Articles - SWAT

Many Americans have failed to learn the real message of that day. We were not attacked by a small band of zealots with box cutters but an ideology that still thrives in the world and must be defeated before there can be peace.

Yes, the age of the tactical robot has truly arrived. So it's little wonder that robots were some of the stars of the show floor at the recent TREXPO West trade show in Los Angeles.

It’s easy to think of TREXPO as primarily a trade show. After all, some of the most interesting news to come out of each TREXPO usually involves some intriguing weapon or training aid. But the training and instruction that officers receive during the conference program at TREXPO can pay real dividends in the field. TREXPO West 2006 at the Los Angeles Convention Center was no exception.

It would have been difficult to find two TREXPO West keynote speakers who complemented each other in their message better than Kelly McCann and Col. Danny McKnight.

Much is known about many of law enforcement’s special teams: dive team, air watch, SWAT. In contrast, the hazardous devices team of your department (if you have one) is one that has intentionally kept itself out of the limelight, for good reason.

SWAT Officer John Sims, Jr. had a frustrating day at the range and a worse night on patrol.

The tactical medic must be able to effectively carry equipment and be able to operate in a tactical situation without hindering the rest of the team. So he or she must decide what items and tools will be carried into the field and what equipment will be left in a vehicle or in a larger kit.

The scene is a fixture in many war movies. A wounded soldier cries out, “Medic!” then another soldier, one who carries a medical kit and not a weapon, crawls out from his foxhole and braves the fury of a firefight or an artillery barrage to render aid to his wounded buddy.

How much is a cop’s safety worth? Despite safety concerns, due to shrinking budgets it’s becoming increasingly common for police departments to require officers to purchase their own body armor. Even when agencies pony up some money for ballistic vests, it’s usually not enough to buy the best of the best—which is what most officers want protecting them from bodily harm.

Lewis Machine & Tool Co. has just introduced what may be the next evolutionary step in the ongoing development of the AR-15/M-16 family of rifles. Called the Monolithic Rail Platform (MRP), the rifle was designed to cure some ills common to this weapon system and provide some needed options. Featuring an innovative one-piece receiver/handguard system and quick barrel-change capability, the MRP is destined to find favor with SWAT officers.