At minimum, a weapon complicates things in your normal toilet routine. Without the proper precautions things can get quite eventful. Imagine the embarrassment of having to ask the person in the stall next to you to return your weapon. Or imagine the risk of an accidental discharge or even diving to fetch your weapon. Trust me…if that happens fetching your weapon is just a part of the problem. Read More »

You can now read advice and ideas directly from our top experts. On the left of this page are links to eight category blogs where our experts have been given a (metaphorical) microphone to speak directly to those of you that use, buy and sell the products they bring to the market. We're going to make this an extremely focused 'online magazine' that will help you in your line of work. Some of our experts design the products, others have decades of law enforcement experience and several... Read More »

It’s still getting dark really early, making it hard to get to the range or the duck blind after work, and most hunting seasons are over with. That makes this time of year perfect for firearms maintenance, that most of us seem to put off until the last minute. Doing this during the “off season” will give you an opportunity to fix or discover problems that may have cropped up this last season. It also prevents frantic last minute phone calls to manufacturers for spare parts or services right... Read More »

We constantly get product ideas and requests from our customers. Most times, the ideas are great. Unfortunately, many of ideas never make it to the market because they aren't feasible from a business standpoint. For example, a while back one of our customers suggested using copper tape as a disposable grounding plate for an electrostatic dustmark lifter. Everybody loved it...until they saw the price. We face this problem daily. The Forensics industry is a relatively small, niche market, so... Read More »

As the Patrol Carbine grows in popularity over the trusted police shotgun, we're seeing a huge number of accessories swamping the market. Some are essential, but many are just clutter. As a SWAT Team Leader and Active Shooter Trainer, I taught officers that there were two items that were absolutely necessary if you were going to use a Patrol Carbine...a sling and a white light. A sling is a must on any long gun to allow you to transition to a handgun. If you run out of ammo, have a weapons... Read More »

A common misconception people make when purchasing knee pads is they think the bigger the pad the better the protection. In reality you only need to protect your patella from getting injured, the surrounding area is naturally padded. Anyone who has ever injured their knee cap can testify how debilitating the pain can be. While it is extremely important to have good knee protection it is also important that the knee pads allow you to conduct your maneuvers without hindering your movement.... Read More »

For decades, fixed position blast- and ballistic-resistant enclosures (BRE) have been standard operating equipment at checkpoints, perimeters, outside government buildings, and critical national infrastructure sites. BREs can function as sentry posts, armored firing positions, and often as a first line-of-defense. Depending on the position’s specs and desired threat resistance, a BRE could stop machinegun fire and resist explosive charges... Read More »

You should evaluate your shield's performance prior to use, even if your agency purchased it for you. Performance refers to a shield’s ability to stop NIJ standard* rounds/velocities, as well as rounds/velocities beyond the standard’s requirements (special threats). You should always request a copy of the manufacturer’s shield test results. I also run through this mental checklist... Read More »

Just when I’ve thought I’ve seen it all, there's always another fast talker that comes along with the latest, greatest ideas and sells the officers a bill of goods. I’ve actually seen someone offer up a 22-page resume. Yes, 22 pages. I think first you have to be very wary of anyone who feels the need to have a resume that big. In this case, a very astute City Attorney decided to do some checking and found out that 95% of the resume was fabricated. Read More »

Since we changed our name to Safariland, I've received many questions about how this organizational change will affect our body armor brands. In short, this change is the best thing that's happened to the industry in quite a while. We are now able to capitalize on our reputation in one of the most recognized brands in the industry. For example, while attending this week's 2009 SHOT Show in Orlando, FL (January 14-18) I'll bet 4 out of every 5 people I met would have been able to tell me... Read More »