Monthly Archives: December 2012

Banning guns

Carbine / Subgun Instructor, Kent, WA.           March 18-22, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Spokane, WA.      April 15-17, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Lakewood, WA.             May 6-8, 2013
Hostage Rescue, Spokane, WA.                     June 18-20, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Kent, WA.            August 12-14, 2013
Ballistic Shield User, Spokane, WA.                Sept. 3-5, 2013. (This course still pending based on range)
SWAT Team Leader, Spokane, WA.               Dec. 16-18, 2013

If you are interested in hosting a course or attending any of the courses above, please contact me to get scheduled.

Lots of talk in the media about gun control, as if controlling guns controls human psychopaths. I am staunch defender of the 2ND amendment, the RIGHT to keep and bear arms is the clearest indicator of a free man or woman. That right was so important, that the framers decided it was only 2ND to freedom of speech. Cops are citizens and in some cases citizens have acted when the police were not present to stop violent attacks to good affect. Every time I have contacted a citizen who is legally carrying a firearms, I have congratulated them on being responsible for their own safety. In fact I have given warnings on traffic infractions to CCW holders as a thank you for being part of the solution to violent crime. Well done. 

I have a news flash, if you are a citizen who really believes that I will EVER get there in time to stop violent crime, you are in fantasy land. You might hit the lottery and get lucky, but I wouldn’t count on it. Make no mistake, I wish I could look in the crystal ball and be there a few minutes before anyone is victimized by a sociopath. After all, I became a cop to stop bad people. Writing tickets wasn’t the draw to police work. The truth is that I have typically been there too late. The crook is eventually captured (usually), but that doesn’t erase the violent act. Someone is still dead, shot or stabbed.

If you really want to keep you and your family safe, then you should be carrying a gun. This is not the rambling of a mad man since I would also say that the actual chances of you and your family being the victims of violent crime is pretty damn slim. It truly isn’t likely that it will happen to you, statistically speaking. If you elect not to exercise your right, it is very possible you will never live to regret it. On the other hand, if that day comes and you don’t have a gun, please dont espouse that banishing guns would have been the solution. Quit being a dumbass. The fact is that a gun was the ONLY solution.

More importantly, quit trying to impose your silly views on the rest of us. I have car insurance for a reason, I have home owners insurance for a reason, I carry a gun for a reason. If my decision to carry that gun ends up saving you someday, no thanks is required. I will be happy knowing that I made a difference, that the burden of carrying was worth it, and that it was exactly what any American with balls of steel would have done.

Back to basics…

Carbine / Subgun Instructor, Kent, WA.           March 18-22, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Spokane, WA.      April 15-17, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Lakewood, WA.             May 6-8, 2013
Hostage Rescue, Spokane, WA.                     June 18-20, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Kent, WA.            August 12-14, 2013
Ballistic Shield User, Spokane, WA.                Sept. 3-5, 2013. (This course still pending based on range)
SWAT Team Leader, Spokane, WA.               Dec. 16-18, 2013

If you are interested in hosting a course or attending any of the courses above, please contact me to get scheduled.

Over the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions to focus on some basics. Everything from shooting fundamentals to tactics and clearing. Make no mistake, I routinely dry fire to include draws and reholsters, reloads and so forth. “Advanced” tactics are merely the flawless execution of basic skills, so I am always chasing that rabbit. Even though I like to think I am constantly focusing on basics, it isn’t the same as when I purposely and meticulously try to break down the tasks that I realize I am making mistakes or have picked up a bad habit or a hitch somewhere along the way.

Within the team there are a lot of forces at play. One of the biggest ones is attrition, because that brings new guys on the team. Training and missions start to run together over time, and unfortunately that clouds the memory of what has been shown to new guys. In addition, the senior guys need that purposeful, meticulous look as well once in awhile. 

We start to say stuff like “They already know that” and “Basics are boring”. And yet over time if we dont hit it hard, basic TTP’s will slip out the window and suddenly we have a weird, morphed concept of what shoud be done vs. what is really being done. New(er) guys believe hey understand the concepts, but they really dont if you ask them. 2 man decision makers, slick entries focusing on movement and verbiage, communication skills, situational awareness, and a whole host of things can be checked, AND corrected when we slow down and do things right. 

So spend some time working on the basics, the payoff is priceless and the payout is cheap.