […]
M.R.A.P.S.—Mobile Rifle Armor Protective Shield
A curiosity in the Baker Ballistics booth at SHOT Show 2011 was a well-dressed gentleman wearing slacks, a button-down shirt, and tie and an outerwear ballistic vest. Tactically dapper? He was Rick Armellino, Baker Ballistics Director and CEO. Armellino was kitted up with the Nylon/Kevlar vest to demonstrate the capabilities of the new M.R.A.P.S. (Mobile […]