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Now that computers have become commonplace in law enforcement vehicles, the depth and breadth of software for the police market has ballooned. A wide variety of enterprise and standalone products are now available to help officers identify threats, manage case information, administer and schedule personnel, and perform just about any other public safety duty.
What should you consider when looking at outerwear for duty or most any foul weather? First, versatility. Because quality outerwear is expensive, it needs to serve for at least three seasons out of the year. The second item to consider is whether the outer jacket is truly waterproof or just water resistant; there is nothing worse than being cold and wet. Last is the price. If the clothing breaks the bank it will cause issues.
Discovery's Planet Green channel will feature the officers of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in a new reality show scheduled to air beginning Jan. 8. "Operation Wild" follows the duties of officers who enforce the state's wildlife and boating laws. The show will air at 10 p.m. Eastern on Fridays.
A Texas Chrysler dealer is offering a powerhouse law enforcement version of the re-introduced Dodge Challenger muscle car that can reach 165 mph. The vehicle is available with a variety of custom options and is currently being used by several Texas agencies as a highway car for drug interdiction duty in solid black. We've blogged about the Challenger. Now, take a more in-depth tour with this gallery. Photos courtesy of Group 1 Automotive.
Nearly 20,000 officers from Washington state, the nation, and Canada gathered at the Tacoma Dome to pay homage to the service of the four Lakewood Police Department officers who were killed in a coffeeshop in late November, before their shift. The memorial service featured tributes to Sgt. Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens, and Greg Richards. The officers were remembered for their commitment to public service.
Magpul Dynamics offers firearms training that is in many ways tailored to law enforcement personnel. Magpul instructors teach skill-based firearms training they call weapons manipulation that's designed for "prioritizing efficiency and consistency in mindset, fundamentals and stress conditioning." The courses run the gamut from basic weapons skills to advanced dynamic assault in complex urban environments. Several courses are marked "LEO Only." Photos courtesy of Magpul.
In his movies, Steven Seagal usually plays a special agent or cop with martial-arts skills who, when pushed to the edge by baddies, responds with deadly force. Turns out, Seagal knows more about law enforcement that we thought. For the past two decades, he's been working as a fully commissioned deputy with the Jefferson Parish (La.) Sheriff's Office. Here are a few images from his new police reality show, "Steven Seagal: Lawman," which debuts Dec. 2 on A&E. Images courtesy of A&E.
A good duty light should be easily carried on a duty belt, provide adequate illumination up to 50 yards away, and be long enough that it protrudes from both sides of a fist so the light can act as a last-ditch impact weapon. The light should also be able to be used in conjunction with a sidearm in the Harries or Rogers technique. Xenon bulbs put out a tight beam and mega amounts of lumens; but they eat batteries and the lamp assemblies are expensive when you need a new bulb. LEDs, on the other hand, are rapidly approaching the light output of xenon at 50 yards or so. These models became available in 2009.
Although the Daniel Defense M4, or DDM4, is a factory rifle, it looks like it was built by a custom shop. This carbine ships with quad fore rails, a removable backup sight, Magpul MOE adjustable stock, Daniel Defense vertical fore grip, a flared/beveled trigger guard, a flared mag well, and a Magpul 30-round PMAG.
The gun manufacturers have been busy building some truly innovative firearms for law enforcement in 2009. The following is a quick look at some of the more interesting handgun models that have come to the attention of POLICE in recent months. Some of these weapons have been featured in our "Arsenal" firearms review features. Others are on our radar for future articles.
Good photographs documenting physical injuries start even before the camera is out of the bag, because you need to have the proper mindset. These photos aren't just for police departments. They'll be viewed by the prosecutor, defense attorney, judge and, most importantly, the jury will scrutinize your work. Good composition, proper exposure and attention to detail speak volumes about your skill and dedication. Sloppy, out-of-focus images give the impression of incompetence.