Police Recruit 2010 by Kelly Bracken

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Contents

Fall 2010/Winter 2011

FEATURES 8 THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED Throughout my career, veteran officers imparted gold nuggets of wisdom and sometimes I listened. DEAN SCOVILLE

12 HOW TO WATCH THE HANDS Being able to recognize when a suspect is pulling a weapon is an officer safety necessity. MIKE “ZIGGY” SIEGFRIED

16 CLEAN UP YOUR ACT With some elbow grease and the right products, it’s easy to keep your sidearm in tip-top condition. DAVE DOUGLAS

20 APPS FOR COPS Smartphone technology lets you choose and continuously update targeted tools to help you do your job. TIM DEES

25 SHOTS FIRED: ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 10/01/2007 When a gangbanger opened up on them in rush hour traffic, two officers had to worry more about hitting innovents than hitting the bad guy. DEAN SCOVILLE

28 PERSONAL FIELD TRAUMA CARE Always have the gear and knowhow to attend to basic wounds. The life you save may be your own. SYDNEY VAIL

GEAR

COLUMNS

30 FLASHLIGHTS With so many illumination tools out there, there’s bound to be one to meet your mission requirements. SCOTT SMITH

20 6 ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEAK UP? You have rookie rights. Do you know them?

32 EYEWEAR Shield your eyes from dust, debris, sun, and even some projectiles with ballistic shades.

WILLIAM L. “BILL” HARVEY

40 WHAT I WISH I’D TOLD THEM Take these five lessons to heart and you’ll enjoy a long and happy career in law enforcement. DAVE SMITH

JENNIFER WASHINGTON

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Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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WILLIAM L. "BILL" HARVEY

ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEAK UP? You have rookie rights. Do you know them? AS A NEW OFFICER you may wonder what you’re entitled to behavior)? Ask your FTO to teach you how to survive on the during the field training officer (FTO) process. You’re not streets. K: Know — Know your rights as an employee. You may be alone in this. In my travels, I’ve seen the acronym “S.P.E.A.K. U.P.” on the FNG (“fabulous” new guy or gal), but that doesn’t mean the wall of hospitals, regarding patients' rights. I once saw it you deserve to be treated as a second-class citizen. Know at a university advocating student rights. I liked it and wrote your employee benefits; ask for all the benefit explanations. it down. It’s now time to use it for rookies’ rights. This guide Finally, know your job. You have to exhibit proficiency with should help you know what to expect and how to make the the policies and procedures. Study and apply yourself. U: Use your department’s systems — Every agency has best of your training time. S: Speak up — You’ve been trained; your interaction with employee resources in place. Read your benefit sheets and your field training officer (FTO) is instrumental in complet- familiarize yourself with them. For example, do you have ing this process. Don’t be afraid to speak to him or her; your access to a credit union, payroll savings plan, chaplains to talk with when you need to? Fully understand your health FTO is there for you. In matters of safety, you must speak up; your eyes may de- insurance; learn to use it wisely. Maximize your savings. tect a safety issue that could prevent injury or death. Speak I’ve never understood why some officers never plan for the up when it comes to your progress and evaluations. If you future. Understand your support system formally and informaldon't understand a concept today, it'll be more difficult later. ly. Your FTO will help you. Later on, new police pals will ofThis is a building-block process. P: Pay attention — There’s a lot unfolding in front of you. fer help. This is a tough vocation. Talk to your buddies, and keep yourself on an even keel. Observe, rather than just lookP: Participate in decision ing. You may only get one trainTREAT EVERY DAY AS A NEW ing opportunity to view this type LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THE DAY making — Don’t be a passive learner or employee. Share your of event in a lifetime. You have YOU STOP LEARNING, PLEASE insights and strengths. Some got to have your “A” game at all TURN IN YOUR SHIELD. training programs require your times. Attempt to perceive what's input to determine their directranspiring; a causal glance can tion. You’ve brought a lot of life be a lost moment. Tactically, you must always pay attention because it’s a skills to the table; use them. When it comes to your future training, don't wait for a class. Make solid career decisions, safety factor. Stay alert. E: Educate — The academy experience is never over. thinking about your best interests. “S.P.E.A.K. U.P.” is a good acronym for a recruit, but it will You'll be training the rest of your life, so get used to it. Additionally, if you don’t have your college degree, finish it up. also serve you well throughout your law enforcement caEducation is something nobody can take from you. Besides, reer. You have not only the right, but an obligation to yourself to fully participate in your profession. If you stay alert, it will help you get promotions later on. It’s important to treat every day as a new learning experi- utilize available resources, and continue to learn and apply yourself, you’ll reap the benefits. Training is hard work, but ence. The day you stop learning, please turn in your shield. A: Ask — The old maxim that there are no stupid ques- it pays off in the long run. PR tions applies here. If you don’t understand, ask questions. Your silence may give the impression of understanding, and William L. “Bill” Harvey is the chief of the Ephrata (Pa.) Police you could be tasked or stressed with a more intense assign- Department. He retired from the Savannah (Ga.) Police Dement. Ask about the FTO process and cover other fronts. partment where he worked assignments in training, patrol, How do you conduct yourself off duty (external behav- and CID. Harvey has more than 25 years of experience workior)? How do you get along with shift co-workers (internal ing with recruits, rookies, and FTOs.

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Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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The Best Advice I Ever Received Throughout my career, veteran officers imparted gold nuggets of wisdom and sometimes I listened.

PHOTO: ÂŠISTOCKPHOTO.COM

DEAN SCOVILLE

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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VER THE YEARS, I received a lot of great advice from other officers. I can’t say that I always acted on it. But if I sometimes paid a price for not acting on their wisdom, all it did was underscore its validity. Do what you will with this information, but speaking from experience I suggest you at least give each item some thought. ★★★

reports I’d written. I never realized just how true that was until I became a sergeant and began reading deputies’ reports and forming opinions of them based on what they’d written. ★★★

“DON’T BE LAZY.”

More advice from my training officer. I was champing at the bit to knock some moron on his ass. I was sure that I could take the dude, but my FTO reminded me to never judge a book by its cover. He’d known a good many cops and suspects who’d gone headlong into fights, thinking they had the upper hand by virtue of their age, size, or perceived martial arts skill, and they promptly got their asses handed to them. Such episodes tended to be memorable for all involved, even if the guy getting his ass kicked didn’t learn by them. When it comes to the prospect of proving your bravery, you shouldn’t feel you have to: You put your ass on the line every time you go in the field. Second, you work in a profession where you will have more than enough opportunities to get your ass kicked without looking for them. Be happy for the peace in between. ★★★

Courtesy of my field training officer the day he finally signed me training. He said he had no doubt that I was capable of doing off trainin the job. (“But (“B then, any idiot can,” he added.) The question in his mind was: was Would I? Would I go out and do the work I was paid to do, and do it well? Would I be as vigilant for the th guy driving like an ass as I was for ssome scrawny hype? Would either even fall on my radar, or would I be sitting on my ass 24/7? ★★★

“IF YOU DANCE, YO DANCE ALONE. YOU Even th the most charismatically challenged can find all manner of challenge temptations that come with the job. temptatio Indulging such inclinations may moral, ethical, and even legal raise mor concerns. Should you decide to push envelope or sample the forbidthe envelo den fruit, don’t involve others in your decision. An acquaintance of mine put it acq this way, “If you dance, you dance alone.” Then another added, “You make your own decisions. Live and die by them alone.” Don’t pull your radio car partner or some other poor bastard down with you. And don’t count on a supervisor to bail you out. If he’s smart, he won’t. ★★★

“LEARN FROM THE BEST.”

“DON’T BE IN SUCH A DAMNED HURRY TO GET YOUR ASS KICKED.”

“SLOW DOWN AND DO THINGS RIGHT.” Unlike the ass-kicking caveat, this referred to my driving, my investigations, my approaches on traffic stops. Perhaps where I should have taken it most to heart was early in my career where, despite protestations to the contrary, I did care what others thought of me and tried to make more arrests just to keep on pace with stat-conscious others. In the process, I may have sacrificed quality for quantity. Given a choice between three revolving door misdemeanants or taking in one good-quality threat to society, give me the latter. Note: I include DUIs as threats to society. Through the years the importance of being attentive to detail has been driven home repeatedly to me. I’ve seen everything from forensic missteps to clerical errors undermine cases and take their toll on all involved. Tragically, such mistakes have cost the lives of both civilians and officers. ★★★ PHOTOS: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

This meant taking the time to ask questions of those who had developed skills in recognizing G-rides or dopers. Of course, some of these go-to guys weren’t always wild about having been gone-to, and I’d skulk off to the report writing board and review copies of their reports to learn from them. I made a point of not just reading the “fun” reports but even non-workable burglary reports because I knew I’d be taking a lot of them and anything that could streamline the process while doing justice to it appealed to me. And it wasn’t just the “good” arrest reports I read and learned from. I also profited from those whose narratives screamed out “CUFFS GO ON AND CUFFS COME OFF.” for clarification and left themselves open for all manner of ju- Never be shy about using your cuffs, especially if you’re by yourdicial vulnerabilities. One guy told me that long before they’d self and particularly if you’re working either end of the population meet me, detectives and district attorneys spectrum: Out in some rural area all by yourRead “The Worst Advice would form an opinion of me based upon self or in a big city where most of the time you I’ve Ever Received” at PoliceMag.com/worst the kinds of investigations I’d done and the don’t know who the hell you’re stopping.

Police Recruit

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Best Advice make hollow threats that would only piss people off and escalate things. Often, it was the cop who ended up looking bad. ★★★

PHOTOS: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

“PICK AND CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES.” I should have acted more on this one. Sometimes I conducted myself like a typhoon in search of islands to destroy. Just as we shouldn’t be anxious to get our asses kicked, we shouldn’t be anxious to alienate those around us. With the advantage of hindsight, I would have taken principled stands only on things that really mattered, instead of getting in pissing contests with people who often simply had a different point of view.

The sooner you can justify detaining someone in cuffs and do so, the better to mitigate the person’s chances of assaulting you or hauling ass. In crowded situations, the sooner you can get the loudmouth secured somewhere out of earshot, the better chance you have of keeping things from boiling over. ★★★

“PRACTICE.” That single-word piece of advice has meant so much to me on so many fronts. Whether it is radio coordination, baton strikes, or shooting, a cop should continually work toward perfection. You’ll never achieve it, but that old “shoot for the stars” thing has some validity. ★★★

“WE DON’T 'SHOOT TO STOP,’ WE SHOOT TO KILL.” “That’s the kind of sentiment that can save your ass in civil court,” my friend acknowledged regarding the whole “shoot to stop” mantra. “But a fat lot of good that’s gonna do if you ain’t around to be sued. And if you operate like that, there’s a good chance you could find your own ass shot. Ain’t nothing more dangerous than a cornered and wounded animal. Make sure you put that SOB down when you have the chance.” My friend had been in more than one officer-involved shooting and had strong respect for the sanctity of human life. Moreover, he suspected that some cops didn’t always do as much as they should to mitigate the need to pull the trigger of a firearm. But he also believed that once an officer’s hand was forced, that the officer was obligated to do everything he or she could to make sure the threat was effectively neutralized. “We don’t want to give the guy another shot at killing us now,” he said, “or another cop later.” I tend to agree. ★★★

“DON’T BARK IF YOU AIN’T GONNA BITE.” This is one that I found myself repeating through the years. It’s a warning to never commit yourself to a promised action that you aren’t prepared to follow through. I never said that I would arrest someone or use force unless I was prepared and justified to do so. Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many instances where cops would

★★★

“DON’T LET THEIR SACRIFICES BE IN VAIN.” This is a two-pronged command, at once acknowledging that the job is important enough to keep up the work that brave men and women have sacrificed their lives for and insisting that you learn by whatever lessons their deaths may have illustrated. None of this advice comes from a pious perspective. Speaking for myself, I can’t say I’ve always lived up to it. But I hope that you’ll put some of these words to good use and that you’ll pass on your own good advice down the line. PR Read Dean Scoville’s Blog on the Patrol Channel at www.PoliceMag.com

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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The Winning Edge MIKE “ZIGGY” SIEGFRIED

HOW TO WATCH

THE HANDS Being able to recognize when a suspect is PULLING A WEAPON is an officer safety necessity.

very year the FBI publishes a report titled “Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted.” According to this report, 41 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2008. Year after year, the report outlines the fact that most officers are killed by firearms. But even when the suspect does not use a firearm, he or she may use other weapons to kill officers. The attacker may grip an edged weapon, use a blunt object, or steer a car into an officer. In all of these instances, suspects use their hands to kill. From basic training to field training, officers are told, “Watch the suspect’s hands.” But you are not taught how to do it. Why haven’t law enforcement trainers developed an easily understandable method to teach you the specifics of suspect hand movement awareness? One answer is that trainers and veteran officers who are skilled at hand watching often have a hard time articulating how they do it. So they use simple phrases like, “Just keep an eye on the hands,” or “It’s important to always watch the hands.” But this isn’t enough. It is imperative that you be able to recognize when sus-

A person might seem to be innocently reaching for ID when in fact he's reaching for a gun. Look for the way the hand is positioned in relation to the body for signs that a subject is going for a weapon.

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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When approaching a subject, focus on movements of the thumb, index finger, and elbow. A subject holding up open hands, even in an aggressive manner, is less of a threat because he can't easily reach a weapon.

pects are using their hands to access and deploy weapons so you know how to respond. Never bring a control hold to a gun fight.

HOW TO WATCH THE HANDS It wasn’t until I did some training a few

years ago with Roy Harris, a world class martial artist and martial arts hall of fame member, that I learned how to watch the hands of a suspect. I could not believe how much this awareness training increased my officer safety. I shared this technique with academy trainees and advanced officers. I now have a very simple way to explain dangerous suspect hand movements, and I use this knowledge when I testify as an expert witness defending officers in use-of-force cases. Harris began the training with a question: “How do people access weapons systems?” I naively replied, “With their hands.” He said, “OK, but how?” I didn’t have an answer. Harris explained that under most circumstances when a person brings a weapon into play, she has to make at least two movements with her hand. First, the thumb and index finger move toward the center of her body. Next, the elbow moves out away from the body. By focusing on these telltale movements, officers can perceive when a weapon might be coming into play and respond accordingly. Although they might be a precursor to an assault on the officer, movements of the hands away from the center of the body where the thumb and index finger are not extended are less of a threat than movements where the thumb and index fingers are moving to the center of the body.

FORECAST HAND MOVEMENTS One underutilized technique is forecast-

ing the hand movements of a contact. For

example, if you want to determine the identity of a contact, you will typically ask for a driver’s license or another form of identification. Instead of saying, “I need to see your license,” say, “Where do you keep your identification?” You need to know where the suspect’s hands will be going in order to perform the requested action. You also should ask, “What form of ID do you have?” There is a big difference between someone saying, “I keep my driver’s license in my wallet,” and “I keep my release from prison paperwork and my parole card in my wallet.” In either case, you need to know where the suspect’s hands are going. The reason this is so important is a person makes the same hand motions to get a wallet from his rear pocket as he would to access a weapon from the same area. First, the thumb and index finger move toward the center of the body. Next, the elbow moves out away from the body. You don’t want to overreact to a movement that you told the suspect to make. A better option is to forecast the movement, and to have the subject turn sideways so you can see what he is retrieving from his pocket. Tell the subject to use only his thumb and forefinger to slowly remove his wallet. Once the wallet is out, tell him to remove his identification. Many agencies do not take wallets from contacts prior

to arrest. This is a good practice because it limits the subject’s ability to allege that an officer took something, like money, from the wallet during the initial contact.

A MORE COURT-DEFENSIBLE TECHNIQUE In court, your actions are judged by citi-

zens who have little or no law enforcement experience. You may be interested in securing a conviction, or you may be defending the actions of another officer. Either way, having a definable system of how officers are trained to watch the hands makes it easier to explain to a jury or a judge why you thought an offender was accessing a weapon. It’s not enough to say, “I couldn’t see his hands.” You need to be able to explain to a jury what not seeing the subject’s hands meant. What were his hands doing? How did you interpret these movements and why? What actions were appropriate for that moment? If you can explain that the subject’s thumb and index finger moved toward the center of his body and his elbow moved away from the body, and that these movements are often indicative of weapon retrieval, the judge and jury can better understand your reasoning and actions. Read THE WINNING EDGE articles for defensive tactics every month in POLICE Magazine.

Police Recruit

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HOW TO WATCH THE HANDS

Have a subject turn sideways so you can see what he is retrieving from his pocket. Then tell him to use only his thumb and forefinger to slowly remove his wallet.

TRAINING METHODS One way to integrate this concept into

training is to create scenarios that expose the trainee to subjects who make motions that are indicative of accessing a weapon. This approach allows the instructor to see how the trainee responds. After the scenario, the instructor asks the trainee to articulate what movements the suspect made that caused her to believe the suspect was accessing a weapon. After the trainer determines the student can recognize weapon retrieval movements, the trainer evaluates the tactics and techniques the student used to neutralize the threat. An important element of this training is 14

to encourage the student to verbalize her instructions to the subject. The student should also consider verbalizing the fact that she is concerned about the subject’s hand movements.

USE AN AUDIO RECORDER I am a big advocate of officers using audio recorders. In almost all circumstances, they help in civil and criminal investigations. It is important to remember that recorders do not record what you do not say. I have never attended a defensive tactics training course that included activation of the recorder as part of the “real time” tactics training. Why not? There have been numerous times when

I have made statements to suspects because I was recording the contact and I wanted the person hearing that recording at a later date to understand what I was seeing. Make statements like, “I see that you are making a fist. Let’s not go there. You and I don’t need that kind of trouble.” Make these statements for the person, usually a supervisor, who will be conducting the use-of-force investigation if the situation deteriorates. Imagine two officer-involved shootings, both captured on audio tape, where the actions of the suspect are identical. In the fi rst shooting, you hear the officer struggle with the suspect and then the gunshots. In the second shooting, you hear the struggle, but this time the officer says, “Keep your hands away from your waist,” followed by, “Partner, he's getting something!” and then gunshots. Which of these incidents is easier to defend in court, the media, and public perception?

WATCHING THE HANDS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE Dr. Bill Lewinski of the highly respected Force Science Research Center co-authored a study with Dr. Joan Vickers titled “Gaze Control and Shooting Performance of Elite and Rookie Police Officers During a Force-on-Force Encounter.” Veteran officers who were studied directed their attention to the suspect’s gun hand or arm. In other words, they were better at watching the suspect’s hands, especially the gun hand. This skill allowed them to perform at a higher level and to react to deadly encounters more efficiently and effectively than rookie officers. Effective hand watching can increase the likelihood of an officer surviving a lethal force encounter. There is no foolproof method for knowing when a suspect is obtaining a weapon. You must use common sense and choose reasonable solutions to difficult problems. I have provided several techniques for how to tackle this important issue. By implementing these techniques, you can avoid becoming an FBI statistic. PR

Mike “Ziggy” Siegfried is a detective, academy instructor, and use-of-force subject matter expert with the San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sheriff ’s Department.

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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Clean Up Your Act DAVE DOUGLAS

WITH SOME ELBOW GREASE AND THE RIGHT PRODUCTS, IT’S EASY TO KEEP YOUR SIDEARM IN TIP-TOP CONDITION.

ears ago as a diligent new patrol sergeant I had the sad misfortune of conducting my first gun inspection. This was my first squad as a sergeant, and we were assigned the downtown beats of the nation’s eighth largest city. My 10 officers were lined up out on the patio area of our headquarters building all holding their autoloading pistols at port arms. After years in the Army and 10 more on the department, I was in my element. My squad, my people, my responsibility, all at port arms, I was being a sergeant doing real sergeant stuff. Life couldn’t have been better. Going down the rank of my squad, I would take each offered pistol and inspect the breach and barrel for obstructions and cleanliness. After performing a function check, I would inspect the magazines and verify that the ammunition loaded was the correct issued type. I’d then hand the pistol back to my officer and make an appropriate positive comment like “Nice job” or “Good work.” After all, that’s the way I was taught to conduct this type of inspection. A “seasoned” officer had recently been assigned to my squad. He was four years out of the academy. That was really senior for a patrol officer because at the time my department was going through a growth spurt and the average patrol officer’s tenure was about two-and-a-half years. I stood before this senior officer, took his offered pistol. and conducted my inspection. The gun looked like it had just been

picked up off the ground in the Ardennes after the Battle of the Bulge and teleported to the patio. I can’t recall ever seeing a fi lthier weapon even to this day. The barrel had dust bunnies and chunks of an unknown organic matter in it. Carbon and spent powder were caked in the breach. And when cycling the gun

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While cleaning your duty weapon isn't as simple as throwing it in the dishwasher—don't try it at home— some tried-and-true techniques can make it easier.

you’d think the rail surfaces were made of 60-grit emery cloth. I asked, “When did you clean this last?” His reply was, “Well, they made us clean them back in the academy.” As I said, he was four years out of the academy. So let’s see, that’s four years of quarterly qualification shoots, practice, annual advanced officer training firearms proficiency classes. Wow! No wonder it was dirty. The moral to this story is, if you really hate your sergeant and want to see him or her blow a brain hemorrhage from a spike in blood pressure, then do exactly what that officer did to me. If not, here are a few suggestions on proper maintenance of the generic autoloading pistol.

SAFETY FIRST The one hard-and-fast rule I have on gun cleaning is: Don’t let the sun set on a dirty gun. And if you work the graveyard shift the rule reads: Don’t let the sun rise on a dirty gun. OK. That said, let’s talk about the process. First, safely unload the gun before cleaning. I know, it’s silly to have to say this, much less write it. But how many times have we all heard that officer so-and-so was shot while cleaning his gun? If you don’t want to be the subject of such stories, unload your gun and put all the ammunition in another room before you clean it. Then check the gun again. When you are satisfied, check

it again. Then do it just one more time for luck. Now you can disassemble the gun. Your owner’s manual should instruct you on how to properly do it. Just don’t disassemble the gun further than the manufacturer’s recommendations, or you and probably a gunsmith will have a really lovely time trying to get it back together.

GETTING STARTED Once the gun is disassembled, you can start. It is very important to note that you never run a brush down the barrel first. This can easily damage the firearm and grind in dirt and moisture. Also, if you have dirt or moisture in the barrel, it will get into the bristles of the brush, and the next time the brush is in the neck, it could deposit some of the dirt. So start with a clean patch. Run it down the bore first and throw it away. A smart gun owner always throws away a patch after using it once. Used patches can redeposit dirt, carbon, and other grime back in your gun. So use fresh patches every time. After all, patches are perhaps the least expensive consumable material in your cleaning kit. The next step is to take a new patch and saturate it with a good bore cleaner and run it down the bore from chamber to barrel. Remember to always clean in the direction the bullet travels. Remove the patch, then remove the rod from the bore and let it sit for a while to allow the bore cleaner’s solvent to work. Police Recruit

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Clean Up Your Act CLEARING OUT THE CARBON Now you can work on the slide or receiver. The slide is relatively easy to clean on most modern autoloaders. Again, start with a clean patch and wipe down the slide rails and all the flat areas of the slide, then throw that patch away. Using good quality solvents, soak another patch and apply the solvent to the internal portions of the slide. I also like to use a military-type, doubleended nylon brush to scrub the slide rails and flat areas. Then I use a stainless-steel brush on the breach face because it normally will collect most of the tough-to-clean carbon buildup and requires a little more attention. After a good scrubbing, take another solvent-soaked patch and go over all the surfaces again. Then use a clean patch on the surfaces. Keep alternating a solvent patch and clean patch until the dry patch remains clean. Next, shift to the receiver. Much of the powder buildup will be in the area of the feed ramp. Use much the same technique as you did on the slide, alternating a solvent patch with a clean, dry patch. The nylon brush works well here, too. Make sure that you remember to clean down the magazine well. Powder residue can collect in the mag well and, when it builds up, it can cause dirt and grime to be pushed up into critical areas when a magazine is inserted.

DOWN THE BARREL Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cleaned the slide and the receiver, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to return to the barrel. Push another solvent-soaked patch through the barrel. (Again, remember to always clean in the direction the bullet travels.) Then take a brass brush and make at least 10 passes with it. Use one more solvent-soaked patch and then follow with clean, dry patches. The guide rod and spring require attention as well. If your gun has a captured recoil spring and guide rod assembly, use a nylon brush soaked in solvent to scrub the entire assembly. Then use clean, dry patches to remove the solvent and clean the assembly. On separate guide rod and spring systems, a solvent-soaked patch works well on the rod and the nylon brush does a good job on the spring. Again, remove all the solvent with clean, dry patches.

FINISHING UP You are almost ready to re-assemble the gun now. But first it needs to be lubricated. The most important thing to remember about gun lube is to use what you need and no more. Have you ever been at the range and looked over at the shooter next to you and noticed that he has little dark brown or black spots all over his face? If that guy looks like he has some unknown type of pox, then he probably used too much lube. 18

A very little amount of lubrication goes a long way on the modern autoloader. Find where metal rubs on metal and then put a very thin coating of lube on it. The slide rails require only a small drop. The hammer-cocking bar needs a thin coat, and the external portion of the barrel should also be thinly coated. To lube the inside of the barrel, take one clean patch, put a small amount of lubrication on it, work it into the patch so it evenly coats the whole patch, and run it down the barrel in the direction the bullet will travel. Take it off the rod and then remove the rod. Do not pull the patch back through the bore. Then take a clean patch, attach it to the rod, and pass it down the barrel. This should leave an appropriate amount of lubrication in the barrel. Lastly, use a small amount of lube on a patch to coat the guide rod and spring. OK. You can now reassemble the gun.

MAGAZINE CARE

Your gun is now cleaned and lubed, but you are not finished taking care of your weapon. The weakest mechanism on any autoloading pistol is the magazine. Improperly maintained magazines are responsible for a majority of failure-to-feed problems. So make sure you clean them when you clean your gun. Disassemble each of your magazines and use a solvent-soaked patch to wipe out the inside of the mag body and a nylon brush to scrub it. Then wipe away all the solvent. Clean the spring with a solvent patch, being careful not to stretch it, and clean the outside of the mag as well. Then wipe all the parts with clean, dry patches. The follower requires a good wipe down as well. A thin film of lubrication is all you will now need for both the inside and outside of the magazine. CLEANING SUPPLY COMPANIES I also like to replace my magazine springs annually. These springs are not expensive, ATK www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22315 and replacing them yearly is great insurance BLUE WONDER against failure-to-feed problems.

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CLEANING SUPPLIES OK, I have one last suggestion: Put together or purchase a gun cleaning kit with high-quality components. They will last longer and actually do a better job for you than the cheap stuff. There are a number of really good kits and gun care products available. Take care of your weapon, and it will be able to take care of you. PR Dave Douglas retired from the San Diego Police Department as a sergeant and the department's rangemaster. He held positions in various assignments there including patrol, investigations, bombs and arson, and training. He's a long-time contributor to POLICE Magazine.

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APPS FOR

COPS

Smartphone technology lets you choose and continuously update targeted tools to help you do your job. TIM DEES

THE COPS WHO CAME BEFORE YOU had to rely on plastic-coated reference cards and notebooks stuffed in their shirt pockets, and maybe you do to some degree as well. Still, there’s no reason not to take advantage of the amazing and relatively cheap computing power of a smartphone to use while on patrol. The line between smartphones and other cell phones is increasingly blurry. It’s rare to find a cellular handset that only makes and receives phone calls anymore. Virtually all of them incorporate cameras, can send and receive text messages, and incorporate some multimedia or information storage capabilities. The primary advantage of smartphones is in the ability to install programs or applications (“apps”) of your choosing, and not be limited to those that came with the phone. Which apps are available to you is largely determined by which phone and carrier you choose, and which operating system (OS) you run. The most widely used operating system is one you may not know, called Symbian. Symbian runs exclusively on Nokia phones, and has almost 50 percent of the market share worldwide. The reason you haven’t heard much about it is that “worldwide” in this case means “besides the United States.” In the U.S., BlackBerry is king, followed by the iPhone, Windows Mobile, Android, and Palm. Of these, Android is the comer, expected to pass iPhone’s iOS by 2012. Fortunately, you don’t have to plan that far ahead. Most smartphone users trade out their handsets at least every two years, if not more often. The technology evolves so quickly that the hottest phone on the market today will be passé in two years, and the new app you will want to use won’t run on the old one. If you’re not already using a smartphone, this is a time to live for the moment. Find one that suits your immediate needs, and don’t be too concerned about growing into it.

MESSAGING AND E-MAIL Your world may already run on e-mail and text messaging. To whatever degree it does, you will want a phone that is compatible with the messaging conduits you use. Do you need to access more than one e-mail

20 Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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Your smartphone can be an invaluable resource on patrol, from messaging, to e-mail, to photography, not to mention the many apps available.

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account (such as your personal and work take a picture of it. That could be the only accounts)? Most phones that are e-mail distinctive detail his next robbery victim capable will communicate with personal remembers about him. Photograph new e-mail services, but many corporate and graffiti (so you can tell when it becomes government e-mail systems use enterprise old graffiti later in the day), cars of people servers that require special protocols. you stop, and storefronts of businesses on This is the reason that BlackBerry rules your beat. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn them faster, and the business market for smartphones. Re- have a record of what is typical for the search In Motion (RIM), the company that business, and what isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. owns BlackBerry, runs its own servers and Most every cop I know who has made plays nice with enterprise systems. Most it through his career wishes he had more BlackBerrys have hardware keyboards pictures from â&#x20AC;&#x153;back in the day.â&#x20AC;? Take picwith physical keys, rather tures of the people you work than icons on a touchscreen, with and the things they do. and are optimized to â&#x20AC;&#x153;pushâ&#x20AC;? Make sure you record the messages to the handsets names of the people in those without the user having to repictures, because, trust me, quest them manually. Other the day will come when you smartphone systems will wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to remember do this, too, but RIM has the them. There is commercial most transparent setup for it. software to help you index Text or instant messaging and document your photos, (IM) works on most any cell but the free Picasa applicaphone, but the hardware vs. tion from Google works about software keyboard issue can as well as the others. be a critical feature if you use There are add-on photogIM a lot. raphy applications for smartWhere possible, try using phones that will be useful for a handset in the store before you. For the iPhone, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s you make a purchase. A tiny Camera Plus Pro, which aldifference in size or the placelows you to control some asment of a few keys makes one pects of camera function not handset a pleasure to use, available in the native softwhere another makes your ware. This includes delaying hands and wrists ache. the shutter release until the Whichever you choose, recamera is relatively steady member that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re no longer Camera Pro and similar and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;burstâ&#x20AC;? mode to take k better b a spectator in the world, and apps llet you take several frames at a time. Anphotos on the job. you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to lose situdroid has Camera Pro, with ational awareness while you compose an similar features. Another iPhone camera e-mail or IM. Restrict that activity to envi- app you might find useful is Camera Camronments where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re relatively safe, or ouflage, which has a screen that looks like when someone is watching out for you. an incoming call (and will even ring), but actually takes a picture each time you speak into the mic. PHOTOGRAPHY Smartphone cameras have some serious chops these days, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s every reason INFORMATION MANAGEMENT to make use of them. Photos document Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be handling a lot of information in a way words canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, and you information, some of it pretty random. never know when something that seemed Good investigators are good note-takers, trivial yesterday will be important today. and record their observations regularly, When you check out your car at the usually in a pen-and-paper notebook. start of watch and find thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a ding or The downside of this method is that patwo in the paint, take a picture. It might per notebooks have limited capacity, and save you some grief later. When you noRead about more tice that homeboy has found an innovaapps for cops at www.policemag.com/apps tive method of lacing up his sneakers,

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Remain aware of your surroundings when you're using your smartphone. If you need to do something more involved like texting, wait until you're in a safe environment.

aren’t searchable. Notes taken on your people. If you get to be an Evernote junkie, smartphone are searchable, have infinite you can get a premium account for $5 per capacity if you allow for expansion onto a month and upload 500 MB. Another type of information manager memory card or “the cloud” (data maintained on the Web or elsewhere where is eWallet, which offers versions for most you can retrieve it wirelessly), and can be smartphone platforms, PCs, and Macs. eWallet is for the kind of inassociated with pictures and formation you might carry other data. in your wallet: account Evernote offers apps for most numbers and passwords, PC, Mac, and smartphone OSs, serial numbers, prescripand is versatile enough for law tions, clothing sizes, PINs, enforcement or any other use. etc. It comes with template When you see something you “cards” for most any kind of want to remember or keep information you’re likely to track of, send it to Evernote. need, and there are blank This applies to photos, text general purpose cards and notes, e-mail, Web pages, ardesign-your-own versions. ticles, and just about anything eWallet lets you easily trackk off all k ll off your The database is enelse. Evernote stores a copy on keep important info. crypted on whatever device your device and on the Evernote server, where you can retrieve it at you have, so if it does fall into the wrong your leisure. You create tags and catego- hands, it will be useless without the passries to fit your own needs. A free Evernote word. When you make a change on one account allows you 40 MB of uploads per platform, you can synchronize it to the month, which is plenty enough for most other, so your mobile and desktop fi les

SMART USE OF SMARTPHONES ★ Don’t keep or transmit messages or pictures you wouldn’t want to see attributed to you in the newspaper. Even if the phone and the airtime are your personal property, these things have a way of coming back to haunt you.

★ You aren’t any more skilled at playing with your phone or text messaging while driving than the 17-year-old you ticket for it. Moreover, when you drive into a tree, it’s that much more embarrassing.

★ Set your phone so that it requires a password every time you use it. Yes, it’s a pain in the butt, but not as much as if Tommy Tweaker gets it and has control of your address book, photos, and whatever else might be on there.

★ Consider getting a phone and a service that allow you to wipe and/or disable the phone remotely if it’s stolen or mislaid. It might cost more, but it will be worth it. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22080 Police Recruit

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APPS FOR COPS stay concurrent. Among the FOREIGN LANGUAGES fi les in my eWallet are cards Do you speak all of the lanfor each one of my guns, with guages used by the people make, model, serial number, in your community? Me and place of purchase. I have neither. Every smartphone similar fi les for my computOS offers “phrasebook” apers and other electronic gear. plications you can use for If something goes missing, I the occasional encounter, always have its details. even if the language isn’t You can use your smartespecially common or frephone to replace some of the quently encountered in your reference books and “cheat area. An iPhone app called sheets” you’ve collected (or you “Spanish for Police—Audio will create). Droid Law is a free Phrasebook” goes one step database for Android phones, farther by including a sound and is necessary to run any of fi le of every phrase, so if your the various state and federal Spanish enunciation isn’t up code references they have for to par, the app will say it for sale. Why carry a book around you. when you can have the entire It’s almost impossible to criminal and/or vehicle code list all of the apps available for your state on your phone? for police smartphones, and There are similar applications the ways they can be used. If for other smartphone platI tried, it would be outdated forms, although you may not The Spanish for Police by the time this appeared in find a ready-made solution for app translates common the magazine. Just know that phrases used on patrol. if there’s some task where your jurisdiction. If not, consider making your own. Ev- you want to use your smartphone, there ery smartphone platform has one or more is probably a way to do it and “an app for flat-fi le database applications available. It that.” PR wouldn’t take all that many evenings to create your own criminal code database, Tim Dees is a retired police officer and the and populate it by cutting and pasting former editor of two major law enforcefrom the online version of your state’s stat- ment Websites who writes and consults utes. You might even be able to sell your on technology applications in criminal work to other officers (but check copyright justice. He can be reached via editor@ issues before you try). PoliceMag.com.

REFERENCES PICASA http://picasa.google.com

CAMERA PLUS PRO http://www.globaldelight.com/iPhone/camerapluspro/index.html

CAMERA PRO http://swisscodemonkeys.appspot.com/app/camera/android-camera-pro-adds-zoomeffect-filters-and-many-other-features.html

CAMERA CAMOUFLAGE http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camera-Camouflage/135475966471780

EVERNOTE http://www.evernote.com

EWALLET http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/ew/ewallet.php

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SHOTS FIRED

I R U O S S I M , S ST. LOUI 10✯01✯2007 When a gangbanger opened fire on them in rush hour traffic, two officers had to worry more about hitting innocents than hitting the bad guy.

PHOTO: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

DEAN SCOVILLE

s six-year veterans of the St. Louis Police Department, Matthew Simpson and Duane Hollinshed were more than partners, they were friends. Graduating only an academy class behind Simpson, Hollinshed had worked with Simpson on patrol prior to their being selected to an impact team. The streets had become as familiar to them as one another’s work habits, and they were at least comfortable with the latter. Together, they’d formed a formidable team, taking bad guys to jail, having fun, and making a difference in the community.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, 2007, the two officers were cruising on Kings Highway in their unwrapped Chevy Uplander when their attention was drawn to a green Ford Taurus, or rather the manner in which it was parked. It looked as though someone had rammed the vehicle into a lightpost at the curb and abandoned it. The scene was just familiar enough for the two to share the same thought: Abandoned stolen. That was when they saw two young black males, one following the other as they rounded the Taurus before sud-

denly darting across Kings Highway. Hollinshed began to pull forward when Simpson said, “Wait a minute. Let's see where they’re going.”

THE SHOOTER Wherever the two men were going, it was

not together, not if the lead man had anything to say about it. For as the two ran through an empty parking lot making a beeline toward a side street just west of the officers’ location, the second man suddenly pulled a gun out of his waistband and began firing

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SHOTS FIRED at the first. The gunfire seemed to give its target a fresh burst of energy and for a second it appeared Usain Bolt’s world record in the 100-meter dash would be in jeopardy. But fate conspired against the sprinter, and as he made a quick right around a storage bin his shoes lost traction. He stumbled, planted one hand against the ground, then bounced up before disappearing behind the storage unit. The man’s inspired athleticism did little to impress his pursuer, who continued his pursuit across Kings Highway. As the men neared them, Hollinshed pulled up to the intersection and Simpson yelled out his passenger window for the shooter to stop. Kendrick Alexander, a 17-year-old member of the 41 Delmar Mob gang, complied, spinning and opening fire on the two officers with his 9mm pistol.

THE ROCK AND THE HARD PLACE Officer Simpson aimed his 92F Beretta at Alexander. Unfortunately, rush hour

conditions and the risk of striking any pedestrians or motorists occupying one of the busiest intersections in St. Louis precluded his taking a shot. Doubling back on the same side of the street that he’d started running on, Alexander’s stride propelled him onto the sidewalk. Simpson realized that he now had a clear shot at the shooter. Simpson’s Beretta tracked the suspect as Alexander profi led himself to the officers’ van. Before the suspect could get off another round, Simpson squeezed the trigger. The first round was perhaps more suppressive than anything else and he missed. Simpson adjusted his sights. Everything else fell into place. He’d practiced enough at the range and had studied enough about the kinesthetics of an officer-involved shooting to anticipate any of the physiological responses attendant to so many of them. But there was no speeding up or slowing down, only adrenaline-enhanced focus as his front sights picked up Alexander. He squeezed off four more rounds, each coming in quick succession of its predecessor. The young man stumbled, pitched forward, then collapsed.

St. Louis PD Officers Duane Hollinshed (left) and Matthew Simpson received the Medal of Valor for their actions.

SURROUNDED Just because Simpson was familiar with

these streets didn’t necessarily make him comfortable with them. If anything, his knowledge of some of their less desirable elements gave him even greater pause than normal to consider turning his back on the gathering throng about him. Still, he looked at the man lying in the street and saw him take his last breath. He checked for a pulse. Nothing. What was he supposed to do? Just let the man die? Not an option. As Simpson bent over to perform CPR on the man who’d tried to kill them, Hollinshed had his partner’s back, telling others to back away, the Beretta at his side leaving no doubt as to the sincerity or legitimacy of his request. Any possible associates of the suspect

had left long before the investigation team arrived, leaving nothing but the law abiding citizens to give their accounts of what happened. The deceased was known as a very violent person. At the time of his death, he had been under investigation for a couple of other murders and other investigations. He was not only disliked, but feared in the neighborhood. Alexander was transported to BarnesJewish Hospital and died in surgery. The man he’d been chasing escaped without injury.

INDEPENDENTLY TOGETHER Hollinshed said he knew he was in no po-

sition to engage the suspect and the best he could do was to place his partner and himself in an optimal position to afford Simpson both a shot at the suspect and an

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engine block for protection. As any officer whose partner has put him in the “kill zone” can attest, the consideration was appreciated. “Whenever you have a partner, you have to have a rapport and understand what the other person is going to do without having to communicate it all the time,” notes Simpson. “It was definitely a huge and important role. I said, 'Oh shit, he’s shooting.' I almost kind of chuckled. It surprised us because we thought they were together. Beyond that I don’t think we said more than three or four words to one another. We simply functioned independently as a team. Duane (Hollinshed) knew the car could be a weapon or their escape and that my responsibility was to shoot. We didn’t have to discuss anything. We knew what each of our respective responsibilities was going to be in this incident. “When the suspect began shooting at us,” Simpson continues, “It was the manner in which Duane drove the car which kept us from getting shot. Luckily I was able to get off five rounds quickly, as the suspect was in full sprint. The way Duane positioned the car made all the difference. As far as I’m concerned, it kept us from getting killed.” For his part, Simpson says he responded as he would have wanted to, and did what he’d been trained to do. “I had to put one in his direction so he would stop shooting at us,” Simpson reflects. “The second round was on the sights, but I knew right when I squeezed the trigger that he had just passed it so I knew I was going to miss him. The next three hit him.”

NO TUNNEL VISION One thing Simpson had to be very aware

of during the gunfight was the positioning of innocent bystanders. He couldn’t just obsess on taking down the shooter. “I always critique myself when I do police work. When I’m chasing a guy with a gun or whatever I might be doing, I always make sure that I stay perfectly calm. It’s not to toot our horns, but you always want to try to remain of sound judgment. You pay attention to what’s going on. “I didn’t have a single bit of tunnel vi-

sion while this was going on. I could still see the people even when I was laying on the sights. I could still see from left to right, the people to the right by the check cashing place, a guy ducking down by a Pontiac Grand Prix that was illegally parked in front of the alley, I saw the cars stopped in front of the intersection on Page, another vehicle that was to our left made a quick left to get away. “I saw all this while I was shooting. I’m proud of that. I’m proud that I was able to do that. I come from a long line of policemen. I’m sixth generation myself. I had the good fortune of learning from my dad and my grandfather learning how to act.” Beyond familial influences, Simpson

DO? WHAT WOULD YOU Officers Matthew Simpson and Duane Hollinshed of the St. Louis Police Department noticed a crashed vehicle on the side of the road with two suspicious men near it during rush hour. Then one of the men pulled a gun on the other. Imagine yourself as an officer at the scene and consider the following questions.

✯ Officer Simpson has endured some criticism for shooting quickly at the range, yet displayed restraint and accuracy when it counted. How do you feel about “rapid fire” drills? How difficult is it to reconcile accuracy and speed when it comes to hitting something down range?

✯ Many officers sometimes find themselves positioned in “no man’s land” due to their partner’s placement of their patrol vehicle in relation to a threat. How comfortable do you feel as a bookman? When you are the driver officer, do you always factor in your partner’s possible vulnerability when it comes to attempted stops of armed threats?

✯ Despite the presence of possibly hostile witnesses, Officer Simpson initiated CPR on the man who had tried to kill him. Have you considered how you would respond to similar circumstances? READ DEAN SCOVILLE'S PATROL CHANNEL BLOG AT WWW.POLICEMAG.COM/PATROL.

went out of his way to become a proficient shot. “I’m an excellent shooter, particularly fast shooting,” he says. “I never shoot slow. I always shoot fast. I train like I’m in a gunfight, if that makes sense. So I’m not really concerned with shooting 300. But I think of myself as a good shooter. I don’t care if I can put a quarter in the middle of a circle. I know I can.” Not that everyone is enamored of Simpson’s approach to shooting. “Whenever I go to the range to shoot, the guy always runs up to me and tells me to slow down,” he admits. “I’m always the first one to pull out, the first one to shoot, the first one done, but I shoot just as high as everyone else. My rounds don’t look as pretty—I don’t have this pretty round little circle—but it’s all in the five. My personal preference is to always shoot as if I’m in that moment even when I’m in firearms training. I get very serious. When I draw I try to shoot as quickly and accurately as possible.” Still, Simpson is convinced that his shooting philosophy gave him a sense of self-assurance during the incident and therefore the upper hand. “He ducked that first round when he was crossing the street, but I knew I couldn’t shoot back at him at that very moment. I’m confident in my shooting, but he was running and I might miss. The odds are that you might miss at a moving target, especially when he’s at a full sprint. I didn’t want to take a chance of hitting anybody. So I had to wait a moment to wait for him to get to that curb.” Ironically, the pistol Kendrick Alexander used to fi re upon the officers had itself once been owned by a cop. But that officer had passed away years before, and how his firearm found its way into the young man’s hands continues to be a subject of speculation, one of the more plausible being that the officer’s lack of loved ones had found independent contractors cleaning out his belongings and appropriating the gun unto themselves. For their heroic actions that October day, Officers Holinshed and Simpson were awarded their city's Medal of Valor. They both continue to work on the police department protecting the citizens of St. Louis. PR

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Personal Field Trauma Care SYDNEY VAIL

Always have the gear and knowhow to attend to basic wounds. The life you save may be your own.

The SWAT-T tourniquet was able to stop bleeding from a laceration to the axillary artery from a penetrating injury, which other methods failed to do.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JUST ANOTHER DAY ON PATROL. You do your daily equipment check: sidearm, extra magazines, handcuffs, radio, cell phone, wallet, keysâ&#x20AC;Ś.you seem ready for another routine day. STOP! What about medical equipment that may be needed in a true emergency? Are you ready to deal with massive bleeding from an arm or leg on your partner or yourself? The answer is likely no; the medical kit in the trunk of your car does you no

good unless you are very close to your car. How would you treat someone after a foot pursuit that took you 15 blocks from your vehicle? You would call dispatch to send an EMS unit to your location; this takes time, and time means more loss of blood. The more blood lost, the less time

This 7mm rifle wound to the lower leg needed a tourniquet to stop the artery and vein bleeding and QuikClot to stop the bone marrow bleeding of the tibia leg bone.

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you have to get to the hospital to hopefully have the chance at a good recovery. Do I have your attention now?

GET A KIT Every officer should have a minimum amount of medical equipment as well as training to use the equipment. As I have stated at the POLICE-TREXPO show and conference in some of my presentations, my dream is for a small kit with the essentials to appear on the belt or in a pocket of every law enforcement officer. The Uniform First Responder (UFR) Pouch made for and distributed by Combat Solutions in Fredericksburg, Va., contains products that I believe in and have tested and used under the worst of conditions in my job as a trauma surgeon. The contents are a set of gloves to protect you from blood contact, Band-aids, a hemostatic agent (QuikClot Combat Gauze and Advanced Clotting Sponge),

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a SWAT-T tourniquet that can serve as a pressure dressing or tourniquet, and a card to list your personal medical information like allergies, medications, and a contact number. Other similar kits are available from various companies. Just be sure to carry one with the essential items to save a life wherever you go.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS I have used the QuikClot products in and out of the operating room with excellent success. The SWAT-T tourniquet is inexpensive, lightweight, and multipurpose; fits any size limb; and is simple to use. Outfitting an entire department or dealing with a mass casualty event will not break a budget when the tourniquet costs around $8, and you won’t break your own budget if you purchase one for yourself. I first used the SWAT-T on my right upper arm over bare skin to see if I could do it one-handed and gain the “tightness” needed for it to act as a tourniquet, not just a bandage holder. It was easy to apply. Although the first and second revolution around my arm was not as tight as I’d want, it quickly grabbed itself with friction and I tightened it and “tucked” the end under a layer to completely shut off blood flow to my radial and ulnar arteries. This tightness was checked with a color flow doppler/duplex ultrasound machine in the vascular lab at the hospital where I work. As I released the tourniquet, flow was restored after two to three revolutions back around my arm, releasing the tourniquet effect. There was no pinching of my skin or discomfort at all. NOTE: It took me about 20 seconds to stretch/wrap/ tuck it into place to occlude the vessel; this should speed up with experience.

TRAINING You can obtain training in the use of all of these tools from your local tactical medics, trauma surgeons, or emergency medicine physicians. But you could also seek training from others you know who have used these or similar products. If you attend courses that specifically address these life-saving procedures and equipment, you can pass on what you have Find out more about POLICE-TREXPO at www.TREXPO.com

learned. One of the best ways to make sure your entire agency receives this training is to then conduct in-house training so every officer is prepared to aid wounded officers.

10 GOLDEN RULES After years of dealing with law enforcement officers’ injuries and working and training with SWAT teams I developed what I believe are the 10 “Golden Rules” for treatment after being seriously wounded that officers need to know. 1. If you feel pain, you are alive. 2. Maintain tactical awareness, seek cover. 3. Apply direct pressure to all major bleeding. 4. Call for help via cell phone or radio. 5. Use a hemostatic agent. 6. Apply a tourniquet ASAP/ASAF (feasible). 7. Squat, sit, lie down if possible (standing may drop your blood pressure and falling hurts). 8. If you are talking, you need to remind any EMS person on hand not to waste time with IVF. 9. Carry a card in your wallet, vest pocket, or medical pouch that has a contact phone number and a list of your allergies, medications, and other health problems. 10. Get to a trauma surgeon ASAP. This field care buys you precious time so that you can make it to a trauma center for definitive care. You do your part well and you make the odds better once you get

to the hospital….I’ll be there to thank you for the life you helped save; it may be your partner’s, a civilian’s, yours, or mine. Right training, right equipment, and right mindset together equal a winning combination and when it comes to severe injury, you can make the difference between life and death. PR Sydney Vail, MD, FACS, is a frequent speaker at POLICE-TREXPO as well as the medical director of Trauma Services at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz.; medical director for the Tactical Medicine Program, Arizona Department of Public Safety SWAT; and an instructor for the International School of Tactical Medicine for the Palm Springs (Calif.) Police Department.

FIRST AID RESOURCES BLUELINE TACTICAL www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22330 COMBAT MEDICAL SYSTEMS www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22331 COMBAT SOLUTIONS www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22332 MEDAFOR TRAUMADEX www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22333 TACTICAL & SURVIVAL SPECIALTIES INC www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22334 TACTICAL MEDICAL PACKS www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22335 TEMS SOLUTIONS www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22336 Z-MEDICA www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22337

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FLASHLIGHTS

SCOTT SMITH

5.11 TACTICAL One of the most innovative lights on the market is 5.11 Tactical’s Light for Life. It’s available in a large size, the UC3.400, and a smaller size, the PC3.300. Both get their charge from a highoutput capacitor, much like those found in a camera flash. The difference is that the flash dumps its light all at once. The Light for Life slowly dissipates its light, giving you at least an hour’s worth of runtime. Both lights can be fully

charged in 90 seconds. Unlike traditional batteries, the ultra capacitor allows you to leave the Light for Life on its charger without diminishing the capacitor’s ability to recharge and hold that charge. With a 50,000hour LED light and capacitor that can be charged thousands of times, these lights will outlast most of us on duty. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22340

BLACKHAWK I like BlackHawk's Legacy L6P because of its polymer body. This material makes the light more durable and not as cold to the touch in the winter. The body also has nice big checkers for a good purchase in all conditions, with or without gloves. And to prevent the light from rolling, its tail cap and light bezel have seven sides. Other notable features on this 90lumen LED light include its operation and its two- to three-

hour runtime. The Legacy’s tail cap is a two-stage button; simply push for momentary, and push until it clicks for constant on. Th is set-up requires only gross motor operation and can be easily operated with either hand. Attention to these details shows why BlackHawk is a leader in tactical gear including duty lights. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22341

BRITE-STRIKE Brite-Strike Tactical Illumination Products is a company that is built by cops for cops. A couple of patrol officers started it to build lights with features cops need and want. The company’s Tactical Blue Dot 198 light is sized small enough to fit in the palm of your hand or comfortably in a pants pocket. Yet it’s long enough to be a last resort impact weapon— which is when the light’s crenulated tri-strike crown on each

end can come in handy. The Blue Dot 198 is rechargeable can be had with a couple of versions of end caps: high/low/strobe, or momentary/high output, both with an output of up to 198 lumens. This allows you to decide what will best serve your needs. And each Tactical Blue Dot comes with a lifetime warranty, a ballistic nylon holster, and an AC Battery charger. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22342

FIRST-LIGHT USA First-Light USA’s Tomahawk can be had with just a white light, a strobe, multi-color (red/blue or red/green), multi-color strobe (the red/blue is for LE only), or a night vision version. To activate the Tomahawk you depress the horseshoe-shaped button. For the multi-color in red/blue, if you want the red or blue lights use the two front buttons. The right button selects the color, while the left button sets the

brightness. When the colored lights are on, the white light can be operated by pushing the horseshoe button. When the light is attached to your belt or vest with its clip, you have hands-free use. A finger loop even allows you to use the Tomahawk while shooting. I found it works well using a traditional twohanded shooting grip. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22343

INFORCE/EMISSIVE ENERGY One of the most innovative lights I have seen is the Inforce Color Police LED. Using carbon fiber for its body drastically reduces weight without sacrificing durability or toughness. You can use the Color Police LED as a bright white light with momentary and constant on or an alternating blue/red light in slow or fast mode. It can serve as a standard light or as a signal light when setting up a highway 30

checkpoint. To switch between these modes you simply rotate the tail cap. The red/blue will automatically activate, and the push button switches to white light. The light is also small enough to carry in a pocket or on a duty belt, and it will run for two to 72 hours with an output of 11.5 lumens to 225 lumens. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22344

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INOVA Of its many lights, Inova's "T" series seems to be the best suited for duty use. The T-4 is powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery. When you are using it on duty, this 200-lumen light will drain the batteries in approximately two hours of constant use. If you use the light off and on the charge should last an eight-hour shift. Fortunately, the charger will run on your cruiser’s DC power. This light’s

aircraft-grade aluminum body and lens bezel have beveled checkering. It gives a good grip in wet or dry conditions and it won’t snag uniforms. The switch is mounted forward on the barrel, near the bezel. It gives you several light modes: high or low output, strobe, and momentary and constant on. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22345

INSIGHT TECHNOLOGY If you are looking for a weapon-mounted light I would suggest Insight Technology. You can mount the company’s new WX150 on your handgun or any long gun with a Picatinny rail using Insight’s patented Adjustable Slide Lock. This gives you a universal lock bar or a slightly thicker one for a Picatinny rail, ensuring a snug fit. The WX150 gives you 150 lumens of output for two hours on a pair of CR123A batteries. You are also given three light options: push the ambidextrous toggle up for constant on, down for mo-

mentary on, or down and then quickly up for strobe. In case you decide to take a swim, the WX150 is water resistant to three feet. I found the WX150 will fit holsters designed for Insight’s M3 light, so you won’t need to purchase a new holster (you will still have to check the fit to your gear). The WX150 was built to function well on various weapons and with existing duty and concealment holsters. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22346

PELICAN You can illuminate areas, search vehicles and buildings, temporarily disorient suspects, and direct traffic all with Pelican’s 2490 Recoil LED. This one light runs on four AA batteries and has an output of 51 lumens. It provides useable white light out to 30 yards or so, yet it won't blind you when you're using it to search under a car seat. If you need to use the 2490 as a traffic wand, simply remove the lamp head, insert one of four colored lenses, and screw the included cone on. You now have a traffic/marker light. You

will find the 2490 is much lighter than your heavyduty tactical light saber because it is made from tough polymer, not machined aluminum, so it's easy to carry. I like the light’s on/off switch, which is an easy-to-use toggle. It positively clicks on/off but does not make sounds that could betray your location. And since this light will be used in wet weather, the lens/wand threads have an O-ring seal, which performed well when I tested its water tightness. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22347

STREAMLIGHT If you are looking for a versatile light, I would suggest Streamlight’s Stinger DS LED HP. It gives you three light outputs: high (200 lumens), medium (100 lumens), low (50 lumens), and a strobe. This variable output gives you a runtime as long as seven hours on low or as short as two hours on high output. Thanks to its Cree LED and distinctive reflector, when used on high Streamlight’s Stinger DS LED HP gives a narrowly focused useable light

out to 50 or 75 yards depending on your eyes. This is important because it will allow you to make out a weapon and facial detail. This light also has dual switch operation. Both the tail cap and body button function identically: push to activate, hold down to reduce output in constant on, or a quick double click for strobe. Should you need momentary on (which is only high output) do not click the button. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22348

SUREFIRE SureFire’s AZ2 is a dual output LED light. At first glance it looks like a 6Z with its push-to-activate tail cap and mid body grip rings on a Combat Grip Body. But when you look more closely you’ll see there are five lights in the bezel. Four are low output (35 lumens) and the center LED provides the high output (150 lumens). To change from low to high output, push the tail cap deeper. Need less

light, back off the cap and only the low output LEDs are on. This keeps the operation of AZ2 simple and uses only gross motor skills. Like all SureFire lights the AZ2 is virtually indestructible, thanks to its Mil-Spec anodized aerospace aluminum body. If you keep it in CR123A batteries (it requires two), this light should last you a career. PR www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22349 Police Recruit

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EYEWEAR

JENNIFER WASHINGTON WASHING

5.11 TACTICAL 5.11 Tactical’s Ascend was created with Wiley X and features die cut selenite polycarbonate lenses and a T-Shell lens coating that provides scratch, crack, and stress mark resistance. The frames are built with Grilamid TR-90 homopolyamide nylon for high bend strength, low density, and high resistance to chemical and U V damage. The Ascend also features oil- and sweatresistant rubber contact points at the nose and temples for added comfort. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22400

ESS Eye Safety Systems’ Crossbow Suppressor Eyeshield features an ultrathin frame and ballistic lens designed specifically for use under ear cup hearing protection and communications gear. The ergonomic design helps maintain the effectiveness of such devices and eliminates soreness around the ear caused by pinching and pressure. The Crossbow Suppressor frame is also cross-compatible with any other product in the ESS Crossbow series. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22401

OAKLEY Oakley’s SI Line Ballistic Photochromic M-Frame features lenses that automatically darken and lighten in response to the wearer’s environment, helping reduce eye fatigue and improving performance and safety. The Ballistic Photochromic M-Frame meets ballistic protection standards required by MIL-PRF31013 as well as ANSI Z87.1 standards. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22402

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REVISION Revision’s Sawfly Military Eyewear System features a redesigned frame, comms compatible arms, a comfort nosepiece, an extended lens, and a new retention system. The updated configuration provides enhanced eye protection, comfort, fit, and gear compatibility while also retaining ballistic performance, optics, and durability. The Sawfly Military eyewear system’s polycarbonate lenses are interchangeable for various light conditions and also offer 100 percent protection from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22403

RUDY PROJECT The Rydon 5-Lens Shooting Kit includes Rudy Project’s best selling eyewear model, the Rydon, and five lenses. This kit is equipped to handle changing light conditions throughout the day with Laser Copper, Action Brown, Clear, Yellow, and Racing Red lenses. Effective in both law enforcement and military applications, the Rydon 5-Lens Shooting Kit is suited to a variety of outdoor lighting scenarios. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22404

SMITH OPTICS Smith Optics offers a wide range of tactical eyewear with tapered lens technology, 100 percent protection from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays and lightweight frame construction using impact resistant materials. For a quick lens-change solution, Smith offers the Factor Max Tactical model with PivLock technology and easy-to-use lens tabs. For style and function, the Lockwood Tactical model incorporates high-impact protection and lenses in five different frame styles. Both models feature Megol nose pads and temples and meet ANSI Z87.1 standards for optics and MIL-PRF-31013 standard for impact. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22405

WILEY X Wiley X’s Brick is the newest addition to the Black Ops Collection and features unbreakable matte black Triloid nylon frames and selenite polycarbonate grey lenses. The lenses provide 100 percent UVA and UVB protection and incorporate a T-Shell scratch resistance feature. The Brick also features a climate control seal that keeps out debris and dust and also provides ventilation across the interior of the lens. In addition to being ANSI Z87.1-2003 certified, the Brick is prescription ready and offers a snug fit. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22406

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BOOTS

JENNIFER WASHINGTON

5.11 TACTICAL 5.11 Tactical’s Taclite boot in its “race to chase” line is Strobel lasted with the 5.11 Strike Platform for a lightweight and flexible first step in feel. In addition to an antibacterial and moisture wicking lining, the adjustable Taclite boot features perforated foam padding on the ankle collar and tongue, as well as a TPU external ankle stabilizer and compression molded EVA midsole. The integrated 5.11 Lace Station features stay-tied sausage laces and keeps laces neat and under control.

BATES Bates’ GX-8 Gore-Tex-insulated side zip boots feature Gore-Tex waterproof technology and 200gram Thinsulate insulation to keep feet warm and dry with less bulk. The athletic cement construction is similar to an athletic running shoe construction, making the boot lightweight, breathable, and flexible. The GX-8 boot also features a cushioned removable insert, and a YKK nylon side zipper.

BLACKHAWK The BlackHawk Composite Toe 7-inch boot is made from water-resistant Cordura fabric and features a custom molded footbed made from washable, antimicrobial Ortholite. Breathable Cordura panels help reduce weight while the Dri-Lex inner lining wicks away moisture and dries quickly. The boot also features two-inch ankle webbing for enhanced stability and a fully gusseted tongue that prevents debris from entering the boot. The steel shank provides additional support while leather heel and toe reinforcements provide abrasion and scuff resistance. The BlackHawk Composite Toe 7-inch boot will be available beginning mid-January 2011.

5.11 TACTICAL TACLITE HEIGHT: 6 inches or 8 inches SIZES: Regular 4, 5, 6–12, 13, 14, 15; Wide 7–12, 13, 14, 15 COLORS: Coyote tan and black UPPER: Black full-grain polishable leather or coyote ran rough out suede, air mesh, 1,200-denier Cordura fabric SOLE: Oil- and slip-resistant quiet rubber with fast rope control tread CLOSURE: Laces SPECIAL FEATURES: 5.11 Zonal Lacing System that provides a customized fit PRICE: $124.99 for the 6-inch; $134.99 for the 8-inch www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22410

BATES GX-8 HEIGHT: 8 inches SIZES: Men’s 7–12, 13, 14, 15; Wide 7–12, 13, 14 COLORS: Black UPPER: Waterproof leather and ballistic nylon SOLE: Slip-resistant rubber CLOSURE: Laces and side zipper SPECIAL FEATURES: Gore-Tex and Thinsulate insulation PRICE: $144.95 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22411

BLACKHAWK COMPOSITE TOE 7-INCH HEIGHT: 7 inches SIZES: Men’s 5–12, 13, 14; Wide 7–12, 13, 14 COLORS: Black UPPER: High-abrasion, full-grain leather SOLE: Vibram Multisport oil-resistant TC4+ compound with large, open lugs CLOSURE: Laces SPECIAL FEATURES: SympaTex waterproof barrier PRICE: $159.99 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22412

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HAIX The Haix GSG9-S 8-inch tactical boot features a lightweight, slim design with abrasion-resistant fabric and minimal seaming on the inside leg for fast roping. Developed in cooperation with police and SWAT teams, the flame-resistant boot is constructed with Sun Reflect leather that reduces the heating effect of direct sunlight while also providing water resistance and breathability. The boot also features the Haix Secura Liner, which offers additional protection from chemicals and bodily fluids.

MAGNUM Magnum’s Spider 5.1 and 8.1 Urban boots feature a fast rope system that works with the NATO standard fast rope, and reduces the friction and melt that often occurs on a fast rope descent. The Spider Urban boots are non-metallic and feature an exo-frame build on the sole and arch, as well as beaded ceramic super fabric and a spider mesh lining. All Spider Urban boot styles are ergonomically designed and include an M-PACT comfortable contoured sockliner.

ORIGINAL S.W.A.T. Original S.W.A.T.'s Classic 9-Inch Side Zip boot is designed with a moisture-wicking lining and triple stitched upper for durability, breathability, and strength. Riveted steel shanks placed between two flexible lasting boards support torsional strength, while the hot melt heel and toe counters retain boot shape and hold the foot in place. The Classic 9-Inch boot also features a uniform code full-grain leather toe, athletic cushioning, and a removable orthotic footbed for comfort and foot support.

RIDGE FOOTWEAR The 8055Z Air Tac Plus is an 8-inch, non-metallic tactical boot created with Ridge Footwear’s new generation carbon rubber air outsole design and a triple stitched leather/nylon mesh upper. The boot features a removable insole and a built-in composite shank, as well as nylon composite eyelets for nylon speed lacing. The dual air chamber heel support and polyurethane midsole provide additional cushion and comfort.

ROCKY Available February 2011, Rocky’s Long Range line of boots share the Long Range X 10-layered outsole system, constructed with full-grain leather and other waterproof, non-metallic materials. Each style features the Long Range footbed and the rib-shaped StabiliShank for total arch support and stability. The Long Range Welt is stitched to penetrate all 10 layers, including the rubber outsole and non-slip center lugs.

HAIX GSG9-S HEIGHT: 8 inches SIZES: Men’s 4.5–15; Wide 4.5–15 COLORS: Black UPPER: Waterproof leather and nylon SOLE: Puncture-resistant Kevlar CLOSURE: Laces SPECIAL FEATURES: Bloodborne pathogen- and chemical-resistant liner PRICE: $269 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22413

MAGNUM SPIDER AND URBAN HEIGHT: 5 inches and 8 inches SIZES: Medium 7–12, 13, 14, 15; Wide 8–12, 13, 14, 15 COLORS: Black UPPER: Full-grain leather and 1,650-denier ballistic nylon SOLE: Spider outsole with reinforced stabilizers CLOSURE: Laces and YKK side zipper SPECIAL FEATURES: Fast Rope System PRICE: 5.1 $135; 8.1 Urban $145; 8.1 Urban Zip $155 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22414

ORIGINAL S.W.A.T. CLASSIC 9-INCH SIDE ZIP HEIGHT: 9 inches SIZES: Men’s 7–11.5, 12–15; Men’s Wide 8–11.5, 12-15; Women’s 6 –11 COLORS: Black, brown, coyote, tan UPPER: 1,000-denier nylon and leather SOLE: Slip-resistant, self cleaning, multi-tread carbon rubber CLOSURE: Laces and YKK zipper with Velcro tab SPECIAL FEATURES: Rust-proof hardware, non-fray laces, moisture-wicking lining PRICE: $95 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22415

RIDGE AIR TAC PLUS HEIGHT: 8 inches SIZES: Men’s 4–11.5, 12–14 (available in regular and wide widths) COLORS: Black UPPER: Triple stitched leather and nylon mesh SOLE: Carbon Rubber Air CLOSURE: Laces and YKK full length zipper SPECIAL FEATURES: Tybrelle lining PRICE: $113 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22416

ROCKY LONG RANGE HEIGHT: 8 inches SIZES: Men’s/Women’s 8–12, 13 COLORS: Black UPPER: Leather SOLE: Rubber with non-slip center lugs CLOSURE: Laces and side zip SPECIAL FEATURES: Stabili-Shank, Long Range X outsole system PRICE: $180 www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22417

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OUTERWEAR MELANIE BASICH

5.11 TACTICAL ★ CHAMELEON SOFTSHELL JACKET 5.11 Tactical's new lightweight, wind- and water-repellent Chameleon Softshell Jacket is made of a 100percent polyester bonded softshell material with a brushed lining as well as a mesh liner and a drop tail. The jacket includes three exterior pockets and three internal pockets. An internal audio port will accommodate a radio or mp3 player. The Chameleon’s covert design is easily transformed with three imprintable and removable ID panels. It’s available in black, dark navy, and a moss/black combination and in sizes XS to 3XL. Pricing starts at $99.99. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22420

BLACKHAWK ★ 3/4 ZIP GRID FLEECE PULLOVER HOODY The lean and athletic cut of this stretch fleece makes it ideal for layering without restricting mobility. T The three-quarter zip has double zip openings that can be unzipped for more ventilation and easy on/ off capability. Raglan sleeves allow for full range of motion, while sleeve thumb-holes make for easy on/ o off capability when layering or as an additional hand coverage. This pullover hoody sells for $79.99 and is o aavailable in black or coyote brown and in sizes from Small to 2XL. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22421

BLAUER ★ TACSHELL 4-1 JACKET Blauer's newest innovation in outerwear is its 9820Z TacShell 4-1 Jacket. Waterproof, windproof, and breathable fabric with stretch provide comfort and mobility. Hidden pockets, ripstop reinforcements, a TASER AXON integration system, and an ANSI certified reversible zip-out softshell fleece jacket are just a few of the TacShell standout features that help you do your job better. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22422

ELBECO ★ SHIELD MERIDIAN MODULAR OUTERWEAR JACKET Elbeco developed its Shield line of jackets for every public safety official who frequently works in less than perfect weather. The company’s Shield Meridian Modular Outerwear Jacket has a water-repellent nylon shell that offers wind and rain protection while retaining a high level of breathability. Telescopic sleeves allow for full range of arm movement and side zipper vents with snaps provide quick access to belt equipment. An included fully insulated zip-out Th insulate liner features zip-off sleeves and openings that allow access to inner jacket pockets. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22423

FECHHEIMER ★ FLYING CROSS 54100 SERIES SOFTSHELL JACKET Fechheimer’s Flying Cross 54100 Series Softshell Jacket features a two-way stretch fabric of 88percent polyester, 12-percent Spandex bonded to polyester fleece. Two lower vertical hand pockets and two upper vertical pockets provide plenty of storage while 10-inch side vents with zipper closure and snap elastic tab provide easy access. Articulated set-in sleeves allow for maximum mobility. Other features include contoured Velcro cuff closures and unattached badge tabs. This jacket is available in LAPD navy, black, forest green, and brown, and in sizes regular XS–4XL and long M–4XL. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22424 36

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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HORACE SMALL ★ ENFORCER JACKET With its foundation of a windproof, waterproof, breathable Teflon membrane, Horace Small’s EnW forcer Jacket can withstand the toughest climates. Its nylon outer shell and Primaloft zip-out liner for insulation provide plenty of warmth, and multiple pockets provide ample storage. The jacket even features innovative concealed 3M Scotchlite retroreflective sleeve bands so you can be even more visible or you can conceal them when you don't want to be seen. Horace Small’s Enforcer Jacket is available in midnight or brown and in sizes XS–5XL. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22425

MAGNUM ★ REVERSIBLE HI-VIZ JACKET Magnum’s Reversible Hi-Viz is a stylized black jacket designed to let you stay completely incognito until you need to stand out. Turn Magnum’s waterproof/breathable and wind-resistant jacket inside out to reveal its ANSI II hi-viz interior. Both sides of this jacket offer an adjustable hood, side zippers to access your sidearm, mic loops, and four hidden pockets that can be accessed from both sides. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22426

PROPPER ★ DEFENDER DELTA DROP PANEL DUTY JACKET The Propper Defender Delta Drop Panel Duty jacket’s military-inspired fit includes articulated threepiece sleeves for maximum range of motion and three zipper-attached ID panels. Propper’s exclusive, lightweight HALT barrier provides windproof, waterproof, and breathable performance. This jacket stands alone, or you can zip the Propper Defender Echo softshell into it as a liner for extra warmth. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22427

TACT SQUAD ★ F1006 PERFECT STORM DUTY JACKET A multi-weather jacket, the F1006 Perfect Storm Duty Jacket from Tact Squad has a 100-percent nylon ClimaTact waterproof, windproof, and breathable shell. It also features ample storage space, a zip-out hood, and a zip-out quilted 3M Thinsulate liner. This jacket’s three dropdown panels come printed in one of four options—POLICE, SHERIFF, EMS, and SECURITY—or can be customized to order for any agency. All that and it's completely machine washable. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22428

TRU-SPEC BY ATLANCO ★ 24-7 SERIES WEATHERSHIELD 3-IN-1 JACKET Based on Tru-Spec’s popular 24-7 Series 3-in-1 jacket, this new waterproof waist-length jacket can be worn three ways: as an unlined jacket, as a lined jacket with the zip-in fleece liner, or the fleece liner worn separately as a cool weather cover-up. Special police-friendly features include easily accessible pockets, smooth operating zippers and hook-and-loop fasteners, mic or sunglass loops, chest pocket with ID tag, and back yoke with cape opening and detachable ID panel. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22429

WOOLRICH ELITE SERIES TACTICAL ★ ELITE LAYERING SYSTEM Woolrich Elite Series Tactical's outerwear and layering system gives law enforcement professionals choices for inclement weather. In addition to the Elite Waterproof Breathable Parka, the system now includes the Elite Polyester Fleece Jacket and Elite Polyester Fleece Vest. All feature two-way side seam zippers that provide fast access to gear on the waist. They can be worn together for an optimum combination of warmth and protection from the elements or separately to adapt to changing weather conditions. www.policemag.com/freeinfo/22430

Police Recruit

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DAVE SMITH

Take these five lessons to heart and you’ll enjoy a long and happy career in law enforcement.

ILLUSTRATION: SEQUOIA BLANKENSHIP

WHAT I WISH I’D TOLD THEM I AM OF THE AGE where I can look back and take stock of my years as an Academy instructor and take the feedback of many of my former cadets, who have now retired as well, and tell you what I wish I’d told them. Instead, they had to these are things known as eustressful activities. Eustress is learn these things the toughest way possible: by experienc- the opposite of distress, and makes us better, improves our ing it firsthand. resilience, and makes us healthier. Believe me, working in a bureaucracy is stressful enough 1) If you are lucky enough to wear the badge and firearm as a career you will suddenly be making more money than you without discontinuing the things that give you the ability to ever have before. You will be tempted to go and get a house, a not only cope, but thrive. If you find you can’t do what you’ve spouse, and a new car, and begin your career deeply in debt, always enjoyed, then find something new and do that. You will need this stress relief. and suffer all the associated stresses that go with it. Understand this: The number one cause of divorce in law 5) If you do get lucky enough to spend a career wearing a enforcement is not dispatchers, it is financial stress. Com- badge and gun, you will eventually retire. You must plan for bine this with the realities detailed below and you will find this as if you’re changing your whole life, which you are. your life stress greatly increased—unless you take time to When you hang up your badge you will have spent a large learn to budget, control your impulses to buy, and plan for portion of your life alongside men and women you consider the future financially. your brothers and sisters and, suddenly, you will be apart 2) Your friendships are going to change from being with from them. Oh, they’ll still be your friends but it will be difmostly civilians to with mostly cops and your attitudes will ferent. One day you will call the department and the person answering the phone won’t know who change along with them. Your family LEISURE ACTIVITIES MAKE you are, and wham! you will feel very will call you cynical, and you will simply say that you just more clearly see US BETTER, IMPROVE OUR alienated. You must prepare for that separation and determine what it is the dark side of human nature. RESILIENCE, AND MAKE The fact that you take a gun everyUS HEALTHIER. YOU WILL you want to do when you “grow up.” One study found the average law where you go, on and off duty, will NEED THIS STRESS RELIEF. enforcement officer dies within five cause your left-wing cousin to say he years of retirement. Five years? You has never carried a gun anywhere in deserve a long and happy retirement. his whole life and “look at him!” To which you will say, “In law enforcement, you are what we If you take the above advice and plan properly financially, find “eustressful” activities to enjoy, and gather people you call ‘the victim’ in our reports.” 3) You will need to constantly remind yourself early on to love around you, you will have spent your emotional capital love your God, your family, your country, and what you do wisely and you probably will enjoy many more good years. I know you are having a hard time understanding all this for a living, but to NOT love your agency. That is not a healthy relationship; your agency cannot love you back. You give since you are just beginning the journey, but think about it your honor, your duty, your loyalty, your courage, your these things as you go through your career. As time goes by it will all become more and more important, which is why I strength, and it gives you a paycheck…period. Unfair? You bet. Life’s unfair. Get over it. If you under- wish I had told all my cadets this way back when. PR stand this point you will have a long and healthy career and make it to retirement without hating everyone around you. Dave Smith is the creator of “Buck Savage” and a retired law 4) At some point in your career you may find yourself talking enforcement officer from Arizona. Currently, he is the lead about all the things you used to do. Whether its fishing, hunt- instructor for Calibre Press’ Street Survival seminar. Read his ing, softball, camping, biking, climbing, flying, or bowling, monthly column in POLICE Magazine.

✪

Police Recruit Fall 2010/Winter 2011

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* Zamora, J. (2004, February 2). Oakland cops may go to video. The San Francisco Chronicle.

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