American Cop 2009.07-08

Survival: PERCEPTION VS PERSPECTIVE
WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM
$5.95
OUTSIDE U.S.
$9.50
JULY/AUGUST 2009
BLACKHAWK! S.T.R.I.K.E. BANDOLEER
WIN A
NEW COLUMN:
Cars & Crashes!
NEW! Springelds XD(M)

HINDI BELT
Focus:
Carry Options Galco Street Level Nice Goin Einstein LEAA Sheepdogs G2G Atlas Bipod
SYSTEM
CONCEALMENT HOLSTERS
starring TRIPLE STITCHED UPPER, HOT MELT HEEL and TOE COUNTERS, TOUGH and DURABLE MOISTURE-WICKING LINING, REMOVABLE MOLDED ORTHOTIC FOOTBED co-starring COMPRESSION MOLDED EVA MIDSOLE, OUTSOLE STITCHED at TOE and HEEL, SELF-CLEANING MULTI-TRED CARBON RUBBER OUTSOLE music by RIVETED STEEL SHANK story by RUST-PROOF HARDWARE
888.476.7700 www.originalswat.com
2009
Volume 5, Number 4, Issue 24
JULY AUG
Cover Photo courtesy of BLACKHAWK!
34
FEATURES
34 TARGETING TOP TOOLS SUZI HUNTINGTON
Gear Hogs The Ultimate COP Goodie Guide.
28
40 HINDI BELT SYSTEM RALPH MROZ

There's A Method To The Madness. "M" Means More.
42 SPRINGFIELD'S NEW XD(M) CLINT & HEIDI SMITH 44 COP GUIDE TO CONCEALMENT HOLSTERS RALPH MROZ
Styles For "Every Body."
46 RIFLE-LIKE FIREPOWER BOB PILGRIM

Le Mas Handgun Ammo.
WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009
46
40
COLUMNS
16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 54 58
HIGH TECH JIIM DONAHUE CORRECTIONS BRIAN DAWE CARRY OPTIONS MARK HANTEN PRIVATE SECURITY ED PALUMBO OFFICER SURVIVAL JOHN RUSSO HARD TOOLS PAUL MARKEL RESERVES PERRY W. HORNBARGER CARS AND CRASHES SUZI HUNTINGTON STREET LEVEL JOHN MORRISON LEAA TED DEEDS REALITY CHECK II CLINT SMITH
44
RESOURCES
56 68
SPOTLIGHT AD INDEX
DEPARTMENTS
8 13 70
RETURN FIRE GOOD TO GO GEAR INSIDER RUMINATIONS
A BLACKHAWK! S.T.R.I.K.E. BANDOLEER
ON THE COVER
G2G ATLAS BIPOD CARRY OPTIONS GALCO CARS AND CRASHES STREET LEVEL NICE GOIN' EINSTEIN SPOTLIGHTING STREET GEAR HINDI BELT SYSTEM SPRINGFIELD'S NEW XD(M) CONCEALMENT HOLSTERS
66
13 20 30 32 34 40 42 44
32
AMERICAN COP (ISSN 1557-2609) is published bi-monthly by Publishers Development Corp., 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. Periodical postage paid at San Diego CA 92128, and at additional entry offices. Subscriptions: One year (six issues) $24.95. Single copies $5.95 (in Canada $9.50). Change of address: four weeks notice required on all changes. Send old address as well as new. Contributors submitting manuscripts, photographs or drawings do so at their own risk. Material cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Payment is for all world rights for the material. The act of mailing a manuscript constitutes the authors certification of originality of material. Opinions expressed are those of the bylined authors and do not necessarily represent those of the magazine or its advertisers. Advertising rates furnished on request. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission, is prohibited. Entire contents Copyright 2009 Publishers Development Corp. All rights reserved. Title to this publication passes to subscriber only on delivery to his address. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS: For immediate action, write Subscription Dept., 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AMERICAN COP, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128.
AMERICAN COP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS THOMAs VON ROsEN, cEO; THOMAs HOllANdER, RANdY MOldE, MARjORIE YOUNG PUBLISHER AND EDITOR ROY HUNTINGTON EXECUTIVE EDITOR SAMMY REEsE Managing EDITOR SUZI HUNTINGTON ART DIRECTOR RICHARD STAHLHUT MANAGINGEditorial Assistant STEPHANIE JARRELL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT KERIN VAN HOOsEAR ART ASSISTANT ANDY LOY PRODUCTION MANAGER LINDA PETERSON ADVERTISING PRODUCTION DENNAYE CUsIck PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR RANDY MOLDE website manageR LORINDA MASSEY PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR ElIZABETH O'NEILL
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
FIREARMS TRAINING EDITOR CLINTSMITH CCW/DUTYCARRY EDITOR MARKHANTEN OFFICERSAFETY EDITOR JOHN RUssO PROFFESIONALSECURITY EDITOR EDPALUMBO SUPERVISORYSKILLSEDITOR JOHNMORRISON LEAAISSUES EDITOR JAMESJ. FOTIS EDGEDWEAPONS EDITOR ERNESTEMERSON COMPETITION EDITOR ROB LEATHAM LEGAL ISSUES EDITOR JEREMY D. CLOUGH EQUIPMENT EDITOR PAUL MARKEL Senior Field EDITOR dAVE dOUGlAs CONTRIBUTING EDITORS WES DOSS, RALPH MROZ, BEN DOUGLAS, BRIAN HOFFNER, RICH GRASSI, FRANK BORELLI
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
ADVERTISINGSALESDIRECTOR ANITA CARSON ACCOUNT MANAGER DELANOAMAGUIN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE STEVEEVATT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE JEFF MOREY NATIONAL ADVERTISING: 12345 WORld TRAdE DR., SAN DIEGO, CA 92128; E-MAIl: dElANO@AMERIcANcOpMAGAZINE.cOM; (858) 605-0206; FAX: (858) 605-0208
FMGPUBLICATIONS
PUBLISHER& Editor: ROYHUNTINGTON AdVertising: STEVEEVATT AMERIcANHANdGUNNER.cOM
Editor: JEFF JOHN AdVertising: JEFF MOREY GUNsMAGAZINE.cOM
PUBLISHER& Editor: RUss THURMAN AdVertising: ANITA CARsON sHOOTINGINdUsTRY.cOM
Special Editions
Editor: SAMMY REEsE AdVertising: ScOTT McGREGOR fMGpUBlIcATIONs.cOM
(858) 605-0253 subs@americancopmagazine.com (858) 605-0243 ed@americancopmagazine.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING (858) 605-0235 class@americancopmagazine.com PRODUCTION (858) 605-0202 production@americancopmagazine.com WEBSITE www.americancopmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTION EDITORIAL
WARNING: Firearms are dangerous if used improperly, and may cause serious injury or death. Due to the inherent variables in the reloading of metallic cartridges, verify all published loads with manufacturers data. Consult a professional gunsmith when modifying any rearm. Produced in the United States.
RETURN FIRE
Theres not much a street cop can do about that and I dont ever recall being asked for my input on a case Id have insisted every case I submitted was prosecuted and to hang em all from the nearest tree.
Tactical Testimony
Its not surprising to read a civics lesson from an attorney (In Defense of Defense Attorneys, March/April 2009), but Im disappointed to find it in this publication. My time as a street cop followed by 20-some years of prosecution gave me a different perspective. What goes on in our courtrooms would probably horrify the founding fathers. Criminal law and procedure isnt found in the Constitution but rather in the decisions of subsequent Supreme Courts. Yes, some defense attorneys are decent people but what they do in courtrooms is far too often the exact opposite of justice. The fact this behavior is legal may be part of why public opinion of lawyers is what it is. Instead of the kind of lecture street cops hear from criminal apologists all the time, this publication should be presenting articles that give tactics and strategy for beating the defense game. Most of what cops are taught about the courtroom process is useless when it comes to effectively testifying. We learn these skills from on-the-job training. Most cases disappear down the plea bargaining rabbit hole with little or no input from the arresting officers, so job-one is how to present cases so theyre properly charged and zealously prosecuted. Good street cops understand the systems failures without the civics lesson. What they need from American COP are the tools to fight in the courtroom in the same way they need to know about the latest gear and trends. Ken Smith Hoyt, KS Ken, thanks for weighing in on the matter. It was my experience in San Diego, cases disappeared down the plea bargain rabbit hole mainly due to budgetary concerns and, to a degree, keeping conviction stats high. Theres not much a street cop can do about that and I dont ever recall being asked for my input on a case Id have insisted every case I submitted was prosecuted and to hang em all from the nearest tree. But it sounds like you may have some training ideas Id love to share them in the magazine, or if anybody else has ideas on this matter send them to me at ed@ americancopmagazine.com. SH
And
Defense attorneys are filters to insure people arrested for crimes arent unnecessarily penalized. I have no problem with demanding officers are convinced if they
800.852.6088 | OfficerStore.com
8 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009
! W E N
A stunning breakthrough in personal defense ammunition design.

Concealed carry and personal defense ammunition is redefined with the introduction of Hornady Critical Defense ammunition. You may have never thought about the effects of fabric and clothing on the performance of personal defense ammo. But clothing especially heavy clothing has a lot to do with how the bullet expands upon impact.
The patented FTX bullet will expand reliably EVERY SINGLE TIME! Optimized propellants burn quickly, reduce recoil and limit muzzle ash to protect night vision. Shiny nickel cases resist tarnish and greatly enhance low-light chamber checks.
Conventional hollow point bullets clog with fibers and fabric as they pass through clothing which diminishes expansion and causes unreliable bullet performance.
Hornady Critical Defense ammunition eliminates clogging with the use of their patented Flex Tip bullet. Upon entering soft tissue, the tip swells and imparts equal pressure across the entire circumference of the bullet cavity. The result is UNRIVALED bullet expansion and performance EVERY SINGLE TIME!
Flex Tip technology guarantees 100% reliable performance in every situation.
Conventional hollow point bullets perform unreliably when encountering heavy fabric or layers of clothing.
Hornady Critical Defense ammunition is available in these calibers:

380 Auto 38 Special 38 Special +P 9mm Luger
PO Box 1848 Grand Island, NE 68802
308-382-1390
www.hornady.com
Our newest rechargeable duty lights with C4 LED technology do just that- with a wider, peripheral circle of light and an intensely bright center beam that let you see into the darkest areas. Try the Polystinger DS LED, the Stinger DS LED or the Strion LED and see what 3 levels of lighting, strobe and a longer run time will provide. Just a few more reasons why heroes trust Streamlight.
TM
DUTY FLASHLIGHTS
FEATURING a wider, brighter, peripheral light.
PolyStinger DS LED
2009 Streamlight, Inc.
Dual Switch Technology with HIGH/MED/LOW/STROBE light output
Strion LED
Stinger DS LED
Long gun mount available HIGH/MED/LOW/STROBE Compact light with big features and performance
Dual Switch Technology with HIGH/MED/LOW/STROBE light output
30 Eagleville Road, Eagleville, PA 19403 800.523.7488 www.streamlight.com/103
RETURN FIRE
arrest someone, its a slam-dunk, deadbang, sure conviction. I can probably count on one hand the number of defense attorneys I respected. What they had in common was they didnt insult an officer, didnt raise their voice or get in an officers face. If there was a weakness in the case, they found it. They were courteous to all witnesses, civil to officers outside of court and never used dirty tricks. But to most attorneys, truth is relevant and situational. When an officer goes to court as a witness, he/she can count on experiencing ALLS being accused of Arrogance, Laziness, Lying and Stupidity as long as theyre prepared for this, theyll do just fine. Dave Hollenbeck Prescott, AZ MPT Firearm Lubricant's penetrating and anti-wear formula cleans, lubricates and protects in all climates and extreme conditions. Exceeds the requirements of MIL SPEC: MIL-PRF63460E.
MPT Industries
6-B Hamilton Business Park 85 Franklin Road Dover NJ 07801 Phone: 973-989-9220 Toll Free: 800-351-0605 Fax: 973-989-9234 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM Eastern Time www.mptindustries.com
PREPARE FOR THE BARRAGE

The First AXIS Lock Assist
BENCHMADE.COM 2009 BENCHMADE KNIFE CO. OREGON CITY, OR, USA
Alaskan ABS
Im a police officer in northern Alaska and I drive on ice eight months of the year. As an EVOC instructor in San Diego youve probably forgotten more about pavement driving than Ill ever know especially since the nearest pavement is 90 miles away from me but Im guessing I see more ice here than you do in southern California. The fastest way to stop on any surface is to brake to the point just before the wheels lock up then keep it there. Ice and dry pavement are the same in that sense; the only difference is the threshold for losing traction is much lower on ice. Pumping the brakes is not the fastest way to stop thats the emergency method when youre sliding toward the stop sign and cant find the threshold. The correct way is to find the point just before the threshold and hold it without locking up. ABS brakes lock up way before that threshold and begin pumping quickly, which stops the vehicle much slower than a controlled stop without ABS and much quicker than locking up the wheels and sliding into the pole. For any driver in a city where they only get ice a couple times a year ABS is a lifesaver. But for those of us who drive on ice every day ABS is a cumbersome bother preventing us from hitting the threshold and stopping faster. I cant count how many times ABS has kicked in and I start sliding, cursing the mechanism and trying to back off the brake to disengage ABS so I can stop the car myself in half the distance. And one more thing, take officer safety seriously on every call there are only two kinds of calls the real thing and practice for the real thing. Even if youre sure the guy has nothing but the obligatory bag of pot in his pocket or youve searched that building earlier, still do it the right way every time the real thing has a tendency to sneak up on you. Rich Holschen Via e-mail Thanks Rich, youre absolutely right
MODEL SHOWN: 585 MINI-BARRAGE

Stronger. Faster. Benchmade.
11
BUILT RUGGED FOR STREET SURVIVAL.

Getac recommends Windows Vista Business
__ V100 Rugged Convertible
Whether you job involves restoring power, knocking down a blaze or putting away bad guys, Getacs rugged V100 convertible laptop is ready for practically any challenge. Getac, Built to Survive. www.getac.com
__
Optional 1200 NITs display / Magnesium alloy casing / Convertible tablet screen / Intel Core 2 Duo processor / Full-size keyboard / MIL-STD-810F and iP54 certied
2009 Getac Inc. All rights reserved. GETAC is a registered trademark and Built to Survive is a trademark of GETAC Inc.
G2G
ATLAS BIPOD
GOOD TO GO GEAR
CLINT & HEIDI SMITH The new B&T Atlas bipod may well ll the bill as a rie persons dream bipod come true. True to Atlas legendary task hold heavy stuff like the world the B&T Atlas bipod holds a rie rock-solid. Atlas would be proud. It attaches to the rie by the use of several different types of systems, including a Picitinny rail and/or the ARMS17S, which is a quick-release for complete removal of the bipod if required. When extended, the legs have adjustments in the range of 5" to 9", with four setting variation heights. In the down position, two position settings of either 90-degrees or 45-degrees forward or back can be set with 15 degrees of side-to-side or cant available. Its lockable with a knurled wheel located between the legs. Standard issue for the leg tips are soft rubber feet with more aggressive optional tips available if needed. The whole bipod is built from 6061 aluminum and anodized at black. Kasey Beltz shipped Ms. Heidi her personal new Atlas bipod and she promptly saddled it up to her GAP 338 Lapua a great bipod for a great rie. I think it might be arguable that Atlas held up the world, but there is no doubt the new B&T Atlas tlas bipod will soon be holding up the front end of a bunch of ries. Top op quality stuff here. www.accu-shot.com
FIREBIRD MAG HOLDER
CLINT & HEIDI SMITH Although ries are not new to law enforcement, many agencies have become rie-bearing in the last decade, with the lions share throwing the lever over the last ve years. Already overloaded in the Sam Browne belt mode, spare rie ammunition is still a sound idea for street cops. LEOs appreciate S.W.A.T. but bluntly, sometimes they are a bit late to the festivities, so its a good idea to have some extra ammunition available until they might arrive. Scott Springers new Firebird dual magazine holder for the very popular and very functional MagPul magazines is a good way to have extra ammo around. The Firebird is very well made and a solid piece of gear that rmly and correctly holds two mags, one in the well and one in the ready for the reload as might be required. A theoretical issue could be considered should the magazine take a hit from incoming rounds fouling both magazines elaborate, but not unheard of. I vote not to worry on that one. Its sort of like the danger of night sights on your pistol when a bad guy is behind you in a ght? We need to draw lines sometimes and this may be one of those times. I have several of the Firebirds and mine have worked awlessly. Personally, I roll the ball with the right mag in the well and the spare left magazine inside the triangle of my arms and the rie to help if working hard left corners in a tactical environment. Police may review the system to see if it is effected by the lock system in their vehicle, but if so that is a no worry, just contact Springer as he has already thought of that issue. The Firebirds can also be numbered and department-marked as needed. The piece is a welcome addition to the rie platform for law enforcement ofcers. www.springerprecision.com
WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM 13
SPECIAL WEAPONS
For a single, precise shot to resolve a situation, it has to be red from a special weapon. Enter the Savage LE Series. Special weapons. Exceptional accuracy.
savagearms.com
G2G
HAWKHOOK HAWK RESCUE R TOOL T
GET YOUR GUNS GEAR!
JOHN CONNOR The featherweight 2.4 ounce awkhook Rescue Tool should be in every patrol cops kit. Named the Safety Product of the Year for 2008 by the Shooting dustry Academy of Excellence, the awkhook is essentially a 3.25" folding frame-lock knife with a 2.25" blade featuring a heavy-duty screwdriver and prying tip, a dedicated cord or seatbeltslashing recess, a straight serrated ripping section, bottle opener, wire stripper and a surprisingly effective glass-breaker for ordinary window glass and vehicle side windows. Designed by Michael Janich of BLACKHAWK!, he put his decades of knife design and use experience to work with this nifty, but handily sized tool. It pays to have experience involved and it shows in the nal design. Weight of the Hawkhook is minimized by using a framesheet of 420J stainless matte-nish steel for the framelocking side panel, which also hosts a pocket or webbing clip, and textured plastic for the other handle scale. The stout little thumb-studded blade itself is matte stainless AUS 8A, and the open construction makes it easy to clean. If you hold it with your ngers (check out the picture) it busts out a window quick as you can think on it. It will easily t in a shirt pocket, but we think its handier clipped to your cruisers visor. Just dont forget it at the end of shift, okay? www.blackhawk.com
Team GUNS Collector Pin
Its colorful, it looks expensive, but any cheapskate can afford it and someday it might be worth what you paid for it. (Actual sixe: 3/4 x 5/8)
$3.50 each
(Price includes shipping)
www.gunsmagazine.com
ORDER TODAY! Call Toll-Free 800-628-9818 Order at
TAG GO TIME POUCH
CLINT & HEIDI SMITH As the world that cops work in changes everyday, my only thought would be about how it is going to change even more as time progresses? Dismal failures in many parts of our governments systems simply means ofcers will be required to address issues we never thought of before. Planes own into buildings, shooters in schools, churches and bold gunmen spraying automatic weapons re in public streets might change the dynamics of how ofcer friendly is going to do his job. To address these issues might require special training and special equipment. In the forefront of the special equipment category are the Shellback Tactical/T.A.G. guys based out of San Diego. Mike Wratten being law enforcement, and former Navy SEAL Chris Osman produce equipment based on actual eld use of gear that is out there working day to day. An example is the new GO TIME pouch probably addressing things like active shooters and the like. Its also a rock solid piece of gear for the average patrol ofcer or home owner. Capable of holding two spare pistol magazines as well as two AR magazines, it makes for a quick-support equipment x as it can be quickly deployed around the neck and secured by a body strap. The ability to inset an armored hard plate into the back of the pouch makes for a bit more protection in a hostile environment. One of only many outstanding products, if youre out there working the real deal everyday on the street you may want to look at the Shellback Tactical/T.A.G. gear. Oh yeah, and thanks for doing the work you do. More of us appreciate you than you think! Shellback: (626) 705-1887; TAG: (888) 890-1199; www.theoperatorschoice.com
*
15
HIGH TECH
JIM dONAHUE
CUTTING EdGE WIdGETS ANd OTHER NEW STUff.
z
B
16
he Palm Beach Sheriffs Office is one of the most progressive agencies Ive seen. They actually listen to what their street guys tell them they need. As an example, theyre doing a stellar job of deploying computers on their motorcycles. It allows the motor officers to use electronic ticketing to speed up the traffic stop process. Theres very little data entry needed and they can import data directly from your states crime
Motorcycles and Computers?

The world is at your ngertips in an economy of space. This cargo box holds the computer, printer and magnetic stripe reader.
database and NCIC. The stop goes more quickly although you can never write the ticket fast enough to the poor schlep whos running late. So officer and unlucky motorist are back on the road in no time. PBSO also mounts and installs the gear according to the wishes of the officers using it. The mechanics work with the motor officers to figure a way to make the system most usable, safe and convenient. Thats the way it should be everywhere, but its seldom done.
ecause the computer is permanently affixed to the bike, its not for every situation. Sometimes, its simply safer to use the old standby the ticket book. Maybe traffic flow, location of the stop or other conditions make the computer an inappropriate choice, thats okay. Computers on motorcycles rate the 80/20 rule if its a benefit 80-percent of the time, then it warrants general use. The computer and printer can be mounted inside the rear cargo box on the Harley. The printer PBSO uses can print two copies of the ticket in less than two seconds. Not bad, eh? And theyre legible. The radio gear and power supplies are beneath the tray on which the computer sits. Theres even a pad on the inside cover of the case to cushion shocks from rough roads. Permanently mounted computers offer the officer more bang for the buck over portable ticket-writers. Its easier for the officer to look up during a stop and then return to the screen knowing where he left off, thus demanding less of his precious focus. Full-size computers are also capable of importing data from NCIC, which few handhelds can do. Theyre simply easier to use and more dependable.
Big Bang Theory
Techno-Cop
m a strong advocate of the right computer hardware for the right use. A laptop is clearly best, here. It should have a super-bright screen so officers arent squinting to see it in broad daylight. A backlit keyboard is a must. If the computer is assigned to you and not the bike, you may need this same computer in the future like in a patrol car, on graveyards. It could happen. Touch Mongos become pretty procient at screens are another must pudgytouch-typing thanks to his full-size pawed cops using mouse pads wont Toughbook computer. Now he only work. Its like watching a bear cub play gets on the air to inquire about imwith a mouse turd. Youll probably need portant things like, wheres lunch? a USB hub to connect the magnetic stripe reader, the printer, and other gizmos. Plan for that at the outset. PBSO uses iyeTek software with their Panasonic Toughbook computers. iyeTek, unlike many of the other companies out there, always provides the software and often the hardware at no charge to the agencies. They dont charge an annual maintenance fee either. They make their money by charging for the sale of hard copies (like accident reports). Your agency still gets its money, but iyeTek adds a small service charge to pay for the gear. They make changes to adapt their software for each agency at no added charge they do it quickly and they do it well. The whole set up costs around $10,000 to install. If each officer wrote an additional 10 tickets per day, at an average fine of $155 get out your calculators if you need to the payback period is only about six days. We all know motors can do it. Its like fishing in a barrel. The out-of-pocket cost to the agency is zero beyond training. Considering most budgets are in a deep freeze, this sounds like sound fiscal management. For more info: iyeTek, www.iyetek.com; Panasonic Toughbook, www.panasonic.com.
Tshirt_1.6
6/13/07
10:53 AM
Page 1
P.O. Box 370, Barrington, IL 60011 Tel: 847-277-7258, Fax: 847-277-7259 Email: customerservice1@dsarms.com Website: www.dsarms.com
GET YOUR GUNS GEAR!

Team GUNS T-Shirt
Nobody ever had too many T-shirts,except us and we need to clear them out. Get this top quality, pre-shrunk 100% cotton T-shirt imprinted with Team GUNS logo on the front and back. (Colors: Ash or Black)(Sizes: M,L,XL,XXL)
$21.95 each ($31.95 Outside U.S.)

(Price includes shipping)
ORDER TODAY! Call Toll-Free 800-628-9818 Order at www.gunsmagazine.com
CORRECTIONS
BEHINd THE fENCE.
BRIAN DAWE
Budget Cuts And Corrections
ith the economy continuing its downward spiral everybody is complaining. Budget cuts are affecting everyones ability to get the job done. When corners get cut in corrections the potential for disaster is huge. In most jurisdictions were already understaffed, under trained, ill equipped and grossly outnumbered. But chances are if youre reading this, you already know that. The question then is not what you know, but what can you do with that knowledge? Do the folks who call the shots, make the decisions and adopt policies affecting us everyday do they know? Having been in corrections for 27 years it saddens me to realize many people dont know the startling truth about my profession. On average a correctional officer dies before age 59. Correctional officers lose 1520 years off their lives doing this job. We have the second highest mortality rate of any occupation. On average we live only 18 months after we retire. We deal with a communicable disease rate thats three times that of the general population. A correctional officer can expect to be seriously assaulted at least twice during a 20-year career. Our suicide rate is 39-percent higher than any other occupation. Every year there are over 40,000 assaults on correctional staff in the USA alone. Our turnover rates have gone from 9.6-percent in 1995 to 16.3-percent in 2005 nearly a 70-percent increase in turnover in just ten years. Experience, training and staffing are not just numbers for us, theyre our lifeline. These alarming numbers show the rising dangers we face.
18
j
O
ur jobs are behind the walls making them unseen and grossly misunderstood. We dont get the headlines like our brothers and sisters in other public safety disciplines. Ask an elected official to spend an eight-hour shift behind the walls with the officers who patrol our nations prisons, jails and detention centers and theyll quickly realize how very extraordinary these people are. If youve ever toured a correctional facility then you know what Im saying. Many states and counties have learned the hard way the folly of trying to do corrections cheaply. With failed private prisons across the nation our politicians are slowly learning a valuable lesson it takes professionals to run a prison. Protecting the
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind
Brian Dawe is the Executive Director for The American Correctional Ofcer (www.americanco.org) and the American Correctional Ofcers Intelligence Network (www.COIntel.net). He can be reached at ACOIN1@aol.com or by calling him at 307-883-9707.
j
public doesnt come cheap. Correctional officers should be revered few would dare walk where we walk. Theyre due every consideration befitting someone who would put the safety of their fellow citizens and their fellow officers before their own. Respect and dignity is not given, its earned. We earn it every day, but we do a lousy job of letting the world know it. With these very difficult times budgets are tighter than ever, so we need to make certain our voices are heard and our needs addressed. We cant let a lack of understanding make our jobs even more dangerous than already. So get active, make those calls, write those letters and spread the word.
ust hoping never produces change, and awareness rarely comes by accident. We need to educate not only ourselves, but also all our social contacts. Each of us can start by researching and gathering information. Were not merely the gatekeepers, were the keepers of knowledge the knowledge of how and what makes a prison secure and we need to share that awareness.
Light A Fire
Talk to your Reaching out in the union or employee community is one wa y to make the public more aware of who we are and association and what we do. see what statistical information they have on assaults, staffing your bitchin. Write a letlevels, funding, etc. Get your facts in order ter to the editor of your local paper or seek then call your state representative and a meeting with their editorial board. If you ask for a meeting. Go on a letter writing have talk radio in your area give them a campaign or mass emailing. Vote, or vote call, youll be surprised how many people against when its that time but if youre will want to talk about corrections once not a registered voter, either register, or quit you speak up.
NEW.
THREE TACTICAL TOOLS IN ONE MODULAR PACKAGE.
Modular Vertical Foregrip

> INDEPENDENT MOMENTARY, STROBE AND CONSTANT-ON MODES > LASER FULLY ADJUSTABLE FOR WINDAGE AND ELEVATION > REPLACEABLE, 150/200-LUMEN LED LIGHT MODULE > AMBIDEXTROUS DUAL-SIDE ACTIVATION SWITCHES > FITS PICATINNY 1913 RAILS > PATENT-PENDING DESIGN
NO TOOLS REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY OR DISASSEMBLY
(800) 442-2406 www.crimsontrace.com
Winchester Ranger. Trust the best in the worst situation.

When youre left with no other option, count on Ranger to get the job done. Winchester Ranger Ammunition delivers unparalleled performance in every conceivable scenario or situation and for a wide range of law enforcement applications. With over 140 years of experience in developing true state-of-the-art handgun, rie and shotgun ammunition for American law enforcement, Winchester also backs Ranger with the industrys most comprehensive testing and training program. Winchester Ranger. Trust it to perform at its best even when things are at their worst.
Winchester.com/LawEnforcement
*
2008 Olin Corporation, East Alton, Illinois 62024
CARRY OPTIONS
fROM HOLSTERS TO HA HAvERSACKS. RSACKS.
MARK HANTEN
LIGHT-MOUNTED HOLSTERS
m celebrating 19 years as a cop this month and, as far as Im concerned, theres never been a better time for law enforcement than right now. Things are certainly better on the equipment side of things, thats for sure. One of my favorite gear advancements is the advent of the light-mounted handgun system. Integral light rails are now the norm on nearly all combat pistols, and the current generation of lights is outstanding. The holster makers have had it pretty tough trying to keep abreast of the transition, with the many different guns, lights, and holster finish combinations its truly challenging
BEYOND PATROL
Not just for patrol anymore, holsters for lightmounted weapons are an excellent tool for plain clothes and undercover ofcers too.
to bring a good holster on line to suit all our needs. Theyre coming along though, and Im seeing more patrol cops with light-mounted guns in the field. The next wave of light-mounted pistol holsters to be significantly improved are for plain-clothes officers. Many of our plain-clothes officers are better served by shifting the balance toward having slightly less concealability, and taking advantage of the increased useful-
ness and safety of a light-mounted pistol. Theyre frequently working in the dark, and like the rest of us, have only two hands to use the radio, gun, handcuffs, badge and flashlight. Give yourself a break guys, let your gun do the multitasking.
Rafter-L Gunleathers holster #3 is a prime example of quality gunleather made for working cops. Galcos Halo holster is available for several handguns. Like all of Galcos leather products, the Halo is an outstanding piece of gear.
Tactical Low Profile
y hats off to Galco Gunleather and Rafter-L Gunleather for helping move this positive trend in the right direction with high quality holsters for light-mounted pistols. Both of these great leather crafters have recognized these holsters are not expected to be level-three retention holsters with tolerances so precise only one model of light will fit with the gun. Ive tested both of these holsters with the Streamlight TLR-1/TLR-2, SureFire X-200/X-300 and Insight Tech Gear M3. They all fit,
20
and since these holsters are made of high quality leather, they will stretch where they need and maintain a fit, which is snug yet doesnt trap your gun inside. Galcos new Halo model is a basic vertical carry, thumb-break holster compact enough for realistic concealment of fullsized guns with lights mounted on them. Galco does an excellent job of balancing top-end quality with volume production so you can expect to find this holster available in a configuration you need for several popular handguns. Itll accommodate belts up to 1.75", and for the sake of stability, I recommend wearing the widest belt your belt loops can handle. Frequently this will be 1.5", which should be adequate with a high quality, rigid gun belt. Note I said
Theyre frequently working in the dark, and like the rest of us, have only two hands to use the radio, gun, handcuffs, badge and flashlight.
gun belt, I shouldnt need to remind you a flimsy dress belt is not designed to support any holster. Galco also makes an entire gun belt line the fit and finish are first rate.
Ex-Cop
Erik Little, of Rafter-L Gunleather is a retired sheriffs deputy with significant experience in law enforcement. He has a ranching background and has been building great leather gear, and a stellar reputation in the gun leather business for several years now. Hes a one-man custom shop with a limited line of holster models. He focuses on a few tried and true designs that work. The fact hes included a lightmounted concealment holster in his line is a testimony to how well Erik understands cops needs, and the importance of this type of holster. I carried the Holster #3, designed with a thumb break and trigger cover. Its custom molded from quality leather for an incredible fit. Though currently only available for a 5" Model 1911, Eriks working hard to expand the line to include more models. Rafter-L Gunleather also makes top-notch gun belts.
For more info: GalcoGunleather, www. galcogunleather.com; Rafter L Gunleather, www.combatgunleather.com

PRIVATE SECURITY
ED PALUMBO
Issues and trends on the private side of law enforcement.
ANYTHING COULD HaPPEN

M
T
exico is a country with a historically flexible approach to the law, which in turn fosters an unpredictable social foundation where anything could happen, and often does. Recently, however, unpredictability has devolved into chaos the security environment has deteriorated rapidly, with parts of the country experiencing incredible violence. Considering the increased use of military-grade weaponry, and the skyrocketing number of deaths reported in Mexico, the country is, in fact, in the middle of a war. Seasoned analysts estimate several major battles are waged daily, including one between cartels for control over lucrative smuggling corridors. Another battle is fought between
At What Cost Success Whos Responsibility?

he third battleground does not get the same degree of media attention generated by running gun battles and grenade and RPG attacks. However, it is no less real, and probably more dangerous to civilians than the pitched battles between the cartels and the Mexican government. This third campaign is engulfing the Mexican population, led by criminals who may or may not be involved with the cartels. Unlike the other battles, where cartel members or government forces are the primary targets and civilians are only killed as collateral damage, on this battlefront civilians are squarely in the crosshairs, including tourism and business visitors. This raises serious concerns for employers sending people into Mexico who must worry not only about whether the corporate interests are best served, in a strict business sense, but their employees survive the trip. Over the last several years, in complex and compelling ways, rising risks at and south of the border insure any company with interests there will pay a premium for such business endeavors. The cost is not always in dollars or pesos, either. A French national, Christopher Augur, who was shot in the head as he was robbed near Mexico City airport on January 27th, died four days later. The 55 year-old French biotechnology researcher, who worked at a Mexican university, was attacked and robbed of $6,336 on a street near the airport. There are unconfirmed reports Augur resisted his attackers, which may have dramatically increased the likelihood of his being shot. The roll call of victims is not limited to business travelers. According to the U.S. State Department, more than 200 American citizens have been killed since 2004 in Mexicos escalating wave of violence, amounting to the highest number of unnatural deaths in any foreign country outside military combat zones. n the case of individuals or groups of people traveling on vacation they are, for all intents and purposes, on their own. They have no security and are completely dependent on their own efforts to know risks and take personal actions to reduce them. There are plenty of warnings, though according to the LA Times (March 4, 2009), the ATF has taken the unusual step of urging college students to avoid northern Mexico during spring break; discouraging travel to Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. Corporate employees are only slightly better equipped to maintain safe passage, and the relative degree of safety depends on who they work for and
22
various cartels and Mexican government forces striving to interdict the narcotics trade and curb violence. Theres credible evidence the government has enjoyed signal successes on this front, managing to spark power struggles within and among cartels, and the vast majority of Mexicos murder victims are, themselves, involved in the drug trade but not all of them.
PHOTO: JOE NOVElOZO
The US offers travel advisories warning travelers of dangers in particular countries. Its a simple way to warn your clients personnel of potential dangers ahead.
how diligent or not their sponsors are in creating a safety net composed of contingency planning for high risk business travel. Amid the carnage in Mexico, the task of providing security for business travelers is daunting and, some believe, nearly insoluble. There are precautions serious companies can and should take in order to establish, at the very least, a comprehensive if not fail-safe safety net for employees. Visible leadership is mandatory. Employees must be assured the company has a dedicated security program. It must be well led, constantly monitoring such highrisk destinations, creating or upgrading safety features and, crucially, providing up-to-date data to travelers before they ever get on an airplane. In fact, it should disallow travel where circumstances warrant such action. Critical, too, is a robust communications platform. Employees need to be in a
REFLECT WHO YOU ARE

Rock river Arms / Elite comp a4
magpul ctr stock / tactical half-quad free float handguard / two stage trigger / chrome lined 1:9 twist barrel
LE
Home
Hunt
position to both receive and send messages if theyre in harms way. Whether via mobile or laptop, or hotel lobby phones, employees must be armed with the contact information for their employers emergency services group. And, if the destination is truly high or extreme risk Juarez, Islamabad, Kabul, Beirut a local response unit (LRU) should be part of the planning, when and where on-the-ground support, such as extrication, is possible. Intelligence gathering as a corporate enterprise has been trashed in the press over the last few years and not without reason. However, any company that sends its employees into harms way has an obligation to collect as much information as possible, from public and private sources, in order to fashion a sound, defensible travel and emergency response capability. Relying on US State Department warden messages and/or CNN terrorism updates is not the way to go here, especially in this climate of chaotic and unprecedented violence.
Target
Reflect who you are at www.rockriverarms.com
*
23
Rock river Arms / Elite comp a4
Considering the increased use of military-grade weaponry, and the skyrocketing number of deaths reported in Mexico, the country is, in fact, in the middle of a war.
magpul ctr stock / tactical half-quad free float handguard / two stage trigger / chrome lined 1:9 twist barrel
OFFICER SURvIvAL
JOHN RUSSO
GETTING HOME IN THE SAME CONdITION YOU WENT TO WORK IN.
PERCEPTION
T
he rain was pouring down on us as we took up positions of cover on the quiet residential street. Wed responded en-masse to deal with a deranged man whod just stabbed his father luckily only inflicting minor injuries. The man had then taken every knife in the house and began stabbing and cutting every inanimate object he came across. This included each tire on the two vehicles in the driveway. You never realize just how many knives people keep in their kitchens until a crazy man decides to start using them. As we watched with guns pointed, one officer attempted to negotiate with the man. Though the officer is a great talker, this guy could care less he had true mission focus. He jumped onto the hood of a truck, stabbed the windshield repeatedly with a butcher knife, and then ripped the entire windshield out with his bare hands. Next he ran around to the back of the truck, climbed in the bed, and tore off the camper shell, flinging it across the rain soaked yard like it was no more than a piece of paper. Every officer there was thinking the same thing, were gonna have to shoot this guy. Then it happened he turned toward the negotiating officer. You could see the bad guy get target fixation as he raised the knife above his head and charged. I tracked the suspect and took up trigger slack while wondering why my fellow officer wasnt firing. This was a veteran whose ability and judgment I trusted, but I couldnt wait any longer. This totally posed shot is meant to The threat was too close. make you think how close would
Perspective
e constantly train to use deadly force when someone is a threat to us or someone else. But what about when that someone else is a fellow officer who is armed and point-
you allow this knife-wielding goon (sorry Sammy) get to you? Your partner? A citizen? Think about it.
Remember, these situations are dynamic, you wont know why another officer is failing to engage a suspect you perceive to be a threat. Better to take action and deal with the fallout later, than to risk allowing a fellow officer to be injured or killed.
24
ing a gun at the suspect? You should know when youd use force against a knife-wielding suspect charging at you. Same if theyre charging an innocent citizen. But what about your partner who appears to be ready to shoot? This issue has come up too often over the years and has been the culprit for many a falling-out between cops. The cover officers perceive their partner is in jeopardy and kill the suspect. The targeted officer never fires and the accusations fly. The defense claims if the suspect was truly a threat, the targeted
officer would have fired. This officer is then put on the spot to either help justify his partners shooting or justify why he didnt fire. If I have to go through all this crap then I just wont shoot the guy and let my partner deal with it. Sounds good in theory except for one little problem. We do this job for a reason were warriors who naturally engage the bad guys. It goes against the grain for us to just stand by and watch while a fellow officer is in danger. So what do we do?
ead a situation for what it is as early as possible. Recognize what level of danger your partners in and if theyre aware of it. Draw a line in the sand. At some point youll take action before you allow a fellow officer to be injured or killed. Its up to you to decide what that point is. Remember, these situations are dynamic, you wont know why another officer is failing to engage a suspect you perceive to be a threat. Better to take action and deal with the fallout later, than to risk allowing a fellow officer to be injured or killed. As for the situation above, I was six pounds into a 12-pound SIG trigger press when the suspect suddenly stopped and ran away. One push-bumper and a K-9 later he was in custody. Later I learned the targeted officer had a good piece of cover between he and the suspect. Know the people you work with and trust your training. If you doubt your training or your partners, do something about it. Your family trusts you to come home each night.
Pay Attention
RUGER RELIABILITY
5.16'' Overall Length 9.40 oz. Overall Weight
SIZE
IN A SMALL PACKAGE.
Introducing the New Ruger LCP , a .380 Auto from the industry leader in rugged, reliable firearms. From backup firearms for law enforcement to licensed carry for personal protection, the LCP is the perfect choice. Designed with the shooter in mind, the ultralight LCP is as affordable as it is reliable.
ACTUAL
THE RUGER LCP .
WHEN AND WHERE YOU NEED IT.
LEARN MORE ONLINE AT WWW.RUGER.COM/LCP OR BY VISITING YOUR LOCAL RESPONSIBLE FIREARMS DEALER.
www.ruger.com
2009 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
LCP RECALL RECALL OF LCP PISTOLS WITH SERIAL NUMBER PREFIX 370, VISIT WWW. RUGER.COM/LCPRECALL FOR DETAILS.
050409
HARD TOOLS
PAUL MARKEL
ESSENTIAL TOOLS fOR THE JOB.
SNAP-ON, SNAP-OFF
he days of the leather border holster being the one and only rig youll ever need are over. Today we can choose from a vast array of holsters for various missions and modes of dress. I dont need to spend time introducing you to the SERPA holster from BLACKHAWK!. This polymer design took the police world by storm a few years ago and the folks in Norfolk havent looked back. As significant as the holster design was, equally important is the number of mounting options they have for their rigs. You can choose from standard belt loops, paddles, duty belt mounts, drop-leg tactical rigs and MOLLE compatible chest/vest plates. Up until recently you could unscrew the mount from your holster and install it to another, but that meant a lot of screw-driver work. It was easier to just have a duty belt rig and a separate chest or leg rig. Military personnel working around vehicles started moving their pistols up to their armor vests for operations, but wanted a belt model for low-threat, rear area wear. Over the last year or so BLACKHAWK! tasked the brainiacs in their engineering department to come up with a quick connect/disconnect device to pair with the existing SERPA holster system. Damn if they didnt do it again.
Less is always more and BLACKHAWK! proves it once again with this elegantly simple system.
ou can now rapidly move your holster from one he QD system has even more uses beyond your gun belt platform to another without ever having to touch a you can take a female adapter and attach it almost screwdriver. The QD system is made of the same highanywhere. A friend has one mounted to the underside strength polymer as the SERPA holsters and comes in of his bed frame. When hes on the road his wife puts a the same colors. A male adapter attaches to your holster and loaded pistol into it before she goes to bed in the morning female adapters mount to whichever SERPA platform you the pistol can go right back into the gun safe. And for CCW need. You can have a female adapter on your duty belt rig and permit holders, not all businesses allow you to carry in their another on your drop-leg platform. Or maybe attach one on business; the female adapter can be screwed into any conyour tactical vest and another on your belt. The combinations venient, secure location of your car everything should be are limitless how cool is that? this easy. Before you send in the hate mail, I know you would When I first looked at have your Glock 22 on you 24 hours the QD adapters I thought a day, but we dont live in a perfect they looked like the lockworld and sometimes we need to ing lugs on the bolt of an make practical compromises. AR. The lugs on the male I also understand from a tactical adapter are mated with aspect your pistol should be carried the lugs of the female on your body in the same place, in adapter. Rotate the holster the same manner. However, mission about ten degrees and the and mode of dress often dictate adapters lock together. otherwise. With the SERPA Quick The locking levers are Disconnect System you maintain 180 degrees away from commonality and consistency by each other and must both using the same holster regardless be depressed to unlock of location. In these financially difand remove the holster. ficult times the QD hardware from Ive been working with BLACKHAWK! gives you more the system for about a options and options are good. month, and changing from one platform to Looking like a dissected hockey puck, BLACKHAWK!s For more info: www.blackhawk.com another only takes a few SERPA QD System allows a mind-boggling array of seconds. mounting options.
SERPA QD System
Outside The Box
26
LOSE SIGHT FOR A SECOND AND YOURE OUT OF THE FIGHT

4 PM. STOLEN CAR. You need to see everything. The shine of a knife, the glint of a gun. You need to see their hands. Good thing your sunglasses arent just sunglasses. Theyre Revision Hellfly. Made by the leader in ballistic eyewear for the military worldwide. And Hellfly is made for you. High impact protection, state of the art optics, 100% UV and wraparound lenses to keep you covered on all sides. All under one ounce. So youre ready for the worst, ready with the best. Thats Revision Ready.
PROVEN UNDER FIRE*
Any situation can turn bad, quick Why take a chance with anything other than Revision. Its not worth the risk.
Federal Law Enforcement Officer
BE REVISION READY
www.revisioneyewear.com
M I S S I O N C R I T I C A L E Y E W E A R
*12 gauge shotgun, 1-1/8oz #7.5 lead shot, 1,148 ft/s velocity at 16 feet. 2008 REVISION EYEWEAR LTD. HELLFLY AND REVISION ARE TRADEMARKS OF REVISION EYEWEAR LTD, 7 CORPORATE DRIVE, ESSEX JUNCTION, VT 05452
RESERVES
PERRY W. HORNBARGER
DEDication and professionalism that goes beyond pay.
ave you ever been asked, Why do you volunteer to be a cop? My guess is hundreds of times. Quite frankly, Im not smart enough How about a nice, to come up with a definitive answer, steaming cup of but maybe you can. thank you. Ill issue a challenge here. One obvious reason is the excitement, but any other reason really depends upon your attitude.
Hows Your Attitude? H

Another cop asked me the same question years ago and the best answer I could come up with related to my attitude. I told him I had the best of both worlds I could come out and play, but if I got a bad attitude out there I could hang up my uniform for a week or two until my attitude changed. Unfortunately, he had to go back to work the next day. Now Ill be the first to admit Ive had plenty of those days when Ive hung up my uniform for a while because I needed an attitude adjustment. Aside from leaving for a few days,
A small breast pin set may be all it takes to say thank you to your reserves. Theyre doing that same dangerous job youre doing for free.
how can we prevent that bad attitude from rearing its ugly head? What can administrators do to help prevent it?
big, hefty 15-percent pay raise would be nice lets see, 15-percent of nothing is still nothing. Forget that idea. Ill go out on a limb here and say no matter who you are or what you do, you need to get the warm fuzzies once in a while in your job like you're making a positive difference in the organization. A little thank you from the occupants in the ivory tower can go a long way. You know what Im talking about a look you in the eyes and a firm handshake, thank you. The feeling of being appreciated can move someones self-esteem needle up a notch or two if they feel it was truly heartfelt. Something else that can accomplish the same thing is to present a small and inexpensive trinket occasionally. It may sound ridiculous, but what I mean by trinket is something like a department coffee mug, a department challenge coin, or some other show of appreciation. At the request of one of my chiefs, I once asked the members of my unit what the department could do for them to show their appreciation cost was, of course, a factor. I removed all the supervisors from the room and left just the officers to make a list. They gave me a list of over 100 things of insignificant
What Can Be Done?
Heres a small sampling of goodies you should have on hand to let your reserves know theyre appreciated. You cant afford to have their free labor dry up and blow away.
CHEAP BASTARDS
value, but something they said would be appreciated. I can relate because when I was working my regular job before retirement I was known as the trinket-meister. I kept a locker chock-full of department t-shirts, hats, belt buckles, lapel pins and other assorted stuff for the boss to pass out as he saw fit. truly proud to be the first kids on the block with the new toys. This is certainly not a revelation to anyone, but in todays economy we all need to do more with less. Recruiting, utilizing and retaining volunteers it may not be the answer, but it can sure be one a saving grace of your departments budget. Thinking outside the box can generate some great ideas, which can save money, increase productivity and keep your people smiling while theyre doing it. Its okay to throw us a bone every now and then, too.
rganization leaders can affect a persons attitude and morale tremendously especially when dealing with volunteers. They can help to promote a positive attitude for the members or they can destroy it. Many times Ive seen it destroyed by well-meaning administrators whove never volunteered for anything and dont know what motivates a volunteer. Theyre trained and conditioned to deal with employees who depend on this for a living and their mindset may be on things that dont concern volunteers.
An example of a low/no-cost way of boosting a volunteers attitude and morale was when our department issued the justpurchased ASP batons to all members. We had a scheduled training session for a baton refresher class and the department had just taken delivery of the new batons. The defensive tactics instructors and lesson plans were in place. The training officer made a decision to have us reserves trained on the new ASP rather than the old baton it didnt cost the department anything extra. In fact, it actually saved money and boosted the morale of my guys. They were
Perry W. Hornbarger is the Unit Commander of the Chestereld, VA Auxiliary Police Unit. He can be reached at hornbargerp@yahoo.com.
28
M&P45
TO UPHOLD. TO PROTECT. TO DEFEND.

THE LINE OF DUTY
TM
M&P340
M&P15
NASDAQ: SWHC
MADE IN THE U.S.A.
smith-wesson.com/mp
CARS AND CRASHES

Surviving In your mobile office.
SUZI HUNTINGTON
CrUisEr GEAr And Accident Investigation
ve seen it many times; a patrol cop is dispatched to a traffic collision and tries his best to find something more important to do. Why? Whats so darn scary about taking a collision report? Oh, and if its a hit-and-run, fleeing in terror is a viable option for the average beat cop. Having spent almost 17 of my more than 22-year career in Traffic Division, Ive seen patrols idea of a traffic investigation; from the good, the bad to the really ugly. The biggest reason reports are bad or ugly is because of a lack of five key factors. It doesnt help when you have Training Officers training baby officers how to investigate a traffic crash when even they dont have the basic skills to do it. A traffic collision report should be treated
A diagram like this takes all of ve minutes, at most, and it looks professional. Dont be lazy, take a few minutes to do it right.
From cheap to chic all you really need is a decent steel tape although the leather-bound nylon tape is pretty decadent.
exactly the same as any other crime report. Remember, the collision occurred because somebody violated the law okay, its usually an infraction but its a law just the same. If you remember youre gathering evidence just as you would for, say, a domestic violence case then youll understand the basic steps to properly document a collision. Note Im calling it a collision or crash not an accident. An accident is when a tree falls on your car, not when you drive it into something else.
My Very Own Crayons What The

ake accurate measurements of the street, the lanes, skid marks and area of impact. You have no idea the embarrassment you can face when you have to explain to an insurance company investigator, or during a civil deposition, why your measurements are off by ten or twelve Yup, I admit it I was a template geek. I loved to feet thats an entire car length because you color in grade school too. Templates are cheap and as you can see there are a lot to choose from. guessed at your measurements. Unless you know 100 percent of the time you take a three foot-long stride, I dont recommend using this method. Nobody can walk with a consistent stride length. This means maybe going to your local hardware store and spending a couple bucks on a 25' steel tape. Get it in some obnoxious color so your squad mates wont be tempted to borrow it. I had a lime-green one after losing a couple others. It shouldnt look like a 4-year old drew your diagram, either. The engineers who designed the roadways didnt free-hand their plans they actually used templates, and so should you. Templates are cheap at most uniform and equipment shops. They usually carry a couple of basic templates youll get plenty of use from to make your report look more professional. Write down statements. Dont just have a list of names and show whether they were a witness or an involved party. If you take the time to get their information, write down what they told you duh. It happens all the time. A person tells you one thing at the scene, but then when theyve had a chance to think about how they just screwed themselves, they will change their story. Most notably, their story will change for their insurance company and any possible court action. And dont just write down their statement read it back to them, rather paraphrase from the notes your taking make sure you are accurately recording their words. If you get called on the carpet later, you can say, I always read back my notes to the subject to ensure I understood what they were saying.
?
D
Heck Happened?
ont guess in your conclusions. Your report is supposed to be a documentation of the facts , not assumptions. Dont exceed your expertise by guessing, itll come back to bite you in the ass. If youre unsure of something, talk to your parties or witnesses again. Maybe you missed a small detail. If nothing else, ask for a traffic unit to swing by and help. I loved to help patrol officers figure out a crash. A few minutes of my time usually translated to much better reports from those officers in the future. It also took away a lot of their fear and apprehension. Keep in mind your collision report will not only be read by your sergeant. Attorneys, victims, insurance companies, juries and even federal agencies may get to look at your handiwork. There are all kinds of people who will be happy to tear apart your work. You can either submit it as a kindergarten finger-paint project or as a fine art masterpiece. You wouldnt try to race through most other crime investigations, so spend enough time with a collision investigation to prevent a mountain of problems and embarrassment in the future.
30
STREET LEvEL
JOHN MORRISON
STRAIGHT TALK ON SUPERvISION & LEAdERSHIP ON THE fRONT LINES THE STREETS.
MORALE BUILDING:
omewhere in the basement theres a cigar box containing military medals and commendations. The only mementos of that period on display in my home are the lone surviving photo of my best friend, killed on the DMZ in 1966, and a wooden boat paddle bearing a small plaque from 1st Recon, delivered thirty years late by a younger generation of warriors. Two boxes full of police awards are somewhere; Im not sure. Items displayed from that era are an Animal of the Year 1981 prize from my
NO PROGRAMS, PLEASE!
SWAT troops, and the Coveted Copper Turd Award, which brings smiles and is nobodys business but mine. Why? Sure, Im proud of both my military and LE service, but many of the ego sheets and gaudy gongs of those days amounted to awards for staying alive, unintentionally violating some laws of physics, and Because Everybody Else Got One trinkets. Im under whelmed by them, but worst are some awards given by high-ranking officials who really didnt know or understand what I did and didnt give a damn they were just tokens tossed in the name of morale building. According to a half-dozen of you readers, its still happening, and youve learned its actually bad for morale. I wrote about morale-building programs in the July-Aug 2007 issue maybe the editor will re-post it on the web site? explaining how morale-building programs work or dont work, and the elephant sex connection. FYI, elephant sex is any overly loud, seemingly meaningless activity, which involves ponderous, noisy thrashing at higher levels, and often results in small critters being trampled underfoot. Thats morale-building programs in a nutshell. Two of you said you routinely write up your officers extraordinary performance in fields like putting crooks in jail how quaint to courageous life-saving acts and theyre just as routinely shot down by figures higher in the food chain, who then turn around and decorate their little sycophant suck-ups for cleaning their plates and celebrating diversity. So, what can you do to give your people recognition?
With all those arrests last quarter, you must have worn out your old cuff key. Heres a new one for this quarter.
Admit it, you love bathroom humor. It doesnt get much better than this.
irst, recognize an honor doesnt have to come from an Ivory Tower to have great meaning in fact; baubles dropped from higher levels can be suspect. Never underestimate the chest-swelling, prideproducing power of the least impressivelooking honor its value established by its source, and magnified by the light of those who witness it being awarded. If youve done your job, that source is you. If youve built a good team, theyre the right audience. Try a few of these, which worked for me: Imagine this scene youre briefing your troops prior to putting them in the field. Concluding business, you advise, Ive just gone over our activity for the past quarter on second watch, and con32
Recognize Achievement
sidering the arrest figures Williams, Franklin, stand up please. Reaching into a shirt pocket, you produce two shiny-new handcuff keys. Seems to me you two may have worn yours out, and you could use new ones. Toss `em to the recipients, and start the handclapping yourself. Have someone standing by to grab a couple of photos of `em smiling, holding those cuff keys. Do not pose for stiff, bullshit presentation photos. Make sure prints get to the recipients, but dont make a big deal out of it. If you have a division bulletin board, post copies without comment. Word will get around. Dont overdo it, or you can sour the effect. Got a real hard-charger for the year?
Give them a nice ASP extended cuff key one of the cool ones with a medallion. For the officer or team who handled that screwed-up rape-homicide scene when there were no CSI techs available, big four-inch magnifying glasses run about nine bucks, worth
nine Gs of morale when accompanied by a brief personal note expressing your respect for their work.
Fun And Morale

Recognition doesnt have to revolve around notable successes, either. Remember, youre building cohesion as well as earned esteem. Good cops are never offended by immortalizing their memorable if not exemplary moments. In fact, theyre the ones who will laugh the loudest and enjoy it the most. Small like 6" tall figures may cost ten bucks, but again, the payoff is priceless. One of my favorites, commonly available, is a figure of Albert Einstein. I must have bought a dozen of these over time. Of course, Albert his feet glued to a paperboard base reading, NICE GOIN, EINSTEIN! is for your officer who repeatedly tried to kick in a door which opened outward, toward him and was unlocked anyway or any action which only demonstrated use of the first ten of his IQ points. Black-clad ninja action-figures are plentiful too. Theyre for your commando who scaled his way to the second story of a house with a burglar inside, crept out onto the flimsy aluminumframed plastic-sheeted greenhouse addition and fell through, destroying it. A Ninja, Youre NOT is a fitting tribute. A Hulk action figure is for the officer who, to his own surprise as well as yours, kicked the butts of six outlaw bikers who seriously screwed up when one said something about his mother. Get a Wonder Woman figure for your featherweight female who executed stick drill on the denizens of a dockyard bar who erred in thinking the police had sent a creampuff to shut the place down. On the first one I gave on my old squad it bore the note, When Julie was a kid she wore Wonder Woman pajamas. Now Wonder Woman wears Julie jammies. Youre our Wonder Woman! A plastic model of a police cruiser comes cheap, and all it takes is a hot knife or soldering iron to create collision damage. For $2.99, add a crumpled model light pole or railroad signal, whichever type your hero hammered. If one of your troops was rolling Emergency Code 8 and found the bathroom locked with disastrous results, check gag & novelty stores for a pack of Cork-It Anti-Diarrheal aids. The possibilities are endless. Just use your brain, heart and imagination. Good luck.
Dominate the
Darkness
TM
Tactical Illuminator
125+ Lumens Ambidextrous Rocker Switch or Long Gun Remote Constant or Momentary Operation
For More Information Visit Our Website: InsightTechGear.com Toll Free: 877-744-4802 33
GEAR HOGS
Suzi Huntington
Whats-What for COPS

5.11: 5.11 Tacticals Covert Casual Shirt looks like any ordinary casual shirt I see men wearing today. The difference is subtle, yet practical for concealed carry in several different formats. velcro elcro side vents allow for virtually any on-thewaist gun to remain hidden. But when you need it rip and the sides open for an easy draw. do o you use a shoulder holster? No problem. Rip open your shirtfront like Superman the buttons are actually snaps. The shirts are a sand-washed rayon/polyester blend with a UPf-40 -40 rating, have a moisture-wicking mesh lining and come in a variety of solid colors and three choices of plaid they look pretty cool. www.511tactical.com
Mantis Knives: This lightweight little gem the MT-2ti is part of their Class Act series. While it may not be something youd carry in uniform although I was known to carry some unusual knives in the field its a knife thatd be a nice option in plain-clothes assignments. The knife has a 3" black oxide coated, S30v steel blade with and overall length of 7". The slim lines of the knife boast a liner lock, anodized titanium liners giving purple highlights to an otherwise tactical black knife and carbon fiber scales. www.mantisknives.com
34
WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009 W
TA
Al Mar: Ive always admired the simple but oh-so-deadly designs of Al Mar knives and theyre as good as many handmade knives but are more affordable to you and me. The Payara is an excellent example of an ideal duty carry knife. It has a 4" blade made of vG-10 steel, with an overall length of 8.5" and weighs in at 6-ounces. There are ambidextrous thumb stud openers, a liner lock and the scales are textured G-10 with a stainless steel pocket clip. www.almarknives.com
E T G I
ops are gear-hogs absolutely. But lets take it a step further and say the best cops are gear-hogs, the guys and gals who shop with a keen eye for tools, equipment, training and more. Basically, anything that will help them do their jobs better and safer. Im not talking about Captain Gadget, the guy who always has the latest widget. You know him, the one who buys the newest cell phone, newest
G N
C
laptop, newest weird off-duty gun but its made out of ceramic! and newest battery-operated holster and the list goes on? The cops Im talking about buy solid, good things with reputations in the real world, things from companies with track records, products their peers recommend, proven performers or new things that make sense and answer needs. This is a large crosssection of things, but I felt it was important
TO
Benchmade: Benchmade is well known for quality knives for not a lot of money. Theyre now making an excellent emergency rescue tool called Houdini. This gizmo has a spring-loaded tempered glass window punch, a curved, blunt-end seatbelt cutter and an LEd flashlight all rolled into one small package. Clip it to your gear bag for easy storage and quick access. They also make a smaller version perfectly sized for your or your spouses keychain. Its okay to think of these tools outside Copworld. www. benchmade.com
EOTAC: Whats so special about over-sized denim jeans? Theyre EOTACs Operator Grade discreet denim Pant and theyre built just as tough as their tactical pants. Youll fit in with all the other dudes out there only youll know your dude-pants are holding your covert cop stuff. Theyre supercomfortable and all the pockets and pouches allow you to be a gear hog. Even sizes 28-48 inches for waist, 30-36 inch hems. www.eotac.com
you know about at least some stuff that works in the real world. Ill say right up front though: Theres lots more out there thats good and worthy of your attention, so shop around, feed your brain, then make your buying decision. Hopefully, what we have here will make you think a bit about what might help you out there. To help you sort through at least some of the stuff, weve tasked our
TOPS Knives: TOPS has a wicked new knife that can be carried almost anywhere you can think. Its called a Thumb Nail and is all of 3.25" long with a blade length of just 1" . It comes in a Kydex sheath with an attached snap ring and chain. The uses and carry options are endless. But dont be fooled by its cuteness I guarantee you can make good use of this little dynamo. www.topsknives.com
writers and readers to help select some of the best gear theyve come across. And the difference is we actually get it and play with it, or readers report on it, or we use it at a factory demo. Some are old school, some new and some, hard to classify but they do make sense. from f om fr uniforms to all the doo-dads we use every day, get ready for an eye-full. Think of it as the Ultimate Cop Goodie Guide.
Boker: The Boker Cop Tool was the brainchild of my husband, HisPublishership, Roy Huntington. After breaking the tip off several knives on-duty and needing more scraping capabilities, he thunk-up this cool tool all on his own. Originally made in custom-version by Wilson Tactical, Bokers very affordable version is made from 440C stainless steel with textured G-10 for the handle. Its 6" overall with a 1.75" blade. They cut, scrape, chisel and pry theyre veritable multitaskers. Stop abusing your knives and get the right tool. www.boker.de/us/
35
P TOO
Bates Boots: Bates delta-8 Side Zip boots have adjustable disk-thingies in the midsole allowing four different settings to control the amount of firmness and side stability stability. Just dial it in to suit your particular needs and the side zipper makes putting on and taking off your boots pretty darn easy. They cost about $120. www.batesfootwear.com
LS
Ridge Boots: Its the little things that matter. Ridge Air-Tac Plus boots are an upgrade from their Original Air-Tac boots. Whats changed? Some fine tuning like the boot is completely non-metallic, with leather and mesh nylon uppers, nylon eyelets, a composite shank and a new generation air outsole. www.ridgeoutdoors.com Bust A Cap: Weve all got one, and its either a Streamlight or a Mag-Lite. This nifty widget screws onto the end, replacing the end-cap and suddenly you have a tool allowing you to bust into auto glass, house glass or anything of the like. Theres often no time to dance around, you need in now, and Bust A Cap gets you in now. You dont even need training if you have a strong right arm. Why didnt we think of this sooner? www.bustacap.net
Timberland: And for those of you in the colder climates, Timberlands valley forge orge boot should do just fine. Its s made with a waterproof leather, Gortex membrane and Thinsulate insulation to help keep your feet warm and dry. The vibram ibram outsoles have grooves cut in them so you can attach crampons so you wont fall on your butt in the snow. Theyre around $190. www.timberland.com
Original S.W.A.T.: dont like high-top boots? Original S.W.A.T.s gotcha covered. Intended for the hut-hut crowd, these 5 Air Side Zip boots look more like cross-trainer athletic shoes. Theyre leather and nylon uppers have a side zipper for easy on/off and the outsole features an arch ladder tread to give extra traction during rope rappels. And, yes, they have air soles. www.originalswat.com
Magnum Boots: Waterproof. Not water resistant, waterproof. Magnum Boots uses Ion-mask technology on their Elite force rce series. This technology makes these boots pretty much kootie-proof water, chemicals, liquids and blood simply bead up and run off keeping your tootsies safe. doesnt esnt work on stinky, athletes foot, sorry. www. magnumboots.com
Revision Eyewear: All cops wear glasses at least sunglasses and the cool factor has to be pretty high. Safety should be up there too, and you can get the best of both worlds with Revision Eyewears military grade Sawfly-TX Eyewear System. When you have to wear eye protection and a communications headset, these are the glasses to use. Revision offers them in two different lens designs, one allows more airflow around it to combat fogging and the other with greater lateral coverage for added protection. They have interchangeable lenses (clear and smoke) and are prescription ready all for around $100. www. revisioneyewear.com
SureFire: Tired of tactical black? With Surefires new silver E1B Backup light you can collect the whole set. Its every bit as cool as the original 80 lumens with the first click on and five lumens for up to 37 hours with a quick off/on click. Only difference is, its coming from a hardanodized silver body. There you go. www.surere.com
36
Boyt Rie Case: Yeah, I know, another black zippered rifle case. But wait, theres more! The military YKK zippers and self-healing system makes the openclose part bullet-proof. Adjustable interior straps allow you to customize it to fit your zillion-dollar AR rifle, and mag pouches, padded compartments, an adjustable shoulder strap, metal loops to turn it into a drag bag and get this a lifetime warranty, make the Boyt case something different. You can get it in 26", 36" and 41" lengths. www.boytharness.com
Wiley X: To help you protect your hands Wiley X noted for their protective eyewear enters the combat glove market with the Hybrid Glove. Made of a Nomex/Kevlar material, theyre flame- and cut-resistant. They also have a cool removable injection molded knuckle protector, made to protect your hand against impact or abrasion. If youre a knuckle-dragger, just leave the knuckle-thingies in place, youll need em. You can have a pair for around $130. www.wileyx.com
BLACKHAWK!: Too bad the Spartans didnt have these lights, they coulda really kicked some serious butt. Oh, wait, they did. BLACKHAWK! kicked their own Gladius gluteus with their mo-betta Gladius Maximis. They gave it 120 lumens versus 90 and still with a run time of about 90 minutes for the same price around $250. www.blackhawk.com
Crimson Trace ForeGrip: Times change and lasers have become part-and-parcel of many officers daily kit. Crimson Traces new vertical foregrip for AR platforms (or anything you can put it on) extends the concept. Called the MvG-515, it mounts to any Picatinny rail and gives the user a white light (adjustable for a wide range of modes) and a laser aimer all at the touch of a finger. If you like this sort of thing, well, heres a pretty darn good one. www.crimsontrace.com
QuiqLitePro: Holding a full-sized flashlight under your arm while writing tickets is a real drag. QuiqLitePro lets you cheat. Simply put this gizmo in your shirt pocket and youve got the perfect ticket light. It also has a strobe function making you more visible at scenes so the village idiot doesnt run you over. Theyre only about $25, keep one in your car too. www.quiqlite.com
ASP Colored Cuffs: Okay, so you may wonder, why? Heres why: some agencies (especially corrections) use color-coded cuffs to keep prisoners sorted out. Blue might mean enroute to court while yellow might mean enroute to the hospital and other colors like orange, black and even pink might mean, um, uh other things. Even if youre a beat cop, maybe a set of colored cuffs might set your prisoner apart from the pack? www.asp-net.com
Maxpedition: You need a gear bag for all this new stuff and who better to make one than Maxpedition. Theyre fliegerduffels a perfect grab-n-go bag made from a super tough, water and abrasion resistant ballistic nylon. It has nylon buckles for quiet clicks and too many other well thought-out features to list. its so over-built, your kids cant tear it apart. My slightly larger doppelduffel went on African safari last year, these bags are great. Its yours for about $160. www.maxpedition.com
Colt Grip Laser: LaserMaxs take on the grip laser for an AR platform got the attention of Colt (yeah, that Colt), and offers some interesting ideas. Not only is there a laser adjustable from a pulsating beam to a steady beam, but theres also a navigation LE LEd light included, available in white, red or blue depending upon your needs. Made of 30-percent glass-filled v ve verton, rton, the Colt Grip Laser (CGL) can withstand being run over by your SU SUv, but dont do it, especially if youre still holding onto it. It runs on AA batteries so thats pretty handy. www.lasermax.com
Quick Strips: Plastic stips holding six rounds of .38/.357 have been around for decades, but bigbore sixgun aficionados have always wished for something holding six rounds of .44/.45 ammo and Tuff Products have come to the rescue. Now available in models from .38/.357 and .44/.45 to .500/.460, these tough strips make sure you have that spare ammo we all carry (right?) easy to manage and at-hand. Well done, Tuff Products! www.tuffproducts.com
Streamlight Super Tac: When is a light not like another light? When its the Super Tac. We have to say, this is one stunning light for any patrol cop out there. It reaches out waaay out with a focused beam and lets you see far down those dark and dangerous alleys. Its solid state, fits Streamlights weapon-mounts, uses standard lithium batteries and can run up to 3.5 hours at 10-percent mode. This is one kick-butt light and we liked it lots. www.streamlight.com
Hinderer Extreme Duty Pen: Whod have ever thought wed be calling our pens weapons? But, in todays world you need to take every advantage you can get and in anybodys book, this is another advantage. Using CAd/CAM CNC technology, Rick (a custom knife maker and fire fighter) has created a rock-solid ultimate back-up weapon for cops. Traction grooves and a general overbuilt toughness (think: Russian T-34 tank here), means this modular-capable tool can not only write citations it might just save your skin too. It even uses Space Pen refills so you can write underwater. Hows that again? www.rickhindererknives.com
38 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM W WW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009
Spyderco: The blade shape of Spydercos Rock Lobster is what caught our eye and once in the hand, proved its worth. With a blade shaped a bit like an old-school sailing or marine knife, the tough, blunted point cuts like gangbusters, yet wont poke you or anything else unless you want it to. Rugged G-10 scales, a 3.75" blade, a clip allowing blade-up or blade-down carry and a weight of only 4.1 ounces makes the Lobster duty-ready. www.spyderco.com
Mitch Rosen: His company is actually called Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather for a reason its, um, well extraordinary. Were not so concerned which holster you buy (from anyone) as we are that you get the best quality you can afford. And if youre going the leather route, it simply doesnt get any better than Mitchs stuff. And while youre at it make sure you buy a decent belt. Im tired of seeing detectives tugging up sagging pants because their $5 K-Mart belt wont hold up that two-pound SIG. Mitchs Express Line (illustrated) is surprisingly affordable. www.mitchrosen.com Rite In The Rain: Weve all been there and we all hate it. Pouring rain, sleet or whatever and there you are doing a field interview on some dirtbag. Your pen is skipping, paper melting in your hands and your temper getting shorter. Rite In The Rains line of pocket notebooks and field interrogation pads solve these problems. With one of their write just about anywhere up to 250 degrees hot pens, you can shrug off the downpour and document the crash scene, or Mr. Ima Criminals life history. This makes good sense. www.riteintherain.com
Perfection Uniforms: Weve included the Matrix duty pants from Perfection to remind you these really are the good old days of uniform design and performance. Their rugged duty wear features stunning design features we only dreamed about even five years ago. High Performance can really be aimed at a duty uniform now, not just hi-tech gear and guns. Be smart before you buy and/or make sure to convince your agency to up-grade to something modern like this gear from Perfection. Being comfortable and safer in the field is what its all about. www.perfectionuniforms.com
Safariland: Today, its all about tactical but for good reasons. Taking advantage of modern design is smart for any cop, and Safarilands Model 6355 ALS Tactical Holster is secure, made of thermal-molded SAfARI-LAMINATE SAfA f RI-LAMINATE and lined with Safari-Suede. fA The adjustable double leg strap and nifty quick-release leg harness make it versatile and practical. www.safariland.com
Blauer: Talk about old-school, your grandfather probably wore Blauer on patrol, but these are not the old days and with like so many things, technology has also updated the uniforms we wear. Check out this outerwear from Blauer. If youre on bike patrol, or just about any field unit, the new generation of well-fitting rain and cold weather gear means youre more comfortable and look good while you do your job. Baggy is out, tailored and high-performance is in. Blauer offers an entire line of duty uniform gear. www.blauer.com
39
Okay, maybe I was getting chewed out but hell think twice before trying that again. I got these out like greased lightning.
HINdI DUTy BELT SysTEM
ARE YOU DUTyBob Hindi - poser! Just kidding, Bobs the real deal.
ack in the 1980s when I first got into police work, they said never wear any equipment in the center back of your duty belt if you fell, you could break your back. They also said handcuffs should be worn in front so they were easily available with either hand. And coming from a concealed carry background, I knew spare magazines should be worn on the off side and available to both hands. These three nuggets were the basis of how I set up my duty belt over the years. I thought Id done pretty well, especially in comparison to some of the goofy stuff Ive seen. I still see it today, cuffs worn over the lumbar spine, mags set up so theyre only accessible to one hand, do-dads worn directly behind the gun in a way thats just begging to foul a draw, cell phones clipped to mag case flaps, etc. Its a cop version of a geeky guy wearing too-short checkered pants, of a color not found in nature, hiked up to his nipples, black socks, and a short-sleeve shirt with a pocket protector. Assuming youre one of the ten-percenters, chances are your duty belt is set up intelligently.
Mine is. In fact, if someone told me there was one best way to set it up, the F-word, fascism (what word were you thinking?) would come to mind. I know of certain unnamed agencies that required their troopers to set up their gun belts exactly the same. Even left-handed officers had to wear their gun on their right side. How stupid was that?
Vegas - Not Just For Hedons

Which brings me to Bob Hindi. Bobs a veteran of the Las Vegas Metro Police with over 19 years serving in patrol, canine, and other assignments. You know his name from the Hindi Baton Cap. Dang, why didnt I think of that? Its because I didnt have the energy to come up with the concept, then do detailed engineering designs to retrofit it to various manufacturers batons, patent it, sell it to the manufacturers, and tirelessly promote it. Im tired just writing all that. Bob, on the other hand, has a small nuke plant where you and I have an abdominal cavity, some bigger than others. This small invention along with Bobs baton classes through Calibre
40
Heres how Bob Hindis set up his duty belt. Pay close attention to the forward rake on his baton holster thats how hes able to be wicked-fast drawing it.
No, Im not getting chew ed out by my sergeant . Im demon double-dr strating a aw of my baton and OC.
-READY?
Press kept a steady stream of cops asking him, where should my other equipment be placed if I move my baton to the crossdraw position and angle that you advocate? Several years, and many tactical and scientific perspectives, later, Bob figured it out. Aside from obvious sa fety concerns, he wanted to avoid repetitive-stress and joint and spinal injuries. Welcome the Hindi Duty Belt S.A.F.E.T.Y. System. Youll never look at an officers duty belt the same way after you understand this system, Bob told me. Its not just the placement of the equipment on the belt, its the angulation of the equipment on it, too. Could anything as simple as how you carry stuff on your belt really be that important? Does the placement of equipment and controls in an airplane cockpit, or on the dash of a cruiser, or on a firearm make a difference? Well, duh,
RALPH MROZ
Grabbing m y TA my weak/of SER cavalr y-style with f hand is a breeze. And theres abso lutely no co nfusing it w my gun, its ith on the oppo site side.
heck yeah. Stay with me now. Think about why we carry all this stuff on our belts to save our bacon. Sound important? The flip side of these analogies is true, too. Equipment placement in a cockpit, car or gun isnt important until a crisis occurs; and gear placement on your belt wont be important until you need the right tool, or combination of tools, right now,in the middle of a serious fight. As Bob says, If youre not willing to test, evaluate and challenge your own duty belts setup effectiveness, therell come a time when a suspect will. Sage words there.
Mr. DeMille, heres my cl ose-up. Im modeling m y recongu red duty be Note all tim lt. e-critical tool s are forwar of my skinny d , little hips. The radio m is threaded ic through my sh ir t buttons on purpose. Its safer th an turning my head to talk to my sh oulder, and when the g ht goes to th e ground it s still accessab le.
Who Gives A Crap?

The S.A.F.E.T.Y. system is centered on two fundamental principles. All life-critical equipment
Continued on page 64
Does this m ake my butt Okay, in al look big? l seriousnes s, ke ment of f yo ur spine area ep equip, except for soft stuf f lik e this glove pouch.
41
Springfields New
The M Is For More
Clint & Heidi Smith
( )
XD(M)s are assembled with the slide, barrel and frame all bearing the same serial number.
m a staunch defender of the concept of not fixing things that are not broken. Often when we get a good product, the company staff or some marketing guy comes up with the bright idea to change something and in my opinion most often the change isnt all that good of an idea. It is a different Heres the test XD(M) .40 in full recoil very manageable. idea, but it isnt always better. Clint liked these guns a great deal. Like all things in life there are exceptions. During the era of the American muscle car Chevrolet no problems and not so much as a hiccup during the whole made the Chevelle, and it was a pretty cool car but then they process. When the Springfield Armory people decided to add a made a change to the Chevelle to include the 454 Super Sport version of the pistol with a thumb safety to the existing product version. When that change was made the Chevelle SS a.k.a. line in all candor it didnt do anything for me. But in fairness Super Sport was really a very special car, or at least it was in it does for Springfield Armory, allowing them to address a segthat time of when a gallon of gas was thirty-two cents. ment of the market place wanting a safety.
The XD
I like the Springfield XD and have been a strong supporter of the pistol since its .45-caliber 5" barrel introduction. Ive shot thousands of rounds through the three XDs I own with
42
A Change?
Im generally not excited about new pistols because most of the time they are not really new and they often dont really work. I especially dont like little pistols because they almost
The modular grip inserts allow adjustment to t man hand sizes.
Even Heidis Munchkin-sized paws were able to run the XD(M) ne.
never work. That said, swearing sort of to an oath of silence I said I would look at the new pistol. When I got the special pistol I opened the box and the first thought through my mind was of the Chevelle and the Chevelle Super Sport gig. The new XD(M) was, in my minds eye, a morphing of the tank-tough utilitarian XD into a more refined, stylized and very slicked up pistol sort of a Super Sport XD. After the initial SA call I talked to wife Heidi about the new pistol concept and she was curious to the point of Well, what could they do to improve it if it is the XD or like the XD? I told her I thought, About the only thing I can think of is some modular thing or something.
Slide
Theyve taken the straight mechanical lines of the slide and angled them from the rails upward and inboard, actually tapering the slide. The sights can be whatever configuration the shooter might select. My test version has the new Springfield designed sights which are a three-dot system having a very low profile with a leading forward edge that may be helpful for one-hand injury-type applications to grab and run the slide. The slide has systems-check cuts milled front and rear on the sides. The XD(M) retains the XDs loaded chamber indicator lever and my perception is there is more of a cut on the barrel allowing you to see a small sliver of brass from
a cartridge in place in the chamber. The placement when applied. The slide-lock cocked indicator is still at the back of does not appear to protrude more than the slide confirming visually the pistol is the original XD, which is good. rst-class and have a there van cocked, and with the touch of a fingertipIf youre Thegoing ambi-magazine release is still curtain, here go.its Ladies, on the exposed cocked pin, also showingwith in a the XD(M)well, and like in you the XD, a solare paying attention? the state of affairs. Both the cocked pin id set up.you I think the frame on the XD(M) and the chamber indicator of the XD(M) has been dished-out on both sides above remain consistent with the XD. I would the magazine release and forward towards not bet my life on the status of the pistol the trigger. This would for better access to with those two pieces of gear and would the trigger for the small-hands and shortalways check by eye or touch to make finger crowd. The frame still has the light sure a cartridge is actually chambered. rail for weapon-mounted lights if required and my personal favorite thing the grip safety is in place. Frame Now for the really cool stuff. The Several excellent changes have oc- grip forward has been changed with the curred here. The disassembly lever molding being carried at least half way has had the sharp square rear edge rearward on both sides making for a removed that constantly gouged my much more positive grip for both hands. left thumb when firing. The new le- The big money is in the fact the back ver is rounded and tapered toward the strap is now modular and Springfield has rear, so I think somebody else besides done a great job of making a small pistol me got whacked by the thing. The even smaller! The new system reduces XD(M)s side-lock has been the size substantially, but not the round shaped into a downcount as the XD(M) holds 16 rounds of ward curve at each .40, plus one in the spout. end making for a No one I know of has smaller more positive hands than Heidi and she took to the new XD(M) set up with the smallest back strap inserted, like the proverbial duck-water thing.
Inside The Slide

The big issue here is the placement of a
Also available in a twotone, all versions maintain the light-rail feature.
43
What Your Mama Never Told You

Mark Garritys zoot-deluxe In-Cognito IWB exquisite materials and workmanship. Ooh-la-la. The Bianchi #6 is great for off-body carry and more than ready for that out-of-body moment.
Galcos Miami Classic: meant to be worn high and tight like a classic military haircut.
The dBHC, for when you cant or dont want to carry a gun. Heck, you can carry your light plus your gun. How cool is that? 44
FISTs K1 shown with a Wilderness Tactical Frequent Flyer belt. See how the belt loops are nice and snug to the belt no sloppy mess here. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009
The Cops Guide To
Concealed Carry Holsters M

Check out how the Fobus Evolution 2 paddle holster truly highlights Ralphs rusty S&W M&P.
Ralph Mroz
SuperFly. No, not the D-list movie from 1972, this is the A-list pocket holster from DeSantis. Try it, you might like it.
Ive used, and its secure too. Its quite an accomplishment to get both speed and security in one holster.
Inside-The-Waistband Holster
IWBs are the redheaded stepchildren of holsters you either love em or hate em and I love the In-Cognito from Mark Garrity. The enemy of IWBs is bulk, but the In-Cognito is the most comfortable and least bulky IWB Ive worn. The gun rides low and snug, but draws very easily. Its one of the first of its type with small wings fore and aft of the holster body to which the belt loops attach. The standard In-Cognito has a Kydex-reinforced mouth band. The zoot-deluxe version has features not found elsewhere: smooth kangaroo lining, a thin suede backing to reduce shifting and prevent it
LE MAS HANDGUN AMMO

Typical fragmentation in PG test media by LM bullets.
Extremity entry wound with LM .40 S&W CQB cartridge. Tearing is extreme and much more than with standard ammo.
Students attempt to keep a test animal alive during the golden hour but found due to massive trauma it was virtually impossible.
Removing the skin revealed a substantial wound with the .40 LM CQB round.
ecently, it came to my attention the highly respected Coral Gables, Florida police department has, after extensive study and research adopted light weight, high velocity Le Mas SPLP/SRAP (Law Enforcement Military Ammunition Special Purpose Limited Penetration/ Short Range Armor Penetrating) ammunition. The adoption applies across their small arms spectrum for its issue pistols and rifles. After reading their study and examining subsequent positive reports by medical professionals, at the request of American Cop magazine, I attended a live fire medical training demonstration involving this unconventional ammunition.
Sobering Demonstrations
The demonstration was conducted at DARC training facility (Direct Action Resource Center) near Little Rock, Arkansas and involved military medical personnel training to treat and save battlefield casualties during the Golden Hour. The DARC advanced combat emergency medical training program includes the use of anesthetized animals under the care of a licensed veterinarian according to US government protocols. The animals were alive, but felt no pain or discomfort. In addition to thoracic and extremity gunshot wounds, the animals were exposed to other typical tactical traumas that Coalition Forces were experiencing in the two current theaters of conflict. Young men and women responded immediately and worked feverously by employing field or Ditch medical techniques. They made every attempt to stabilize, treat and sustain their patients for transport to advanced medical care facilities. However, when Le Mas (LM) handgun ammunitions inflicted wounds
Note the massive internal wound cavity from the .40 CQB in the extremity wound.
46
Bob Pilgrim P
After penetrating " steel plate, LM .45 ACP CQB-4 blew the 35-pound block of PG media off the table.
to either the thorax or an extremity, their valiant efforts proved futile.
Professional Observations
Noted Trauma Surgeon, Sydney Vail, MD stated from previous observations of LM and its interaction with living tissue, From a trauma surgical standpoint I expect to see nice round holes through living tissue from any currently available law enforcement, jacketed hollow point ammunition. LM ammunition creates a completely different wounding pattern that increases potential incapacitation with respect to either thoracic cavity or appendage impacts. Unlike conventional JHP ammunition, the LM AP (Armor Penetrating) bullet designs greatly increase probability for incapacitation from a shoulder or extremity wound due to the greatly increased internal tissue damage that would render the limb useless in terms of normal neuromuscular and/or vascular function. The LM wounds were devastating in that it appeared that a high powered fragmenting rifle round was used when in fact it was a handgun round that caused the injury. Large temporary wound cavity injuries were noted similar to wounds demonstrated with high powered
Thoracic entry wound by LM .45 ACP CQB-4 after defeating level IIIA armor.
rifle rounds that were not accurately predicted from conducted impacts into 10-percent calibrated ballistic gelatin tissue simulate. Doctor Harry Bryant DVM, the veterinarian on duty had been involved in this type of tactical medical training for five years and advised, With respect to the performance of LM, there is so much tissue and major organ destruction, that frequently surgeons cannot go upstream far enough to locate an artery or vein to clamp off to quell the bleeding. Concussive shrapnel simply macerates tissue from bullet fragmentations. Some wounds are so cavernous that multiple rolls of field dressings cannot sufficiently pack the wound to staunch blood flow.
The Protocols
For comparison, Corbon DPX and Speer Gold Dot and LM CQB 9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP 4 ammunitions were fired side by side into hard and soft armor, Perma Gel (PG) media and anesthetized live tissue. All of the LM rounds penetrated both hard and soft 3A armor while the conventional ammunitions did not. In
addition, LM .45 ACP CQB 4 bullets penetrated .25" inch T-304 stainless steel. With 3A body armor shielding PG, LM .45 ACP 4 defeated the vest and traveled another 14.8" in the PG media. In comparison, Corbon DPX expanded nicely and penetrated 15.4" in an unshielded, bare PG block. The anesthetized porcine animals were shot lying on their sides, approximately three feet from the muzzle. Whether it was a thoracic or appendage shot, all LM rounds stayed within the hogs, but both the .45 ACP Corbon DPX and .40 S&W Gold Dot ammunitions over-penetrated, produced through-and-through wounds and were not recovered. When soft body armor was draped over a hog and engaged with LM .45 ACP 4, the armor was readily defeated and the round produced a large penetrating wound, fragmented internally and destroyed tissue and organs in its typical vicious fashion.
X- Ray Data
After the animals were completely examined by medical personnel and declared clinically dead, digital x-rays were performed to document LM performance. Furthermore, necropsies were conducted to clinically examine tissue destruction and attempt to trace bullet paths. These examinations were accomplished to determine if LM Blended Metal Technologies projectiles actually fragmented in warm, living tissue.
47
Note the steel plug from the plate that was penetrated prior to the bullet entering the gel. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM
The x-rays unequivocally show that LM projectiles do in fact lose their integrity and produce multiple permanent wound tracks in living tissue. Here we now have small arms ammunitions that will bust 3A armor, penetrate hard barriers, but at the same time not slice through tissue and threaten the community we are sworn to protect. The duty ammunition carried by armed professionals, be they law enforcement or military is based in large part on bullet comparison tests in a universally accepted test media. Although American ballisticians claim that 10-percent Kind and Knox ballistic gelatin simulates living tissue, none of the homogeneous test media currently in use accurately replicates living human tissue, because the latter is not consistent in its composition. Bone, cartilage, connective tissue and organs of varying densities will react differently to invasive, high velocity projectiles and produce different results in bullet penetration and deformation. The best that we can hope for in gelatin, wet newspapers, clay, soap, water or Perma Gel is to compare one bullet with anothers performance in that media.
New Test Media

Perma Gel (PG) resembles gelatin, but does not meet the FBIs criteria of 2.95"3.74" of .177 caliber pellet penetration at 600 fps into 10-percent Kind and Knox 250A-gelatin. Gelatin must be shot within 20 minutes of being removed from a refrigerator where it had been stored at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is shot cold. Conversely, living tissue is warm to hot. PGs main advantage is that it does not have to remain refrigerated prior to use and does not deteriorate at temperatures above 75 degrees. It will take multiple hits without affecting bullet comparisons and can be reconstituted by heating it to 225 degrees F.
Criticisms & Condemnation

One of the major criticisms directed at LM ammunition is not penetration in depth in 10-percent ballistic gelatin, but that it does not deploy (expand) or fragment in that media. It has also been consistently observed that at systemic temperatures below that off the human body or living animals the round punches through like full metal jacket projectiles. This failure to perform in the standard, bloodless methods (10-percent gelatin in USA and 20-percent gelatin in Europe) currently relied upon to measure terminal ballistic performance have caused a few respected ballisticians to heatedly reject this ammunition and virtually call LMs principles charlatans.
New Paradigm
A digital X-Ray machine was used to take pictures of bullets fragments. Here its used on a thoracic shot. 48
However, LM principles claim their ammunitions performance represents a New paradigm in ballistic performance
and these standard methods of assessment do not apply to their Blended Metal Technologies/Special Purpose Limited Penetration non comparable bullet designs. It is interesting to note that when the PG block sat in the Sun and the outside temperature reached 85 degrees, LM ammunition fragmented. However, earlier in the morning when air temperature lingered at 65 degrees, there was deep penetration and no fragmentation. Furthermore, 3A body armor draped over PG resulted in defeat of the armor and penetration, but no fragmentation. However, when protecting a large anaesthetized sow, considerable fragmentation in its body occurred. A Glock 34, 9mm pistol, propelled a 60-grain LM bullet to 2,028 fps and a Springfield Armory XD sub compact drove the same bullet at 1,782 fps. The 77-grain LM.40 S&W performed admirably. It zipped out of an SA XD Tactical at 2,064 fps and penetrated deeply into the PG block after defeating 3A soft armor. Body armor actually appears to enhance LM penetration in PG. A G35 with a 5" KKM barrel pushed the round to 2,047 fps and 12" into PG. An HK Compact punched out the LM at a respectable 1,938 fps. LMs 85-grain .45 ACP CQB 4 is the lines performance champ, especially in a carbine or SMG. The big bore easily eclipses the M 855 NATO rounds muzzle energy and living tissue destruction without the over-penetration often experienced with the M 855 5.56 round. The HK UMP SMG, with 10.5" barrel pumps the big bore out at 2,604 fps and punches through " T304 stainless steel like it isnt there. A loss of 150 to 250 fps will occur with 4" to 6" pistol barrels.
Conclusions
It appears LM has made a quantum leap in small arms ammunition and the future is here now. Its imperative this advance in ballistic lethality remains in this countrys arsenal. Regardless of established testing protocols, I have witnessed LMs ammunitions defeat aluminum armor plate, steel plate, soft body armor and literally explode in living animal tissue without creating through-and-through wounds. Within its operational envelope, it will literally transform the pistol into a short-range rifle and save countless lives that encounter close quarter threats.
For more info: Le Mas Ltd., (509) 9514968, VMOMAX@LeMasLtd.com, (501) 960-5487, VNE@LeMasLtd.com; Perma Gel, Inc, 3227 Countryman Circle NW, Albany, OR 97321, (541) 926-2885, info@ usalco-solutions.com; Direct Action Resource Center, 2402 Wildwood Ave. Suite 600, Sherwood, AK 72120, (501) 9550007, inforequest@DARC1.com
RETURN FIRE
Continued from page 12
politan department, nor am I a small town police chief nor do I play either role on television. Regardless, Im not sure what those last two titles have to do with the subject of professional courtesy. Ive seen officers in bordering jurisdictions have their ticket wars and I agree whole-heartedly with Chief Grannis this is indeed the height of unprofessionalism. In his letter, Chief Grannis says, Your brothers do not deserve more than any other citizen. Well chief, sometimes they do, and sometimes they dont. Unfortunately, its not as black and white as you want to make it. Sometimes they do deserve more theyre the guys who, like me, put it on the line, by choice, to make our community safer. Theyre the ones wholl be bailing me out someday when I need help. Ive spent more time with my brother officers than I have my wife. Ive shared things with them I would never share with her. The relationship of two officers partnered together is in many ways, closer than a marriage. Id expect a man with your experience to understand that. On the other hand, no, they dont deserve more because I dont look upon my citizens as average. These are the people who give me the authority and theyre the same people who can
take it away so how do I balance this? Its so simple I overlooked it for years, but a wise old veteran lawman shared it with me. The easiest way for me to do my job is to cut my citizens a break from time to time. Over the last three decades, Ive stopped doctors, lawyers, firemen, insurance salesmen, dairy farmers, and yes policemen for speeding. Did anyone of any specific occupation always get a break? No, they did not. Some got tickets, and others got warnings, and my decisions had nothing to do with their occupation. If I can give a written or verbal warning to citizens in my jurisdiction from other walks of life, I can do the same for my brother officers. And yes, it is that simple at least to me. Sergeant Jonathan Hutson Stephenville, TX I gotta say, Chief Grannis, Ive yet to receive even one letter in support of your views. Looks like youre safe to drive through most other jurisdictions just like anybody else. SH
AMERIcAN COP TM welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit all published letters for clarity and length. Due to the volume of mail, we are unable to individually answer your letters or e-mail. In sending a letter to American COP, you agree to provide Publishers Development Corp. such copyright as is required for publishing and redistributing the contents of your letter in any format. Send your letters to Return Fire, American COP, 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128; www.americancopmagazine.com; e-mail: ed@americancopmagazine.com.
52
New! 24-7 RIP-STOP UNIFORM SHIRT, LS or SS
Looking for duty apparel thats functional, comfortable and rugged? Tru-Specs 24-7 Series is the perfect choice on-duty or off. With a choice of two durable, super comfortable, easy care fabrics these multi-function garments have just the right attitude even under the toughest conditions.
65/35 Poly Cotton Rip-Stop The Smart Duty Shirt for the 21st Century
24-7 PANTS
100% Cotton or 65/35 Poly Cotton Rip-Stop Mens and Womens sizes Better Style, Better Fit, Better Features
New! 24-7 JUMPSUIT

65/35 Poly Cotton Rip-Stop Self Stores In Its Own Compact, Built-In Bag
New! 24-7 COTTON FIELD SHIRT, LS or SS

100% Cotton Its Real Business Casual, 24-7
New! 24-7 POLO SHIRT,

LS or SS 40% Polyester Pique/60% Combed Cotton Wicks Moisture with Features for Active Cops
New! 24-7 RIP-STOP VEST

65/35 Poly Cotton Rip-Stop Full Function Cover-Up Any Time, Any Place
New! 24-7 SHORTS

100% Cotton or 65/35 Poly Cotton Rip-Stop Cool Enough for Work or Play
www.truspec.com
1125 Hayes Industrial Dr. Marietta, GA 30062 Ph: 770.427.1334 Fx: 770.427.9011 Toll Free: 1.800.241.9414
LEAA
TEd dEEdS
THE LAW ENfORCEMENT ALLIANCE Of AMERICA.
aw enforcement, probably more than any other profession, knows this one truth evil exists. Whether that evil is crashing planes with thousands dead, or the death of one little child, cops see evil on a more personal basis than almost anyone else save victims. The only proven, effective way of stopping murderous evil is violent action. Theres a valuable group guardians who will voluntarily put themselves between evildoers and their victims, between the wolves and the sheep. These guardians are, for lack of a better description often called sheepdogs. Whether a cop,
EVIL EXISTS i 6 L
5 3 27
THINK ON THIS:
service member, firefighter or civilian, there is something very special about the heart of the person who goes toward danger, literally into harms way to try and help. At a high school in Pearl, Mississippi, evil showed up ready to kill again. A faculty member grabbed his gun and held the killer at gunpoint. Without firing a shot, this sheepdog kept the death count down to two. The killers next planned stop was a nearby junior high school to kill even more. A would-be murder spree at a middle school dance in Edinboro, Pennsylvania with 240 children present was thwarted when a restau-
rant owner grabbed his shotgun and swiftly acted, stopping the attack and forcing the killer to surrender. This killing spree was stopped at one. In the mass murder that never happened at Santana High School in Santee, California, evil was confronted and stopped early on in the attack. A parent at the school an off-duty San Diego Police officer reacted to the emerging threat with his gun, keeping the death toll down to two. Appalachia Law School, evil killed again. Two sheepdogs civilian gun owners went into the jaws of the attack and stopped it cold without firing a shot. The death toll kept at two.
Contrasts
11 casualties at the Amish school in Pennsylvania. This adult incarnation of evil methodically killed little girls. 24 casualties at the Northern Illinois University attack. 39 casualties at the Columbine school incident no sheepdogs. 55 casualties at the murder spree at Virginia Tech another gun-free zone. 13 casualties at the Westroads Mall by a fame-seeking killer who wanted to go out in style. Unchallenged, this killer moved through the mall laying waste at will! 45 casualties at the Lubys restaurant massacre in Texas a would-be sheepdog didnt have her gun with her (back then it was illegal in Texas). A cretin killed during an Illinois church service when he took the ministers life. Illinois is one of only two states left still prohibiting concealed carry permits for a verage law abiding citizens.
Zero dead, six injured at the Tacoma Mall shooting spree. One armed civilian (there may have been a second) took action to stop the evildoer who told police to follow the screams. A killers spree was derailed when an off-duty officer who had his gun and the courage to use it went into harms way at Trolley Square Mall in Utah. Tragically, five innocents were killed. Taking his attack into a posted gun-free zone, this predator was stopped from killing many more by an armed sheepdog. An armed female civilian sheepdog saved lives when she confronted evil and shot him at the New Life Church in Colorado. Need more examples? Recently a workplace attack in Houston, Texas was thwarted with only one injury. The would-be killer was confronted by two employees with guns and permits to carry them. They gave the attacker something else to worry about incoming rounds. Remember 9/11? Inside a self-defense-free zone airplanes the terrorists, armed with box cutters, seized planes they then used to kill thousands. Back then cockpits were gun-free. After 9/11 we tragically learned this policy made the situation more dangerous for everyone except the bad guys.
CONTRAST WITH:
uns are not the problem ineffective laws are. Our laws are targeting precisely the wrong people, forcing good guys to become easy prey for evil killers. We must stop this madness before one more innocent life is needlessly lost. Brave people willing to act can stop rampaging killers. We shouldnt be forced to be helpless when facing evil. Let our precious sheepdogs be armed.
54
STUPID LAWS
SPOT LIGHT
Select CarrY Pack
5.11 Tactical Series
The detachable Pistol Pouch on the chest doubles as a fanny pack and contains a pistol/small electronics holder, an accessory pocket and a mag/knife holder. The padded main compartment safeguards your weapon and allows for rapid gun deployment. Padded spacer mesh with aero foam padding promotes airflow and wicks moisture. On the back is a pocket for a hydration bladder or if extra protection is desired a custom-made ballistic panel. Also included are a water bottle pocket, rugged haul handle and lockable zippers. Colors are charcoal/black or khaki/charcoal. Visit www.511tactical.com to see more.
Tactical Balls
Brite-Strike Technologies, Inc.

Tactical Balls are innovative distraction tools, which are designed to augment traditional pyrotechnic distraction device. Each battery powered Tactical Ball contains 2 LEDs in a high impact polymer case and are sold in packs of three with a ballistic nylon holster which will attach to a tactical vest or other MOLLE compatible garment. The operating principle is simple the operator rolls 3 or more into a room and the wobbling light immediately attracts the occupants attention. That gives the entry team their 2 or 3 seconds of distraction and diversion, which gets them through the door. To see more, log on to www.britestrike.com.
AR-15 Cleaning Kit

IOSSO Products
A new brush kit designed for the AR-15 is now available to take all the guesswork out of cleaning. This kit contains four brushes, the chamber brush, bolt carrier, upper receiver, and a bore brush. The distinctive blue ber holds its shape well and may be used several times before becoming worn. An AR-10 kit is also available. When used with the Iosso Bore Cleaner and Iosso Gun Oil it will remove nasty carbon burn and all other fouling including copper and lead. The brush kit retails for $16.95 each. For further info, log on to www.iosso.com.
Samson Field Survivor

Samson Manufacturing
The Samson Field Survivor is a multi-tool system that has a patent-pending mechanism, which secures inside a pistol grip. It features a broken shell extractor, wire brush for bore cleaning, a cable to pull the brush through the bore, a carbon scraping tool, a feed lip gage, a front sight adjustment tool, a flat blade screwdriver, a feed lip adjustment tool, a gas feed cleaning tool, a cotter pin hook, an ampule of oil, and a strike plate. The tool is necessary for every AR to keep you safe in combat, or in play on the range. It ts all A2 pistol grips and Hogue AR-15 grips. Check it out at www.Samson-Mfg.com.
Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T)

North American Rescue
The C-A-T is a true one-handed tourniquet that completely occludes blood flow of an extremity in the event of a traumatic wound with signicant hemorrhage. It utilizes a durable windlass system with a free-moving internal band providing true circumferential pressure to the extremity. Once adequately tightened, bleeding will cease and the windlass is locked into place. A velcro strap is then applied, securing the windlass to maintain pressure during casualty evacuation. The C-A-Ts unique dual securing system avoids the use of screws and clips which can become difcult to operate under survival stress or where ne motor skills are compromised. Go to www.narescue.com to see more.
BreakAwaY Subcap
ASP
The BreakAway Subcap is a flexible gasket that seals a car window and acts as a cushion when trying to enter the vehicle with a baton. Window punches require straight-on activation, placing an ofcer in front of a threat. They can carry the hand through a window and into the interior of a vehicle. The BreakAway is interposed between the cap and handle of an expandable baton. Removing the baton cap exposes the three ceramic pins and at least one will make contact with the tempered glass of a car window, whatever the angle of application. The ofcer can stand to the side of a threat, grasp the tip of the baton and easily shatter a vehicle window. For more info visit www.asp-net.com.
ResQ-PAK
Tactical Pocket Gear, LLC

Announcing a line of pocket size trauma (self) treatment kits for the law enforcement, tactical and military community. The vacuumsealed, lightweight paks are available in three levels, each containing a combination of rst aid supplies recommended for different levels of threat. ResQ-PAK includes the latest hemostatic technologies and an innovative, low-cost and easy-to-use tourniquet/compression bandage. Purchase info is available at www.ResQ-PAK.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009
56
For more information on seeing your product featured in Spotlight, contact Delano Amaguin (888) 732-6461.
MTF-4ti Chaos Folder

Mantis Knives
With this knife, Mantis took into account what all the folks had been saying about their MF4 Chaos I and II models and put it to work in the Chaos Folder. It has the most advanced components of any knife out there. The Chaos features G-10 handles, Titanium liners, and the most metallurgically advanced alloy on the market. For more information log onto www.mantisknives.com/.
The Wolf And The Sheepdog

The Wolf and The Sheepdog is a ctional book written in a rst person, short story format that graphically depicts the experiences of a police ofcer working the cold streets. Join the author on his journey from a fresh recruit to an experienced street cop as he deals with a vast variety of Policing calls. Feel the emotions that affect the author as he battles through near death situations. Learn rst hand the personal dramatic experiences created by dealing with domestic assaults, violence, sexual assault victims and death. The Wolf and The Sheepdog will bring you into a world that the recruiting posters fail to show. Information on where to pick up the book is at www.wolfandsheep.com.
C2 TASER Holster
Tuff Products
Tuffs Slim Prole Ambidextrous C2 TASER Holster is a practical way to carry your C2 TASER. The clever ambidextrous design, non-stretch thumbreak, and heavy duty 1 3/4" or 2 " stout metal clip is great for outside or inside the waistband carry. The Tuff C2 TASER Holster is available in black nylon, black basket-weave and black plain. New dealers Web coupon code is: QUICKSTRIP40%OFF. Log on to www.tuffproducts.com to see more.
ShootBack Cannon
AIS
The ShootBack Cannon seamlessly integrates hostile gun re from the on-screen threat. The ShootBack is synchronized with scenarios to re a .68 caliber nylon ball when the suspect on the screen res. The ShootBack Cannon res an accurate single round, three-round burst, or fully automatic hostile re at the trainee and is all controlled by the instructor using a joystick. Its proven to be one of the most immediate and effective training tools. Check it out at www.ais-sim.com.
Operator Grade Short Sleeve Pocket Polo

EOTAC
The polo provides you with a professional look while still being completely functional. It is made from a comfortable yet durable cotton that is both fade and wrinkle resistant. The fabric is preshrunk and washed, making it ideal for embroidery. The left sleeve features a pen pocket and a zippered pocket for small items. The extended shirt-tail keeps the polo in place when tucked. Other features include a three button front placket, durable melamine buttons, sideseam vents at the bottom hem, and a sweat patch on the back. The sleeves offer a wide range of motion without being restrictive or tight. See more at www.eotac.com.
Hard Case Tactical 2AA Second Generation Handheld Light

Energizer
The virtually indestructible Energizer Hard Case Tactical 2AA second generation Handheld Light is a product of evolution with design based on feedback from Military and Law Enforcement personnel and rst-responders in the eld. It combines six distinct light modes in one lightweight, waterproof product that maintains the rugged durability and long runtimes. It is 5.6x2.2" and has six light modes: bright white, high-intensity LED, red LED, blue LED, green LED, Infrared (IR), and IR strobe. For more info visit www.energizer.com. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM
WinX2 Boot
Original S.W.A.T. Footwear Company

This 8 black boot is built with a slip- and oil-resistant outsole (including a unique arch ladder tread for extra grip on rope rappels), riveted steel shank, and moisture-wicking lining. It has a uniform-code leather and 1000-denier nylon upper, rust-proof lacing hardware, padded ankle collar, rear heel kick-plate, and removable orthopaedic foot-bed. To help the introduction, each pair includes a limited edition More Bang for the Buck keychain/bottle opener (while supplies last). It is available in sizes 5-15 with half sizes in 7.5 through 11. 5. Wide widths are available in EEE sizes 815, half sizes in 7.511.5. For more information, visit www.originalswat.com.
57
REALITY CHECK II
COUNSEL, WISdOM, GUIdANCE ANd TEACHING.
CLINT SMITH
ecent events in the world again show the susceptibility of people to the whims of others. This is especially evident when they rely on other people to defend them who often wont or cant protect them and more importantly, putting themselves in positions they cant defend. All of you know and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled police are not in place to protect you individually, but are in place to protect society at large. Most slow people still havent figured that out, whining, Well I called the police, but they didnt come right away. Duh.
Bug Out Plan

As Connor says, The police are only minutes away when seconds count, so you just might have to deal with your problem for some time, on your own, before the cops come. The World Trade Center should show most people the planet is not safe whatever that means even the United States. Although we small town people clinging to our guns and religion are made fun of, Id rather be in Southern Oregon then in downtown Chicago. Ill take my place over any big city because I know which is more dangerous, but
not everybody can or wants to live in the woods. When I travel, I go with a different mindset and a different plan than most others. When I get on a plane, I sit down, fasten the seat belt and I read the safety/emergency card. Ive had people look at me weird and ask if I thought I was going to survive the crash. I usually say, Probably not, but if I do Im going to know where the hell to go to get out of this thing will you?
The BoP And A BoB

ll the tactical guys I know have BoBs or Bug-out-Bags. Its up to you what you want in your bag. Where you are, what your job is and whom youre bugging out from is different than me. Ive got the BoB-thing and understand it, as I think most of you do. More st lea BOP plans: Have at important to you and your p cra the if nd some plan in mi family is a BoP or Buge sur ke hits the fan. And ma out-Plan. You can apply s ow kn ed olv inv everyone this BoP anywhere from what it is. Iran, like in the sand, to Iraan, Texas. Simply, its to develop plans to vacate wherever you are now in the next 30 seconds and be able to do it whenever you need to. Its not all that different than the what if game you should be playing with your coworkers. The only difference is its being applied to your private life. As an example, Heidi and I go to the Red Robin restaurant at The Mill in Bend, Oregon. We go in, sit down and before anything else, decide what door were going out if something goes wrong first choice, second choice you get the point. We already know whos carrying what gun and where it is. We already know well meet at the truck in the parking lot if we get separated. See the plan forming? If anything goes wrong we get up and we leave now. What qualifies as going wrong? Theres unusual yelling, something is thrown, a gun shot, a knife is drawn I dont mean on, to or directed to or towards us I mean anywhere in the restaurant. Period. But what about the Lubys massacre in Killeen, Texas, or the McDonalds massacre in San Ysidro, California? Yup, theyre proof we dont live in a lily-white world and the need for BoPs.
58
Maxpedition: Maxpeditions Doppelduffel is a great Bug-out-Bag if you need one. His Publisher-Immenseness Huntington lived out of one for ten days in Africa not long ago.
f I go to town, I go prepared to defend myself key words defend myself. No chip on my shoulder, no attitude, no road rage. I just go to town, do my business and then go back to my world. Do you and your family want to live life this way? Do you need to? I dont know the answer for you or the scores of victims from Lubys or McDonalds, or more recently the more than 150 people in Mumbai they dont have the option of a do-over. For many things in life, important things, you only get one chance. You need to consider how you might do them if you ever have to. When Heidi and I got married we made a deal I would go anywhere with her on vacation she wanted to go so long as I could eventually walk home if I had to. Im quite the adventurer, huh. Weve traveled a few places in the world, but I like America best. Im always amused when people say, Well I was in Rio de Janeiro and got mugged and my Rolex was taken at gun point. Hmmm let me think on this: Rio, Rolex, Robbery makes sense to me. So if you travel the world today, even to peaceful India or somewhere like that, you might be in harms way.
Im Outta Here
The SureFire Scout Light was designed with one thing in mind, winning ghts. Its cut from Mil-Spec hardanodized aluminum, and its compact size means you have less to carry and more room left on your rie. The Scout Light uses a microprocessor-controlled LED to blast 120 lumens of white light through a beam-focusing TIR lens for extended reach. It comes standard with a pushbutton switch as well as a plug-in remote tape switch, and its virtually immune to the effects of shock and recoil. The Scout Light Kit (see below) comes equipped with infrared capabilities.
M600C (Tan or Black)
M600C tan model shown
The M600C Scout Light (pictured left) comes with KX2C LED head and includes pushbutton switch, tape switch, Picatinny rail mount, Velcro pads, alcohol prep pads, manual, and two 123A lithium batteries. NSN: 6230-01-525-4109 RFI READY
M600C-KIT01 (Tan or Black)
The M600C Scout Light Kit (not pictured) comes ready for infrared use too. This kit includes KX2C LED head, pushbutton switch, tape switch, Picatinny rail mount, Velcro pads, alcohol prep pads, manual, and two 123A lithium batteries as well as the infrared-producing LU60A incandescent head with the FM63 infrared lter. NSN: 6240-01-532-4180 RFI READY
CONCEALED CARRY
World s Finest Magazines
MEC-GAR is proud to offer Optimum - our new and unique series of high capacity flush-fit pistol magazines. The new design of the magazine housing and interlinked magazine components, together with a special Anti-Friction Coating offer far superior performance even in difficult operational environments. The increased firepower of MEC-GAR Optimum magazines can be further raised by an optional Plus Two adapter. Plus Two is a new set of hollow butt-plate and inner base to raise the capacity of the MEC-GAR Optimum magazine by 2-rounds and stick out only 5/8 from the butt of the pistol! Available For: Beretta 92FS 9mm 18rd / 20rd Beretta 96FS .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Para-Ordnance P14 .45ACP 14rd SIG P226 9mm 18rd / 20rd SIG P226 .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Springfield XD 9mm 18rd Springfield XD .40S&W 13rd Taurus PT92 9mm 18rd / 20rd Taurus PT100 .40S&W 13rd / 15rd Mec-Gar USA, Inc., 905 Middle Street, Middletown, CT 06457 Tel: (800) 632-4271 Fax: (860) 635-1712 www.mec-gar.com
O PTIMUM. .. THE WORLD S BEST MAGAZINES
from sticking to you and underneath that, a thin plastic membrane to protect the pistol from perspiration. Exquisite finishing touches include the ostrich mouth band and loops. Soft, floppy, inexpensive, shapeless clip-on IWB holsters are not recommended for normal concealed carry because they dont hold the gun as well as a molded holster. Theyre not as secure as belt-anchored holsters, and dont allow for a safe, easy re-holster. Nonetheless, they have their place. When I need to carry offbody such as in a briefcase or backpack I slip one in. Bianchis #6 fits the bill perfectly. It keeps the trigger area covered, preventing pens, keys or other stuff from causing problems. And should the need arise I can still clip it inside my waistband.
Shoulder Holster
Scorned in some circles, these holsters are a great option if you do a lot of sitting, such as driving. When the non-gun side carries a spare magazine and a light, they can also be the quickest of grab and go systems. Contrary to Hollywood belief, horizontal shoulder holsters should be worn high, up near the armpit, not dangling around like grandmas unharnessed youknow-whats. The Galco Miami Classic is just that a classic shoulder holster. Its well made, fits comfortably, performs well, and its spider harness lets the straps articulate with your movement. Youll want to balance the load of the gun with stuff like that extra mag and light I previously mentioned. Galcos UCII carries two magazines and a light there.
Paddle Holster
A well-made paddle holster can be nearly as secure and stable as a good belt holster, and youll come to appreciate the quick on off capability. Frequently, I use a Fobus Evolution 2 paddle rig. Its just as body hugging and secure as my old and now discontinued, more expensive favorite. I know some very serious pros that use them, and we all appreciate the low price.
Ankle Rigs
While ankle rigs arent the fastest or most accessible way to carry a self-defense handgun, they do help you so you dont violate rule one of a gunfight, have a gun. Most makers offer one version or another, but the key is security since you may find yourself running, climbing or fighting on the ground and you dont want to lose the gun. As a matter of fact, if youre on the ground, sometimes an ankle holster is the best kind to have since you can usually get to it with either hand. Roy Huntington, Publisher of COP
carried a Renegade all during his duty years and continues to this day. Ive found the surgical elastic construction with genuine sheepskin lining to be comfortable, very secure, yet still easy to get to. They wear out in about a year of daily carry, but at only around $40, its cheap insurance, he said. Still, shop around if you elect to carry this way. Its great as a second gun system, and may work for you as a primary method in some situations. It may take a few tries before you get one you like but keep quality of construction and security at the top of your list.
Pocket Holsters
Speaking of back up guns, if you carry one in your pocket, youll need a pocket holster for several reasons. You dont want to stick your finger inside the trigger guard as you access the gun. You want to keep the gun orientated properly and keep it from printing and you dont want anything working its way into the trigger guard. Pocket holsters come in a variety of materials and there are plenty to choose from. The new DeSantis SuperFly is made of sticky rubberized fabric with a removable flap to further break up the guns outline. This might be the best soft pocket holster yet.
Why Didnt I Think Of That?

If you dont want to or cant carry your gun or just think of your spouse there are other options. Michael deBethencourt, a martial arts-improvised weapons-snubnosed revolver guru dreamed up a pretty spiffy way to carry such things as a knife, small OC canister or small light horizontally on your belt. He took wide elastic material, made a tube with a pull-tab, and there you go. These ingenious devices hold your knife, light and OC on your belt compactly. Access is quick and re-holstering a breeze. Dont try to make your own, theyre easily affordable through J.S. Holsters.
Belts
If the magazine is the heart of the pistol, the belt is the heart of your concealed carry system. You must use a proper gun belt one hefty enough to support the weight of the gun and match the belt width to your holsters slots. My favorite is the Frequent Flyer belt from Wilderness Tactical Products. Its infinitely adjustable for that just right fit, doesnt look like a gun belt, and comes in all three gun belt widths as well as several colors.
For more info: www.bianchi-intl.com; www.desantisholster.com; www.findesigns. com; www.fist-inc.com; www.fobusholster. com; www.usgalco.com; www.garritysgunleather.com; www.jsholsters.com; www. thewilderness.com
NEW XD(M)
match-grade barrel as standard issue in the new model. The frame, slide and even the match barrel are serial numbered the same. This assures that what you have is the way the pistol was built from the factory. The actual barrel length is 4.5" with a slide length being 7.5" overall.
Inside The Frame

The trigger is much different than the parent XD system. Mechanically it might be the same, but the Super Sport gig definitely applies to the trigger. The new trigger breaks clean and has a very good reset. Historically, people who first shoot the XD talk of the trigger-slackout, fire, reset, and then a bunch of slackout mode again. The new XD(M) works that way but the trigger system is much cleaner both in the break and reset.
Disassembly
I like the XD grip safety because it could help pre-empt many of the polymer pistol accidental-negligent-stupidyou-pick-the-word discharges. We all know it takes an idiot to do this. Then again there are more idiots being grown on a daily basis, so why have anything that helps the stupid ply their trade? All of this leads to the fact the new XD(M) can be cleared, unloaded, and with the slide to the rear, the disassembly lever can be rotated up, the slide lock released and the slide comes forward off the frame, without having to pull the trigger to do so. So there.
Carrying And Shooting

The XD(M) comes in a very stout carrying case that should raise the bar on the boxes factory pistols are shipped in. Its a good pistol and its shipped in a high quality solid properly fitting box. If you know me, you know I shot the pistol. As a matter of fact, I shot the pistol a lot and it always worked, and it is way beyond exceptionally good enough to defend yourself with. I think the morphing of the parent XD pistol into the new upgraded and different XD(M) is a very good thing. Points of interest on the XD system have been changed correctly to make improvements yet not break that were already correct. Springfield has done a great job of making a great pistol morph into a potentially even better pistol by their work on the XD(M). After successfully using the standard Springfield XD a significant amount over the last year, and now being able to use the new Springfield XD(M), well, if the XD is a Chevelle, then the new XD(M) is definitely the Super Sport.
*
63
CrossBreed Holsters LLC.

ARE YOU TIRED OF UNCOMFORTABLE HOLSTERS? ARE YOU CARRYING A SMALLER GUN THAN YOU WANT TO JUST SO YOU CAN CONCEAL IT?
I got my SuperTuck holster from you for my XD 4 back in February. I use it everyday 10 to 12 hours, sometimes tucked, sometimes not. This is the most comfortable holster I have ever had. Holds my XD close to my body and just makes it disappear. It holds the gun firmly, yet easy and fast to draw. Who says you cant conceal carry a full size gun? They never tried a SuperTuck. I love it! Thanks,
HINDI SYSTEM
Why not try a CrossBreed TODAY?
Lifetime Warranty! Try-It-FREE-Guarantee!
888.732.5011
www.CrossBreedHolsters.com
should be worn in front of the hips and each of these pieces should be accessible by both hands in most of the positions were usually in including sitting seat-belted in a cruiser. What is life-critical equipment? Your gun, OC, cuffs, magazines, baton, TASER, and communications. Its in this order he specifies they be carried, from right to left for a right-handed officer. And before you get your skirts up youre your heads, no, your gun shouldnt be worn in front of your hips. Leave it at your hip where your can most naturally draw it. Wheres the light, pouch-carried knife, gloves, cell phone, or donut holder? Since these arent life-critical, or time-critical to access in the middle of a struggle, they can be carried behind the hips. The only equipment Bob wants to see over the spine though, is a glove pouch, where it can pad that area during a fall. Since I prefer Willuni you be form pants with cargo pockets, some non time-critical items can be ifcarried he show in them. Its not just the placement, its also how its placed. Bob has specific, researched, and demonstrable reasons for wanting the baton at a certain forward angle. He wants the OC-oriented in a particular way, in the A RE Y pouch for fail-safe ambidextrous access. A RE The TASER must be in a cross-draw poW sition to facilitate either-hand Cavalrydraw capability, etc.
No More Grunge
In looking at my own set up, I was close to the Hindi system. I moved my equipment to Bobs specifications and it made a lot of sense and no BS I feel safer because of it. There are pieces of equipment I can now access with both hands and the radio mic is something I probably wouldnt have figured out on my own. I think this system should be taught to recruits, and strongly encouraged for all cops. If theres to be a variation from it, youll have to make a very convincing argument. When I undertook the assignment to write this article, I found I had to upgrade my duty belt and baton. Do yourself a favor, upgrade to the modern equipment now on the market. I went with a BLACKHAWK! rig because I know the guys who designed it have years of big-city, real-life, street-cop experience. Putting it on was like wearing modern workout apparel instead of the same sweatshirt I wore in high school. Well done Bob, its this kind of work that keeps cops safe.
THE #1 CHOICE FOR SELF DEFENSE
Reliable Feeding Medium Penetration
Reduced Recoil High Velocity
Premier Products from
Imitated But Never Equaled
605.347.4544 800.626.7266
64
corbon.com
For more info: Bob Hindi, www.batoncap.com; BLACKHAWK!, www.blackhawk.com

There are many choices in clothing today. What do the experts wear?
If you need clothing to wear daily that looks good and yet at the same time supports and protects the use of your equipment for individual personal protection you would be well served to take a good look at EOTAC clothing. Clint & Heidi Smith Thunder Ranch
WWW.EOTAC.COM
65
WIN!
THIS PACKAGE!
WITH ACCESSORY POUCHES!
QUESTIONS
QUESTION 2 HAVE YOU EVER SERVED IN ANY BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES? A) ARMY B) AIR FORCE C) MARINES D) COAST GUARD E) NATIONAL GUARD
66
QUESTION 1 HOW O MANY OW M PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR Y DEPARTMENT? A) FEWER THAN 100 B) 100-499 C) 500-1,000 D) 1,000-4999 E) 5,000 OR MORE
QUESTION 3 WHAT IS YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT? A) HIGH SCHOOL GRAD B) SOME COLLEGE EXPERIENCE C) 2 YEAR DEGREE D) UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE E) MASTERS DEGREE
QUESTION 4 WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENTS OVERALL BUDGET? A) APPROVE B) PLAN/SUBMIT C) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS D) NONE
AL LEGACY EGAC EG ACY AC Y X9 COMBAT C OMBAT BAT L LIGHT IGHT GHT T AND BE-WHARNED KNIFE DUO ROUND ND OUT THIS TOP PATROL PACKAGE!
WIN THIS BLACKHAW K S.T.R.I.K.E ! BANDOLEE . R
LACKHAWK! has built a world-wide reputation for tough combat and patrol gear. Todays street cops frequently encounter situations demanding the same kind of performance the military has expected in their gear for years. The S.T.R.I.K.E. Bandoleer offers the ability to customize the accessory pouches, holster and even the fit of the bandoleer itself for particular needs. BLACKHAWK!s Speed Clips are fast and easy to apply, yet hold any MOLLE-type gear securely exactly where you want it. The included accessories offer mag holders, a light holder, a SERPA holster for a 1911 and other pouches you can fill with equipment for your particular mission. for a patrol cop, especially one with a rifle, the S.T.R.I.K.E. offers you the ability to have immediate access to emergency equipment and ammo simply by tossing it over your shoulder. Included security straps hold the S.T.R.I.K.E. to your belt to help keep it in place. And its a great way for a plainclothes officer to have real duty gear at hand if they need it. The Legacy X9 Combat Light manages the maximum output you can have in a 9-volt light. At 120 real lumens, its one hour run-time assures you the back-up when you need it most. BLACKHAWK!s Be-Wharned tactical folder has an aggressive, stainless steel wharncliffe-style blade and is designed by Michael Janich specifically for duty carry. This is a tool you can rely on to get you out of a tough situation if its needed. Its arguably one of the most functional utility patterns every developed! www.blackhawk.com
TO ENTER CONTEST CONTEST: Use a postcard (no envelopes, please) and answer the four questions on the left and follow the sample shown on the right. Send to AMERICAN COP Dept. X4, P.O. Box 501930, San Diego, CA 92150-1930. You can also enter on our Web site www.americancopmagazine.com. Entries must be received before September 1, 2009. Limit 1 entry per household. This contest is open to individuals who are residents of the United States and its territories only. Agents and employees of Publishers Development Corporation and their families are excluded from entering. Contest void where prohibited or restricted by law. Winners must meet all local laws and regulations. Taxes and compliance with rearms regulations will be the responsibility of the winners. Winners will be notied by CERTIFIED MAIL on ofcial letterhead. No purchase necessary to enter.
COP JULY/AUG 2009:

NAME NA ME ___________________________________ ADDRESS _____________ C ITY, STATE, STATE, ZI P____________ CITY, ZIP____________ EMAIL E MAIL ADDRESS _______________________ IF I W IN, PLEASE PLEASE SHIP SHIP M MY Y PRIZE PRIZE T HROUGH: WIN, THROUGH:
Sample
STORE HOURS __ AM __ PM
DEALER ___________________________________ ADDRESS _____________ CITY, STATE, ZIP____________ P____________ PHONE ( ) ____ - ________
67
Exceptional Performance and Reliability!

The SIG 556 rie delivers unmatched reliability with virtually no cleaning or maintenance. At the very core of SIG 556 is a stainless steel upper housing that completely encloses a hardened steel monoblock. Threaded to a cold hammer forged barrel, this unique design provides an ultra rigid platform delivering unparalleled accuracy and performance. Gas volume is regulated by a two position valve that practically eliminates carbon build-up and ring residue, insuring reliable function under the most extreme conditions.
Mini Red Dot Sight optional
Full length gas piston
Folding buttstock for portability and concealability
30-round AR integrated connecting polymer magazines
Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t s i g s a u e r. c o m
INDEX
Aimpoint Al Mar Knives ALS Technologies Benchmade BLACKHAWK! Buffer Technologies Copquest CORBON/ Glaser Crimson Trace CrossBreed Holsters LLC Cylinder & Slide, Inc. D.P.M.S. DeSantis Holster DSA Inc. Elite Operator Elite Sports Express Galco Gunleather Glock, Inc.
68
OF ADVERTISERS
61 15 14 11 49 50 48 64 19 64 63 52 48 12 65 21 21 31 Hallmark Cutlery Hornady Manufacturing Insight Tech Gear Kahr Arms Kimber LA Police Gear M4 Carbine LLC Magpul Industries Corp. Maxpedition Hard-Use Gear Mec-Gar USA, Inc. MPT Industries MTM Molded Products Ofcerstore Original SWAT Pearce Grip ProMag Industries Revision Eyewear Rick Hinderer Knives
The companies listed have featured advertisements in this issue. Look to them rst when you are ready to make a purchase.
65 9 33 62 72 2 65 51 55 60 11 33 8 3 50 62 27 23
Ridge Outdoors USA, Inc. Rock River Arms Safariland Savage Arms Shooters Choice SIG SAUER Smith & Wesson Springeld Armory Streamlight Sturm Ruger & Co. SureFire The Wolf & The Sheepdog Thunder Ranch TOPS KNIVES Trijicon Tru-Spec Winchester Ammunition XS Sights Systems
52 23 6 14 11 68 29 71 10 25 59 63 17 60 7 53 19 50
oy says I have an extra Y chromosome because I like so many guy-things guns, knives, fast cars, motorcycles the list goes on. But if I can have the guy-thing only girl-sized even better. Benchmade has girl-sized their tactical pen and I really like it. Its a lot like their full-size tactical pen, only smaller. I can stuff into a small purse or small jeans or your eye socket. Its only about 4-1/2" long and uses a Fisher Space Pen refill. I highly recommend these for ladies guys, are you listening? www.benchmade.com
Petite Poker
INSIdERRUMINATIONS Continued from page 70
ith todays crappy economy many of you are facing budget cuts, hiring freezes and are having to make-do with existing gear if its even provided. Youd like a rail-mounted flashlight for your gun, but you only have a little bit of money to spend, LaserLyte can help, for around $80. Their FlashLyte can be mounted on any firearm with a rail system and the three LED lights put out 25 lumens of light for about 1-1/2 hours. We cant all have the newest, most expensive stuff out there this light is good value for not a lot of moola. www.laserlyte.com
Tight Budget Light
INSIdERRUMINATIONS
DOING THE NUMBERS

PEOPLE UNDER CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION, INCLUDING PROBATION, PRISON, JAIL OR PAROLE IN 2007.
7.3 MILLION
1.8 MILLION
IN 1980. INMATES IN FEDERAL, STATE PRISONS AND LOCAL JAILS 2007. INCREASE FROM BEGINNING OF 2007. RATIO OF US RESIDENTS IMPRISONED IN A FEDERAL OR STATE PRISON IN 2007. INCREASE OF FEDERAL PRISONERS IN 2007. INCREASE OF STATE PRISONERS IN FLORIDA IN 2007. INCREASE OF STATE PRISONERS IN KENTUCKY IN 2007. INCREASE OF STATE PRISONERS IN ARIZONA IN 2007.
NOTE: ALL DATA FROM U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE
2.3 MILLION 1.5%
ve never been a big proponent of plastic training guns. Everybody knows theyre fake so training becomes sloppy and nothing like reality. Blade-Techs already addressed this issue for handguns with their Training Barrels and now theyre using the same technology for rifles. New for the AR-15 and M4 is the Rifle Training Bolt, allowing you to use your real gun for training safely. Theyre super easy to use; simply remove your factory bolt and insert the bright yellow training bolt even a fresh out of training SWAT guy can do that hut, hut. Theyre about $20, pretty dang cheap for real training. www.blade-tech.com
Real Trainer
1:198
BEYOND TACTICAL BLACK
6,572
Y
E
5,250 2,457 1,945
es, there is life beyond tactical black. Check out this handsome Al Mar knife, the Eagle Classic, with bone handles on it. Actually, theyre called Honey Jigged Bone handles, but I like the fact this is a classic folder that isnt screaming cop. This is the kind of knife gentlemen would carry for dinner out or on a date or whatever when youre wearing something besides your work uniform. But I show it to you along side the Payara tactical black knife, which you can find in the Gear Hogs article. Maybe you like both of them, I do. www.almarknives.com
d Nowicki, Executive Director of ILEETA, and real old-timer Chicago cop from the 60s and 70s, is working on a new book. With a working title of American Blue hes asking for a little help from you he wants to hear your war stories. They can be funny, sad, terrifying, strange, whatever, so long as theyre true. Eds a good guy and a good friend, so if youre interested in this project send your stories to Ed via email, as an attached MS Word (.doc) document. Send to NCJTC@aol.com or call him at (262) 279-7879 for additional information. All royalties from American Blue will be donated to the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will begin construction the fall of 2010.
Show And Tell
*
69
SUZI HUNTINGTON
INSIdER RUMINATIONS
heres been a lot of spirited commentary on the issue of professional courtesy in our pages recently. Most everyone weighing in on the subject has examined the topic with a good amount of common sense. But lets look at courtesy or rather, discourtesy a little more closely. And Im talking about the kind of courtesy we should be extending to everyone we deal with. I received a letter from a man whose anger and contempt for police was clearly visible. His words poisoned from a few interactions with his local gendarmes interactions, which probably didnt even register on the cops courtesy radar but ended up leaving one family hurt and angry to the point of believing all cops are uneducated, knuckle-dragging dolts. Now Im not going to get all high and mighty and claim I was a perfect officer never lost my cool at someone, never stacked charges just because the guy pissed me off, never behaved like I was queen of the Grumpy Forest because that would be a lie. I will say, however, this mans disdain for cops struck a chord with me; it was the slap back to reality I remember getting from other citizens when Id behaved badly.
Its NOT About You T

examples is to give a quick wave (with all your fingers) and then move on, and take a little time to help the girl get her bearing or maybe even give her a ride. Doing the right thing isnt always the easiest thing to do especially when we spend most of our time pointing out other peoples faults. This may seem like small stuff to most of you, and it is when you consider the number of times cops find themselves clearly on the wrong side of the law being arrested for DUI, drugs, sex crimes, domestic violence and even murder. But the small stuff occurs much more often and is the bigger picture by which people judge us thats right they judge us. And we judge each other in the same manner. Thereve been many times when I thought cops were jerks because they were being bullies for no particular reason, or they were spending more time trying to get out of taking a report, than if theyd just taken the damn report and done their job.
Bad Hair Day

Ive been to too many cop funerals, seen too many battered and maimed bodies, consoled too many families whove been dealt a serious blow Ive seen firsthand too much of mans inhumanity toward man but none of that matters to the guy I stop for a traffic violation. And I shouldnt expect him to understand all the bad baggage I may be carrying around with me. All that junk should be left back at the station house door. His only concern is how much the ticket is going to cost, how it will affect his insurance and whether I was a turd, or decent and fair. We owe it to the communities we police to suck it up to always take the high road, to be courteous even when theyre interrupting our day. Being nice and doing the right thing doesnt take any more time than being snotty or going off on someone. In fact, it usually will use much less time because you wont have to justify the merits of your own stupidity when the lack-of-courtesy complaint comes in. I wish Id learned this earlier in my career.
INSIdERRUMINATIONS
Do The Right Thing

Just as were trained to look at body language, we must remember we telegraph many of our own thoughts and attitude to the general public. From the roll of our eyes when someone interrupts our lunch break to ask a stupid question to the dead eyes look my husband said I got when I was irritated with someone. Thats being discourteous on my part, and its wrong. It can be more pervasive too, like conducting a prolonged traffic stop on someone who dared honk at you because you were sitting through a green traffic light. Or yelling at a girl instead of helping her whos managed to get lost in the wrong part of town. The right responses to these
70
INSIdERRUMINATIONS Continued on page 69

Ultra CDP II pistols in .45 ACP & 9mm have 3-inch barrels & weigh just 25 ounces.
The Best Defense.

The Custom Defense PackageCDPfrom Kimber.
The Pro CDP II .45 ACP has a 4-inch barrel and full-length grip. At just 28 ounces, it is easy to carry & conceal.
CDP pistols are powerful, accurate and absolutely dependable. Built in the , they feature night sights and 30 lines-per-inch Kimber Custom Shop checkering on the frontstrap and under the trigger guard for a positive grip. , Slides are machined from stainless steel and aluminum frames wear KimPro II a premium nish that is self-lubricating and extremely resistant to the elements. All have a match grade barrel, chamber and trigger. Adding these features during production reduces their price by over $500, giving them incredible value. See them in action at www.kimberamerica.com. Carry the best. Carry a Kimber.
The Custom CDP II.45 ACP has a 5-inch barrel and weighs only 31 ounces. It is the finest full-size 1911 carry pistol available today. CDP pistols feature match grade barrels, night sights and a Carry Melt treatment that rounds & blends edges to prevent snagging on clothing or holsters.
The Choice of Americas Best.

www.kimberamerica.com For information on products and dealer locations please send $2 to: Kimber, Dept. 252 One Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705 Information is also available at (800) 880-2418
2009 Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Kimber names, logos and other trademarks may not be used without permission. Names of other companies, products and services may be the property of their respective owners. Kimber firearms are shipped with an instructional manual and California-approved cable lock. Copy of instruction manual available by request.

American Cop 2009.07-08

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

American Cop 2009.07-08

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Survival: PERCEPTION VS PERSPECTIVE

BLACKHAWK! S.T.R.I.K.E. BANDOLEER

Cars & Crashes!

NEW! Springelds XD(M)

Cover Photo courtesy of BLACKHAWK!

40 HINDI BELT SYSTEM RALPH MROZ

46 RIFLE-LIKE FIREPOWER BOB PILGRIM

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

PUBLISHER& Editor: ROYHUNTINGTON AdVertising: STEVEEVATT AMERIcANHANdGUNNER.cOM

Editor: JEFF JOHN AdVertising: JEFF MOREY GUNsMAGAZINE.cOM

PUBLISHER& Editor: RUss THURMAN AdVertising: ANITA CARsON sHOOTINGINdUsTRY.cOM

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

A stunning breakthrough in personal defense ammunition design.

Flex Tip technology guarantees 100% reliable performance in every situation.

Hornady Critical Defense ammunition is available in these calibers:

PO Box 1848 Grand Island, NE 68802

FEATURING a wider, brighter, peripheral light.

Dual Switch Technology with HIGH/MED/LOW/STROBE light output

Dual Switch Technology with HIGH/MED/LOW/STROBE light output

30 Eagleville Road, Eagleville, PA 19403 800.523.7488 www.streamlight.com/103

PREPARE FOR THE BARRAGE

BENCHMADE.COM 2009 BENCHMADE KNIFE CO. OREGON CITY, OR, USA

MODEL SHOWN: 585 MINI-BARRAGE

BUILT RUGGED FOR STREET SURVIVAL.

__ V100 Rugged Convertible

FIREBIRD MAG HOLDER

GET YOUR GUNS GEAR!

Team GUNS Collector Pin

(Price includes shipping)

ORDER TODAY! Call Toll-Free 800-628-9818 Order at

TAG GO TIME POUCH

CUTTING EdGE WIdGETS ANd OTHER NEW STUff.

Motorcycles and Computers?

Big Bang Theory

GET YOUR GUNS GEAR!

$21.95 each ($31.95 Outside U.S.)

ORDER TODAY! Call Toll-Free 800-628-9818 Order at www.gunsmagazine.com

Budget Cuts And Corrections

Out Of Sight Out Of Mind

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

Modular Vertical Foregrip

(800) 442-2406 www.crimsontrace.com

Winchester Ranger. Trust the best in the worst situation.

Tactical Low Profile

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

For more info: GalcoGunleather, www. galcogunleather.com; Rafter L Gunleather, www.combatgunleather.com

Issues and trends on the private side of law enforcement.

ANYTHING COULD HaPPEN

At What Cost Success Whos Responsibility?

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

REFLECT WHO YOU ARE

Reflect who you are at www.rockriverarms.com

Rock river Arms / Elite comp a4

GETTING HOME IN THE SAME CONdITION YOU WENT TO WORK IN.

WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2009

5.16'' Overall Length 9.40 oz. Overall Weight

THE RUGER LCP .

WHEN AND WHERE YOU NEED IT.

2009 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS fOR THE JOB.

Outside The Box

LOSE SIGHT FOR A SECOND AND YOURE OUT OF THE FIGHT

PROVEN UNDER FIRE*

DEDication and professionalism that goes beyond pay.