January 2009

Put yourself in the place of Officer Rod Weber of the Great Bend (Kan.) Police Department. You are investigating a hit-and-run and you are met by an angry man with a shotgun.

Do you rely solely upon the training given you by your department, or have you attended any officer survival seminars? What do you think of them?

Weber had his ballistic vest tailored for maximum torso protection. Have you had any difficulties finding a ballistic vest that is properly tailored to your coverage needs?

Weber believes that it was a subconscious survival prompt that saw him stepping momentarily astride of the rear wheel axle so as to protect his lower extremities when the suspect racked the shotgun a second time. While officers are often trained to fire under vehicles, are you equally conscientious of such treats from subjects?