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Both Sides Take Credit For NC CCW Success: As the tenth anniversary of
licensed CCW in North Carolina nears, both advocates and opponents of
that law take credit for the program's success in that state.
http://www.kinston.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=31629&Section=Local
---
Local PD To Access ATF Database: Article describes the process of
tracing firearms by law enforcement agencies and reveals that the Yuma
(AZ) PD will soon have access to the BATFE eTrace system.
http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_20111.php
---
Florida Bill Would Ban Firearm Seizures In Emergencies: In the wake of
illegal seizures of firearms in post-hurricane New Orleans, a Florida
legislator has introduced a bill to block similar action in that state.
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051030/NEWS/510300368/1036
http://www2.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MIA10031/
---
From Force Science Research Center:
Force Science News #30
October 25, 2005
=======================================
The Force Science News is provided by The Force Science Research Center,
a non-profit institution based at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Subscriptions are free and sent via e-mail. To register for your free,
direct-delivery subscription, please visit forcesciencenews.com and
click on the registration button. For reprint clearance, please e-mail:
[email protected].
=======================================
I. BREAKING NEWS: 2 COPS CLEARED BY FORCE SCIENCE IN CONTROVERSIAL
"SHOT-FROM-BEHIND" ENCOUNTER
After 6 tense years of investigation, 2 officers in London, England,
have been exonerated in a highly controversial shooting, thanks to the
last-minute analysis of the circumstances by the Force Science Research
Center. The officers had potentially faced trial on charges of criminal
homicide and long prison terms.
The shooting occurred in 1999 when Chief Insp. Neil Sharman and Cst.
Kevin Fagan, so-called "gun cops" on London's Metropolitan Police,
confronted a 46-year-old Scottish painter and father of 3 who had
allegedly boasted in a pub that he was armed with a sawed-off shotgun.
At least one patron took him to be an Irish terrorist, and phoned police.
When Sharman and Fagan challenged the suspect on an East London street,
he turned toward them, pointing a long, blue plastic bag in their
direction. They believed the bag contained the gun.
The suspect was shot fatally in the head and in the hand. Because of the
placement of the head wound, local forensic investigators concluded the
man was shot from behind, unjustifiably, rather than as he faced the
officers in a threatening manner, as they insisted.
Complicating matters, the bag turned out to contain not a shotgun but a
wooden coffee table leg that had been repaired by the suspect's brother.
Over the years, 2 inquests, 2 case reviews and 3 separate referrals for
prosecution for an "unlawful killing" followed, accompanied by public
outrage and media hype targeting the officers. Last June, Sharman and
Fagan were arrested on suspicion of murder, gross negligence
manslaughter, perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Their prospects looked grim.
A few weeks later Dr. Bill Lewinski of the Force Science Research Center
at Minnesota State University-Mankato was asked by London police and
union representatives to review the case. His analysis, drawing from his
meticulous studies of physical dynamics in police shootings, along with
a unique animated reconstruction of the event by Parris Ward, an FSRC
National Advisory Board member, proved critical in suddenly and
dramatically turning the case in the officers' favor.
Last week, to the accused officers' relief, prosecutors announced that
no charges would be pursued any further.
Watch for a full account of force science at work in this fascinating
case in an upcoming issue of Force Science News.
II. IS THAT A SUICIDE BOMBER...OR JUST A JOGGER?
Police in California report a piece of sports training equipment that
could cause an officer to mistake an innocent jogger for a would-be
suicide bomber.
The item is a "weighted running vest," which affixes to the torso and
back with shoulder straps and a wide, Velcro waistband. Large pockets
front and rear can be filled with small-diameter, solid metal cylinders
about the length of a shotgun shell to add extra poundage and thereby
intensify a jogger's workout.
"These vests are becoming popular among joggers, and it's likely we will
see an increase of individuals utilizing them," cautions a photo
bulletin circulated to law enforcement. "All personnel should use
extreme caution when confronting any individual wearing a vest of this
nature, as it's difficult to differentiate between a running vest and a
suicide bomber's vest."
Notes Cpl. John Chapman of the Presidio of Monterey (CA) P.D.: "This
thing looks almost exactly like a homicide bomber vest. Our concerns
include the obvious: implementing suicide-bomber response against
someone training for a run, or the opposite, a real homicide bomber
using this item to [disguise carrying] his device."
Photos of this equipment are posted at:
www.forcesciencenews.com/visuals/weightcoat
Our thanks to Cpl. Chapman and George "Butch" Rogers, an instructor with
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and a member of the
Force Science Research Center's Technical Advisory Board, for bringing
the ambiguous vest to the attention of the Force Science News membership.
================
(c) 2005: Force Science Research Center, www.forcescience.org. Reprints
allowed by request. For reprint clearance, please e-mail:
[email protected]. FORCE SCIENCE is a registered trademark of
The Force Science Research Center, a non-profit organization based at
Minnesota State University, Mankato.
================
---
From John Farnam:
23 Oct 05
The Competent among the Incompetent, from one of our young students who
is currently attending Basic Infantry Officer's Training at Ft Benning, GA:
"Last week, we were on an automated rifle range, designed to accommodate
platoon-sized, live-fire, infantry exercises. I was assigned the role
of platoon commander, so most of the others were deployed ahead of me.
We were assaulting a squad-sized group of hostiles, represented by
automated, pop-up targets that go down immediately when hit.
The whole exercise went south when one of my squad leaders got lost and
positioned his men where they couldn't see the targets. Others in the
same squad could not figure out how to get their SAW running. The few
who were actually firing were utterly unable to hit anything they wanted
to hit, although they did succeed in unproductively peppering the landscape!
Realizing that our time was just about up, in disgust and frustration I
raised my own rifle and shot down all hostiles, one at a time, left to
right. Each went down with a single hit. I then lowered my rifle and
said nothing. Everyone else, seeing all targets down, declared
themselves heroes and ended the exercise.
I am astonished that basic rifle skills I picked up at the NTI are
nearly unknown here. Individual weapons skill is becoming a lost art.
By contrast, 'sensitivity training,' gets more than its share of
attention from management!"
Comment: Thank heaven our guy is there to show these grasseaters the
True Way! One can only imagine what their pistol training is like!
/John
(I'm all for good training but my alarm bells go off when I hear phrases
like "the True Way.")
23 Oct 05
Vicki and I, along with a complement of our senior instructors, just
spent a week with the firearms instructor cadre of a large, federal
agency. We had the honor of working with all of them. Some observations:
Once again, I am persuaded that the only reason anything works at the
federal level is the tireless, unselfish efforts of those at the bottom
of the food chain. These guys and gals beat themselves nearly to death
providing valuable training during the inadequate amount of time they
have to spend with agent trainees.
Once again, I am pleasantly impressed with the quality of agent
trainees. I had a chance to speak with several groups of them, and I am
exhilarated that this nation can still produce such fine, young
people. God bless them!
We tried to emphasize the importance of integrated movement, integrated
verbalization, retention awareness, and accurate shooting at all
ranges. Betterbilt's Rotator targets were extremely popular, as always.
There was great interest in Vicki's presentation of techniques to
improve the interaction of male instructors with female students.
This agency has been influenced by competitive shooters, not all of
which is negative, but most pistol competitors like the isosceles
stance. We tried to point out that, while conducive to accuracy, the
isosceles stance is not particularly conducive to weapon retention, nor
does is permit one to effectively confront threats from multiple directions.
I observed that trainees spend far too much time carrying empty
weapons. Hot ranges, and the continuous carrying of loaded weapons that
they require, carries with it risk. We all know and accept that, but I
tried to make the case that we must never lost sight of the purpose of
training. We are preparing these young folks to be victorious in a
dangerous world, not just preparing them to be "safe" on a range!
In any event, we were treated with the utmost grace and hospitality, and
we're looking forward to the next time. As is the case when we train
Marines, it is a great honor to be able to, in some small way, influence
this next generation of instructors at the federal level.
/John
(Back in June I picked up a copy of Vicki Farnam and Diane Nicholl's
book Teaching Women to Shoot. While I think that the book would more
accurately be titled Teaching Female Officers to Qualify with a Handgun,
the book does contain several insights for men who attempt to teach
women. "The True Way," according to the Farnams, involves a form of
Weaver shooting position for handguns, something that I'm not convinced
is a panacea for either male or female shooters. )
24 Oct 05
On serious gun handling, from a friend and one of our instructors
recently returned from New Orleans:
"In New Orleans, it was hot rifles the entire time, both in the field
and in garrison. Rifles and pistols were constantly carried and were
never unloaded. We had to be in a high state of readiness all the
time. Most of those in my crew had never worked for an extended time as
such (at least with rifles), nor had we worked around so many loaded
long guns in the hands of people we did not know.
I, of course, enforced correct gun handling among my guys. The worst
examples of poor gun handling were associated with those carrying rifles
without pistol grips, like the M14. We work muzzle depressed
(low/ready), always. Non-pistol grip rifles encourage a high/ready
carry, or a horizontal carry. Both are unsatisfactory, as the rifle
ends up pointed in unsafe directions constantly, and both postures are
an invitation to a forcible disarm. Muzzle-up sling carry is also
unsatisfactory, as there is no way to get the rifle off one's shoulder
without pointing it in multiple, unsafe directions. Muzzle-down sling
carry is much better. Tactical slings are superior to both.
We rode many places in military, five-ton trucks. Our protocol for
entrucking was to unsling, hold the rifle (muzzle down), and call to the
man above that 'Passing a hot rifle." The man above confirms he is
taking a hot rifle, and the transfer is made. After climbing up, the
rifle once more is handed off, with, "Transferring a hot rifle."
Wherever used, this system worked. Clear communications reminded us
that we were continually 'in the war.' Entrucking or detrucking with
rifles slung doesn't work. Too many muzzles get pointed in unsafe
directions."
Comment: The lesson is clear. The forgoing is precisely what we need to
be doing in training. "Let's Pretend" training, where students have few
opportunities to handle loaded rifles (and, what opportunities there
are, are sterile and mute), fails to prepare them for those situations
we're purporting to train them for. Many claiming to be "trainers" are
only concerned with preventing mishaps during training. Those same
students getting needlessly killed in the field, because they've been
ill prepared, doesn't seem to concern anyone!
Recently, I saw a sign posted on an indoor climbing wall. It said
simply, "Climb safely." What a ridiculous, inherent contradiction, and
so typical of today's self-deceptive society. Climbing is inherently
unsafe. The only way to 'climb safely" is not to climb at all!
Likewise, true and relevant firearms training is also inherently
dangerous. We are dangerous people, and, when we train correctly, we
engage in an inherently dangerous activity. The more realistic our
training, the fewer of our number will die needlessly in the field.
But, it requires both fearless trainers and fearless students, who are
dedicated to advancing the Art, not merely going through the motions and
getting their ticket punched.
/John
27 Oct 05
Caught in the nick of time:
"Our department recently purchased G22s. Today, I received from Glock
NY1 Trigger inserts with instruction from our chief to install them on
all department pistols. One of our deputies dutifully came into the
armory in order to have the part installed. She was in uniform and in
the middle of her shift. I asked her to remove her pistol from its
holster and hand it to me. As I 'unloaded' it, I discovered it was
already unloaded!
She then informed me, 'Oh, the pistol isn't loaded. I shot all my
bullets up last week during training.' Trying to retain my composure, I
asked her if she saw a problem with this! She sheepishly told me that
she was too 'embarrassed' to ask for replacement, duty ammunition!
As supervisors, with all our coaching and directing, we obviously
sometimes fail to note philosophical gulfs in our charges. What
followed was yet another half-hour lecture on the nature of police work
and this young officer's role and responsibilities in it. I sincerely
hope I 'got to' her this time, albeit late!"
Comment: Supervisors have to be watching all the time, as many of our
young officers are naive and, dare I say, adolescent. We need to see to
it that they live long enough to be able to laugh someday about their
youthful ignorance!
/John
(While this one may seem like "no-brainer," I believe that it has a
close analogy in the concept of carrying a handgun with the chamber
empty. This is a recurrent topic on a popular website devoted to
concealed carry. If you are approached by someone who makes you
uncomfortable, you may well face a charge on the order of aggravated
assault if you draw your handgun to chamber a round, absent the
justification to threaten or use deadly force. If you wait until the
person is close enough that the justification is certain, you may never
have the opportunity to chamber a round in time to use the handgun.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
