Sweeney Patrick - MODERN LAW ENFORCEMENT WEAPONS & TACTICS

MODERN LAW ENFORCEMENT

WEAPONS
& TACTICS

3rd
Edition

PATRICK SWEENEY

2004 Patrick Sweeney

Published by

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 86-72618

ISBN: 0-87349-659-0

eISBN: 978-1-44022-458-4

Edited by Kevin Michalowski
Designed by Ethel Thulien

Printed in U.S.A.

Acknowledgments

Every book, unless it is a work of fiction, requires a collaboration between the author and his sources of information. Unless youre Winston Churchill writing A History of the English Speaking Peoples or Isaac Asimov writing just about anything, you cant just do it all from memory. My friend John Farnam is far too modest, but he sums it up nicely I just remember what other people have learned and pass it on.

Even when I carried and wore a badge I couldnt keep up on everything. Now that I dont (the phrase Theres a new Sheriff in town is not just a clich.) I have to depend on those who spend their waking hours in the front lines of the homefront. I would like to thank my long-time friend, shooting buddy and my personal nominee for modern Renaissance man, Law Enforcement Division, Jeff Chudwin, Chief of Police of Olympia Fields and President of the Illinois Tactical Officers Association. Also of great help was Ed Mohn, Libertyville Police Department and the NIPAS Emergency Service Team, and Multi Jurisdictional Team Advisor to the NTOA. And Ron Proudlock, Livonia Police, Retd. Last but not least, all my friends and associates in the Illinois Tactical Officers Association who have been so free with their hard-learned tricks, tips and information through the years.

On the medical front, Id like to thank fellow Gunsite Graduate Anthony M. Barrera, MD, FACEP (aka Doc Gunn), and dedicate the emergency medical section to the late M-SGT William Chris Dwiggins, who spent so much time and effort imparting his hard-earned knowledge on emergency medical matters at Gunsite. And while he will not have his MD until after this book is out, Id like to thank Jeff Gerak for his incredible patience in putting up with my seemingly endless stream of questions on basic medical details. James Etzin of the International Tactical EMS Association was invaluable for his insights, for pointing me towards info I hadnt thought of, and letting me know there are many more locations for law enforcement EMS training than I had ever thought there were.

In the category of I cant believe these guys get paid for this manufacturers and their reps who went out of their way to provide me with samples, information and help, (and in no particular order) are: Travis Noteboom of Benchmade Knives, Dick Swann of A.R.M.S., Ernest Emerson of Emerson Knives, Dave Skinner at STI, Gary Smith at Caspian, Greg Anderson at Blackhawk Industries, Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills Ammunition, Dusty Rhoades at London Bridge Trading Company, Radha Govind at BfR Boots, Deb Williams at Springfield Armory, David Johnson at Boonie Packer, Robert Castellani, President of North American Rescue Products, and Teressa Carter at Remington. And my apologies to anyone I might have left out due to poor memory or caffeine overdose.

Finally, as I do (and she deserves) in every book I write, I thank Felicia, for her patience, love and able assistance on the translation from gunspeak to the English language. For those of us whose first language is more concerned with ballistics and reloading, shooting techniques and tactics, English can be troubling. She makes the translation, and life in general, easy.

Introduction

A lot of people get into the shooting sports (or many other sports for that matter) for the gear. If you think a bunch of shooters sitting around discussing bullet weight and powder selection is strange, you havent listened to dirt bike racers debate the merits of one brand of shocks versus another, or which weight oil is appropriate for what climate. Or in the old days, photographers discussing which film was warmer or which had snappier colors for fleshtones or landscapes.

When it comes to shooting, the activities of the special teams in law enforcement really bring out the gearheads. After all, the gear includes not only guns and ammo, but there are lights, body armor, uniforms, web gear, and such exotica as night vision gear, grenades of many kinds, radios and teamwork. And when it comes to writing, the task increases commensurately. After all, in order to write about gear, you have to handle it, test it, use it and compare it. Unfortunately, to handle, test, use and compare everything available in every category would take more than I have. More time, more manuscript, more publisher and editor patience, and more energy. And, it having taken several years of work, multiple volumes of books, and a mountain of gear, would be out of date before it hit the newsstands.

Gearheads are not just readers, either. There are definitely police officers that worked hard to get onto a team so they could not just get into the action, but get the cool gear, too. Never underestimate the cool guy gear factor as a sales tool. There is a reason there are always more volunteers for Ranger and Airborne units than there are slots available. More applications for all the high-speed, low-drag positions in the military and law enforcement than there are slots available. And gear is part of it. But gear is more than just a substitute for a video game as entertainment. In a bad situation, quality gear can make the difference between succeeding and failing. Between coming home upright or feet first; between being cited and praised or being remembered and commemorated. To that end, I undertook the task of sorting through equipment, procedures, attitudes and information, and delivering it to you.

Im only human, and do what I can. Im sure I will fail to mention or test someones favorite, or the issue gear of a big department, but I cant cover it all. Im sure Ill praise something a reader has tested and disliked. Or criticize something a reader depends on. If we disagree, find out why and let me know. I want to know. In this project, as with all my others, I contacted as many of the manufacturers of each category as I could. And as with each prior book, I had many responses. Some immediately sent catalogs, suggested products, and called to ask if I had questions. Indeed, several shipped products when I simply asked for a catalog. Others promised, and shipped, and were happy to answer questions. A few promised but never sent anything, not even a catalog. But there are limits to the Sweeney fun gear budget, even when I get to write about it and theoretically justify it as an expense in some future audit. That said, there are products Ive written about that Ive spent my own money on. Usually products that I feel strongly enough about that Ive bought them even before doing the book. And a few that I couldnt in good conscience leave out even though it meant reaching into my own pocket.