Shawn Hughes

How to Become a Bomb Tech

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.

Poisoning the Well

Quick. Short of a nuclear detonation, think of the worst possible terrorist attack that you can imagine.

Anxiety Attack

As terrorists continue to expand their knowledge base, their capability to unleash weapons of mass destruction on the American public moves from the realm of fictional thrillers to all-too-real concerns for public safety.

Respirator Roundup

There are many respirators out there for police officers to choose from. Here are some of the best units available that meet the special needs of the police officer.

Gas Masks and Air Packs

While actually known by professionals as Air Purifying Respirators (APRs) and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs), gas masks and air packs, once only found with specialized units, are fast becoming a staple in the patrol officer and first responder's gear bag.

How to...Start a WMD Unit

In the days following 9/11, many citizens wondered aloud if their local public safety agencies were prepared to protect them if their communities were attacked. Unfortunately, until recently, the answer to that question was often, No.

Preparing for the Worst

Less than two years ago, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) such as gas, viruses, and nukes were mostly the stuff of Tom Clancy novels, not the everyday concern of the nation’s law enforcement. But that was before 9/11.

Preparing for the Worst: WMD Chart