Officer Down

Police Officer Darren Maurice Weathers
Detroit Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Age 25
Tour 2 years

Police Officer Darren Weathers was killed in a vehicle crash on Michigan Avenue, near Clark Avenue.

He was participating in a surveillance training exercise when his vehicle collided with another before striking a utility pole. Officer Weathers was transported to Henry Ford Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Officer Weathers was a U.S. military veteran and had served with the Detroit Police Department for almost two years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Something light for the weekend....

Thank God it's Friday, although for many of my co-workers it's just two more days to Monday. Remember those days very well.

I found this cartoon and it's awesome:

And to as some music, here it is. To any fans of the Allman Bros Band, this is too cool!

Have a great weekend!

Reading and reading.....

I started to read heavily, if not profusely, when I was a child. Someone suggested it would help my pathetic spelling, and it did. Now I'm cursed by pathetic typing skills, and the scourge of Autocorrect. But my personal library is in the hundreds of books, not counting the stuff I've given away, lost over the years, etc.

I personally use digital media for magazines, but generally not for books. If the book is for distraction (I'm really enjoying the Harry Bosch series), digits are great. I can read them everywhere, on my iPad, or my iPhone, or Mac, and if I have 5 minutes to kill, I can get a page or two down. But for more serious reading, I prefer paper. One, I'm slowed down in my reading, and that forces me to concentrate more. Two, I just love to see a bookshelf filled with some books I've conquered over the ages. I can look from where I'm sitting and see multiple columns of Tom Clancy, Mark Levin, the Time-Life series on Vietnam, and many others.

Now comes the a survey showing what should be intuitive. People learn better with paper than digits. Pesonally I've always known that. I like to be able to read, stop, re-read, highlight, put a paper clip on the page, and come back to the item. Can't really do that with digits, in spite of what Millennials say.

With that as comment, I find this interesting.

A new study shows that students learn way more effectively from print textbooks than screens

Today's students see themselves as digital natives, the first generation to grow up surrounded by technology like smartphones, tablets and e-readers.

Teachers, parents and policymakers certainly acknowledge the growing influence of technology and have responded in kind. We've seen more investment in classroom technologies, with students now equipped with school-issued iPads and access to e-textbooks.

In 2009, California passed a law requiring that all college textbooks be available in electronic form by 2020; in 2011, Florida lawmakers passed legislation requiring public schools to convert their textbooks to digital versions.

Given this trend, teachers, students, parents and policymakers might assume that students' familiarity and preference for technology translates into better learning outcomes. But we've found that's not necessarily true.

As researchers in learning and text comprehension, our recent work has focused on the differences between reading print and digital media. While new forms of classroom technology like digital textbooks are more accessible and portable, it would be wrong to assume that students will automatically be better served by digital reading simply because they prefer it...

Speed - at a cost

Our work has revealed a significant discrepancy. Students said they preferred and performed better when reading on screens. But their actual performance tended to suffer.

For example, from our review of research done since 1992, we found that students were able to better comprehend information in print for texts that were more than a page in length. This appears to be related to the disruptive effect that scrolling has on comprehension. We were also surprised to learn that few researchers tested different levels of comprehension or documented reading time in their studies of printed and digital texts.

To explore these patterns further, we conducted three studies that explored college students' ability to comprehend information on paper and from screens.

Students first rated their medium preferences. After reading two passages, one online and one in print, these students then completed three tasks: Describe the main idea of the texts, list key points covered in the readings and provide any other relevant content they could recall. When they were done, we asked them to judge their comprehension performance.

Across the studies, the texts differed in length, and we collected varying data (e.g., reading time). Nonetheless, some key findings emerged that shed new light on the differences between reading printed and digital content:

- Students overwhelming preferred to read digitally.

- Reading was significantly faster online than in print.

- Students judged their comprehension as better online than in print.

- Paradoxically, overall comprehension was better for print versus digital reading.

- The medium didn't matter for general questions (like understanding the main idea of the text).

- But when it came to specific questions, comprehension was significantly better when participants read printed texts...

A few more details on the link, but for me at least, digits will never replace paper. For the reasons above, the pure pleasure of reading, and the occasional distraction of walking into a book store, and getting lost in possibilities. Sorry Amazon.com, you don't do that for me! :<)

Officer Down

Commander Paul R. Bauer
Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Age 53
Tour 31 years
Badge 29

Commander Paul Bauer was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a subject who had just run from other officers near the James R. Thompson Center, a state government office building.

Other officers had attempted to conduct a subject stop on the man in connection with a shooting that had occurred several days earlier. The subject fled from the officers. Commander Bauer, who was wearing a suit and in the area for a meeting, observed the subject at the government building and attempted to stop him in a stairwell. The subject opened fire, killing Commander Bauer.

The subject was taken into custody moments later.

Commander Bauer had served with the Chicago Police Department for 32 years and served as commander of the 018th District. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

What's going on in the World Today 180314

HYPERLINKS MAY REQUIRE AN EMAIL:

USA
China’s Long Arm Reaches Into American Campuses

Beijing is stepping up efforts to inject party ideology into student life. Some Chinese students are crying foul.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Washington on Sept. 24, 2015 on a state visit, hundreds of Chinese students lined the streets for hours, carrying banners and flags to welcome him. It was a remarkable display of seemingly spontaneous patriotism.

Except it wasn’t entirely spontaneous. The Chinese Embassy paid students to attend and helped organize the event. Working with Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) at local universities — a Chinese student organization with branches at dozens of schools around the country — government officials from the office of educational affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Washington collected the contact information of about 700 students who had signed up to attend. Embassy officials communicated with students via WeChat, a Chinese messaging app, during the event and into the night, responding to messages as late as 3 a.m.

According to a Chinese student at George Washington University who attended the event, participants each received about $20 for their effort, distributed through the CSSA a few months later...

F-35 Finally Can Use All Its Weapons In Combat

The newest U.S. Air Force F-35s, both stateside at Hill AFB, Utah, and overseas in the Pacific, finally can employ the stealth fighter’s full suite of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons in combat.

The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has delivered the flight clearances, simulators, threat information, and logistics system required for the Air Force’s F-35As equipped with the latest software load to employ all of its weapons throughout the full flight envelope, according to the JPO, Lockheed Martin and Air Force officials.

This milestone gives the Block 3F-configured F-35As assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron stationed at Hill and those forward-deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan—on North Korea’s doorstep—some lethal capabilities. The aircraft now can fire Raytheon’s short-range AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, the GAU-22 25mm gun, and Boeing’s precision-guided Small Diameter Bomb, all while flying up to 9Gs at 1.6 Mach.

The F-35A touched down in Kadena for its first operational deployment to the Pacific in November, a highly anticipated milestone that underlines the U.S. military’s commitment to allies in the region amid tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

The “Rude Rams” F-35As join the “Green Knights” F-35Bs of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, which is permanently stationed at Iwakuni, Japan, significantly increasing the number of stealth F-35s in the region...

...Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps short takeoff, vertical-landing F-35B and U.S. Navy F-35C carrier variant configured with the 3F software will be able to deploy with their full operational capability in May and June, respectively, F-35 Program Executive Officer (PEO) Vice Adm. Mat Winter said during a Feb. 28 media roundtable. For the F-35Cs, this means the aircraft will be able to deploy Raytheon’s AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) in combat...

Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker Delayed Again

The U.S. Air Force is predicting that Boeing won’t deliver the first KC-46 tanker until late 2018, casting doubt on the defense firm’s ability to meet a contractual deadline that, if missed, likely would result in significant penalties.

Boeing’s master schedule currently pegs first aircraft delivery to the fleet in the second quarter of calendar year 2018—already months behind schedule. But after a joint schedule risk assessment, the Air Force now believes delivery is more likely to occur in late 2018, according to spokeswoman Capt. Emily Grabowski.

“The Air Force will continue to work with Boeing to develop schedule mitigations, where appropriate, to expedite the program,” Grabowski said. “These potential delays will not result in additional program cost to the taxpayer.”

Boeing is on tap to deliver 18 full-up tankers to the Air Force by October, a longstanding contractual deadline. Boeing likely will suffer significant penalties if it misses the deadline, adding to the $2.9 billion in pretax fees, or about $1.9 billion after tax, the firm has already racked up on the program...

http://aviationweek.com/space/could-f-16s-battle-talk-commercial-space-internet?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20180309_AW-05_753&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2&utm_rid=CPEN1000003809720&utm_campaign=13870&utm_medium=email&elq2=e59f06383dbc4dbf8c0c67cd507f5b8b
F-16s In Battle Talk Via Commercial Space Internet?

What if warfighters could install an antenna on their F-16s, much like homeowners do on their roofs, and establish a commercial internet connection, allowing them to send critical battlefield information rapidly to the rest of the force?

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is about to find out.

The Air Force is finally catching on to a revolution in the commercial small satellite world. Feb. 22 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two experimental satellites from Vandenberg AFB, California, to test out technologies for a megaconstellation of small satellites that would provide high-speed internet and other communications services directly to consumers, businesses and other subscribers. And SpaceX is just one of many commercial firms that are starting to experiment with such a service. OneWeb is scheduled to begin launching its 720-satellite broadband constellation later this year.

Defense Agency To Begin Moving Classified Data to Amazon's Secret Cloud After Protest
Microsoft withdrew a bid protest that allows U.S. Transportation Command to begin migrating data to Amazon’s secret cloud region.

For the first time, the Defense Department will begin moving classified data and applications to Amazon Web Services’ Secret Region—the same cloud environment developed for the CIA and intelligence community several years ago.

U.S. Transportation Command—the part of the department responsible for moving troops and equipment around the globe—announced its intent to make use of AWS’ Classified Secret Commercial Cloud Services in December after the company expanded its capabilities and availability to non-intelligence agencies.

The Defense Department’s sole-source decision—a contract awarded without a full and open competition—was protested by Microsoft, which itself offers a variety of cloud services to the federal government. The company withdrew its protest March 8, allowing TRANSCOM to begin migrating data to the AWS Secret Region. In a statement to Nextgov, Microsoft said it withdrew its protest “because the issues involved were resolved” to the company’s satisfaction...

AFRICA

'Significant' consequences if China takes key port in Djibouti: U.S. general

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general for Africa told lawmakers on Tuesday that the military could face “significant” consequences should China take a key port in Djibouti, as Beijing becomes increasingly muscular in Africa in an effort to expand its influence.

Last month, Djibouti ended its contract with Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s biggest port operators, to run the Doraleh Container Terminal, citing failure to resolve a dispute that began in 2012.

DP World called the move an illegal seizure of the terminal and said it had begun new arbitration proceedings before the London Court of International Arbitration.

During a U.S. congressional hearing on Tuesday, which was dominated by concerns about China’s role in Africa, lawmakers said they had seen reports that Djibouti seized control of the port to give it to China as a gift.

China has already built a military base in Djibouti, just miles from a critical U.S. military base...

ASIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

EUROPE
UK convenes emergency meeting over Russian spy's apparent poisoning

London (CNN)The British government was set to hold an emergency, top-level meeting Wednesday to discuss the apparent poisoning of a former Russian spy, as the country's top diplomat warned that the UK would respond "robustly" if the Kremlin was found to be involved.

UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the cabinet-level COBRA meeting to discuss the investigation into the case of Sergei Skripal -- a former Russian military official convicted of spying for the UK -- and his daughter, who were found unconscious Sunday on a bench in southern England...

AFGHANISTAN

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

CHINA

Partner Perspectives: China's Staggering Demand for Commodities

Partner Perspectives are a collection of high-quality analyses and commentary produced by organizations around the world. Though Stratfor does not necessarily endorse the views expressed here — and may even disagree with them — we respect the rigorous and innovative thought that their unique points of view inspire.

By Jeff Desjardins for Visual Capitalist

It's said that in China, a new skyscraper is built every five days.

China is building often, and they are building higher. In fact, just last year, China completed 77 of the world's 144 new supertall buildings, spread through 36 different Chinese cities. These are structures with a minimum height of 656 feet (200 meters).

For comparison's sake, there are only 113 buildings in New York City's current skyline that are over 600 feet...

China Space-Station Launcher, Long March 5B, To Fly In 2019

BEIJING—The second version of China’s Long March 5 rocket, intended mainly for building the country’s planned space station, will fly in mid-2019, about a year later than previously ...

IRAN

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

IRAQ

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

ISRAEL

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

KOREAN PENNSULEA

Kim to Trump: Let’s Make a Deal

Washington got just what it wanted from the pressure campaign. Now what?

North Korea’s surprising offer Tuesday to hold talks with the United States, holding out the eventual prospect of abandoning its nuclear weapons, throws the diplomatic ball dramatically back into Washington’s court.

While the overture is a seeming triumph of the “sunshine” diplomacy of South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the Trump administration’s increased pressure, the big question remains whether the White House is willing or able to grab the opportunity.

“The Trump administration has been all about applying maximum pressure, with the whole purpose to bring North Korea back to the table to talk about denuclearization,” says Jenny Town, assistant director of the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies...

In Nuclear Dialogue, North Korea Leaves U.S. With the Next Move

Highlights

North Korea will continue to use inter-Korean dialogue to break out of the constraints of the U.S. relationship.

But Pyongyang's apparent outreach to the United States could be contingent on changes to U.S. forces in the Korean Peninsula —
concessions the United States is unlikely to give.

While China and Russia will push for a continued easing of tensions, U.S. ally Japan will be wary of a sudden shift in the U.S. position.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set late April as the date for the third inter-Korean summit, to be held in Panmunjom. Kim said he would be willing to hold talks with the United States geared toward normalization of relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and is willing to suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests while engaged in dialogue. Kim said denuclearization was his father's dying wish, and something for which he also strived..

RUSSIA

EU: Russia Wins a Battle in Its War of Pipelines

The Nord Stream 2 offshore natural gas pipeline project — of which Russia's Gazprom is the sole shareholder — is the most politically divisive pipeline for Europe. In fact, several European Union member states have been calling for it to either be stopped altogether or at least heavily regulated. According to new information, it appears that their calls will not be met. A leaked opinion issued by the legal department of the EU Council of Ministers says that the bloc's regulations do not extend to pipelines in exclusive economic zones off the coasts of EU member states. The opinion will ruffle feathers across the Continent, which Russia will surely welcome, given that it sees such internal conflict as useful in Moscow's bid to rid itself of EU sanctions.

SYRIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

MIDDLE EAST GENERAL

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

MISC

Performance Enhancers: From Battlefield to Playing Field
Thomas M. Hunt
In the modern era, discussions about performance-enhancing technologies tend to take place primarily in the context of sports. Indeed, it is within that context that we have covered the issue in previous columns. But as technologies evolve, the subject merits attention beyond the athletic fields.

From the very beginning, a link has existed between the battleground and the playing field on the issue of performance enhancement. The amphetamines that helped soldiers push beyond their human limits during World War II soon made their way into athletics. Whether on the gridiron or at the baseball park, postwar athletes turned to amphetamines whenever they needed a pickup. And this is just one example in a very long relationship between sports and the military that remains today. During the recently concluded Pyeongchang Olympics, Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky tested positive for a banned substance that had been developed for Soviet-bloc soldiers during the Cold War...

K9 Down

K9 Rony
Houston Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Gender: Male
Age: Not available
Tour: 7 years

K9 Rony died after suffering a serious injury following a vehicle and foot pursuit of a subject who had been driving a stolen car at approximately 1:00 am.

The driver led officers on a vehicle pursuit, during which time he threw contraband from the window and intentionally rammed a patrol car. The driver bailed out of the vehicle in the 12700 block of River Trail and fled on foot. K9 Rony was released for an apprehension in a heavily wooded area. One of Rony's legs became entangled in a wooden object and suffered a serious injury. He was rushed to a veterinary hospital where it was determined the most humane treatment would be to euthanize him.

The subject was taken into custody by other officers.

K9 Rony had served with the Houston Police Department for seven years and was credited with 250 apprehensions.

Rest in Peace Rony…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

K9 Officer Eric Joseph Joering
Westerville Division of Police, Ohio
End of Watch Saturday, February 10, 2018
Age 39
Tour 17 years
Badge 509


Police Officer Anthony Pasquale Morelli
Westerville Division of Police, Ohio
End of Watch Saturday, February 10, 2018
Age 54
Tour 29 years
Badge 467

Police Officer Eric Joering and Police Officer Anthony Morelli were shot and killed when they responded to a 911 hangup call in the 300 block of Crosswind Drive.

As officers arrived at the home they made contact with the residents of the apartment and let inside. As they walked into the apartment a 30-year-old male subject opened fire on them, mortally wounding Officer Joering and Officer Morelli. Despite their wounds, both officers were able to return fire and wounded the subject.

Officer Morelli was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

The subject was charged with two counts of capital murder of a law enforcement officer.

Officer Joering had served with the Westerville Division of Police for 17 years. He is survived by his wife, four daughters, and his K-9 partner Sam. Arrangements have been made for Sam to remain with his widow and daughters.

Officer Morelli is survived by his wife and two children.

Rest in Peace Gentlemen…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Officer Down

Police Officer Chase Lee Maddox
Locust Grove Police Department, Georgia
End of Watch Friday, February 9, 2018
Age 26
Tour 5 years

Police Officer Chase Maddox was shot and killed while assisting two deputies from the Henry County Sheriff's Office serve a warrant at a home on St. Francis Court.

The deputies had gone to the home to arrest the subject for failing to appear in court on a traffic violation. The man refused to cooperate and the deputies requested assistance from the Locust Grove Police Department.

Several minutes after Officer Maddox arrived at the scene the officers attempted to take the man into custody. The subject opened fire on the officers, killing Officer Maddox and wounding both deputies before being shot and killed.

Officer Maddox had served with the Locust Grove Police Department for five years. He is survived by his expectant wife and two sons. His second son was born four days after his death.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

K9 Down

K9 Mojo
North Charleston Police Department, South Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, February 15, 2018
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Gender: Male
Age: Not available
Tour: 5 years

K9 Mojo was killed in a vehicle crash when his handler's patrol car collided with another vehicle on Rivers Avenue and Gumwood Boulevard at approximately 9:00 pm.

Mojo's handler was responding to another call, with all emergency equipment activated, when another vehicle attempted to turn left in front of him, causing a collision. Mojo was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital where he passed away. His handler and the other driver both suffered minor injuries.

The driver who caused the crash was charged with felony DUI.

K9 Mojo had served with the North Charleston Police Department for five years.

Rest in Peace Mojo…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

Police Officer David Charles Sherrard
Richardson Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Age 37
Tour 13 years
Badge 1078

Police Officer David Sherrard was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex at 4250 East Renner Road.

As officers arrived on scene they located a man suffering from a gunshot wound outside of the apartment. The officers were able to identify an apartment where the suspect was located. As they made entry into the apartment the man opened fire, striking Officer Sherrard in the neck. Officer Sherrard was transported to Medical City Plano where he succumbed to his wound.

The subject barricaded himself inside of the apartment for several hours before surrendering. The man who shot Officer Sherrard was charged with capital murder of a police officer.

Officer Sherrard had served with the Richardson Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

K9 Down

K9 Brock
St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Maryland
End of Watch: Thursday, January 18, 2018
Breed: German Shepherd
Gender: Male
Age: 4
Tour: 3 years

K9 Brock died from complications of an injury sustained while training with recruits at the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy.

He and his handler were traversing a metal staircase when K9 Brock's leg slipped through the grate. His leg suffered a severe injury as a result and he immediately transported to a local veterinary hospital for treatment. It was determined that K9 Brock would be unable to fully recover from the injury and, after consultation with veterinary staff, it was determined the best course of treatment would be humane euthanasia.

K9 Brock had served with the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office for three years and was certified in patrol functions and narcotics detection.

Rest in Peace Brock…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Guns vs Hoses...this settles it!

Enjoy!


Thank you Mike the Cop. No, not me!

Officer Down

Officer Jarate Dewayne Condit
Asher Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Age 23
Tour 5 months

Officer Jarate Condit was killed in a vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 177, south of State Highway 59, at approximately 5:30 pm.

He was en route to mandatory training, in Shawnee, when his patrol car left the roadway and crashed into a concrete culvert as he attempted to pass another vehicle. The patrol car became engulfed in flames upon impact with the culvert.

Officer Condit, who was also a volunteer firefighter, is survived by his young child and parents.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

A real Oscar tribute.....

Like most Americans, I did not watch the Academy Awards. Full disclosure, I did check the Drudge Report and got the great news Gary Oldman won Best Actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill. If you want a great acceptance speech, here it is. He first thanks America for everything it's given him. How nice it is to see an actor thank the nation that's given him so much.  But I digress.

The movies suck these days, with few exceptions, such as Darkest Hour. I used to go to 2-3 movies a month. Now it's 2-3 a year because of a lack of good films to select, and the ridiculous cost. For my wife and I to go to a matinee I have to put out over thirty dollars. Forgive me, it ain't worth it.

But more to the point, I really don't feel like be lectured by Hollywood hypocrites for hours about how America is such a miserable place, women and minorities are oppressed, etc. Well, 2017 was a great year to show women are sexually harassed. By Hollywood stars and producers, Democratic politicians, and other liberals. I enjoyed one leftist after another going down, hoisted on their own petard. Which brings me to this.

The Oscars show a list of the people who have passed in previous year. Well someone has a list now. Of the sexually harassers who were sent packing for their exploits. Enjoy!

Gentlemehhhhhhhhhn

Growing up, I spent many an evening with friends watching the 10:35pm rerun of M*A*S*H on WWL, Channel 4 in New Orleans. Still a great show, over thirty years after it has signed off.

Unfortunately, we must say good by to one of it's greatest members, David Ogden Stiers, always to be remembered as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III.

One of the strengths of M*A*S*H was as characters left the show, they were replaced by other characters who were not the same. Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) was a strict Regular Army officer, replacing the walk over Army Reservist in Lieutenant Colonel Henry Black (McLean Stevenson). With Charles, he replaced the hapless and incompetent Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville). Whereas Frank was always unable to get the better of his tent-mate opposites, Charles was not going to take anything from Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and BJ Honeycutt (Mike Farrell).

He was also a much deeper character than Frank, as arrogant as the day is long, but with abilities to back it up. Charles was a superb surgeon, not as good a businessman, and not enough to evade Colonel Potter's gaze.



One of the more moving scene of Charles was in 1980s Moral Victory, when he helped a concert pianist realize, although his hand is no longer able to play the instrument, his gift for music is still there. And always will be. In a human moment for the reserved Boston Blue Blood:

Don't you see? Your hand may be stilled, but your gift cannot be silenced if you refuse to let it be. The gift does not lie in your hands. I have hands, David. Hands that can make a scalpel sing. More than anything in my life I wanted to play, but I do not have the gift. I can play the notes, but I cannot make the music. You have performed Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Chopin. Even if you never do so again, you've already known a joy that I will never know as long as I live. Because the true gift is in your head and in your heart and in your soul. Now you can shut it off forever, or you can find new ways to share your gift with the world - through the baton, the classroom, or the pen. As to these works, they're for you, because you and the piano will always be as one.

One of my favorite quotes of the man was in a recording to his parents, "Please send me some deodorant. I don't care about the others, I just don't want to offend myself!" From the episode, this signing off quote:



Back to Charles' love of music, the final episode of the series, Goodby, Farewell, and Amen, shows him working with a North Korean army band. At the end, the members are killed in an artillery strike. One of the few things that gave him relief from the war, music, is now a reminder of the war.


Charles was famous for his goodby phrase, "Gentlemehhhhhhhhhn." From the final episode, his goodby to the M*A*S*H. Loretta Swit said he was a very private person in real life, and none of the cast had his private phone number. The scene where he hands her a book, the inscription was his actual phone number. The reaction was real.

RIP David Ogden Stiers. Another great one goes. As it was well said, it's not how you're buried, it's how you're remembered. You will be remembered well sir.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Steven Belanger
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Age 52
Tour 7 years
Incident Date Saturday, December 10, 1994

Deputy Sheriff Steve Belanger succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on December 10th, 1994, when he was ambushed while conducting a traffic stop in the 18400 block of La Guardia Street in Rowland Heights.

He had recognized the driver of the vehicle as being wanted for a previous assault. As he searched the two occupants of the car, one of the man's friends rode up behind Deputy Belanger on a skateboard and shot him in the back of the head. The man fled the scene and committed suicide about one hour later.

Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from Deputy Belanger's brain. He remained under constant medical care and confined to a wheelchair until passing away on February 6th, 2018.

Deputy Belanger had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for seven years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Smoking gun...and weather....

Southern Texas, like Louisiana, is going thorugh it's bi-polar phase, as you need a jacket in the morning, and use the air conditioner by noon. But with each approaching day you can feel the heat and humity of spring/summer approaching.

For some reason I thougth of this great song from my college days. Unlike rap/hip hop, this is music.

Have a great weekend!

How to handle a hostage taker...

Probably has a splitting headache after this.

A San Diego cop delivered a fatal shotgun blast to the face of a man who had taken his ex-wife hostage.

San Diego, CA – Police released helicopter and bodycam footage of a San Diego officer blasting a hostage taker with his shotgun to rescue a victim (video below).

Police said that Juan Carlos Fernandez, 22, opened fire on several members of his former wife’s family in the courtyard of their apartment building in City Heights on Nov. 13, 2016.

Officers responded to a call for a domestic disturbance at about 9:15 p.m., after two men got into a fistfight...

...A police helicopter with night vision arrived above the scene first, and those pilots were able to inform the patrol officers of what was happening before they arrived.

Responding officers found Fernandez holding his wounded ex-wife in a headlock, as he dragged her towards his car, KSWB reported.

Patrol officers repeatedly commanded Fernandez to let go of his hostage, and get on the ground, but he ignored them, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

A 12-year-veteran of the police force took one shot at Fernandez with a shotgun, and killed him.

In the videos, Fernandez can be seen dragging his hostage to the ground with him as he fell. But she quickly extricated herself from his fallen form, and ran to the officers...

Excellent work officer. Sorry you had to take that action, but he's no loss to the human gene pool.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Micah Lee Flick
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
End of Watch Monday, February 5, 2018


Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick was shot and killed while conducting an auto theft investigation in the area of Galley Road and N Murray Boulevard, in Colorado Springs, at approximately 4:00 pm.

Several officers attempted to take a suspect into custody, but the man began to struggle and then opened fire, fatally wounding Deputy Flick and wounding two other deputies, a Colorado Springs police officer, and a bystander. The man was shot and killed by return gunfire.

Deputy Flick had served with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office for 11 years. He was killed on the 11th anniversary of starting with the department. He is survived by his wife and 7-year-old twins.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Reaching out to to least of God's children to the end....

I never met the Reverend Billy Graham in my life, and I do regret that. I missed an opportunity for mass with Pope John Paul II in 1987, again, something I do regret. But Graham, like John Paul II, to the end, was preaching the all of God's children, great, and not so great. Reverend Graham had no issue with going into the prisons and spreading the Word of God to the men and women who needed it most.

As his funeral approaches this Friday, I found this article interesting. His (and his late wife's) casket was assembled by the prisoners of Angola State Prison, Angola LA. From Channel 9 in Baton Rouge.

WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge

ANGOLA, LA (WAFB) -
Inmates at one of the country's most well-known prisons will have a hand in laying Reverend Billy Graham to rest. At his request, Angola inmates built his casket back in 2006.

Louisiana State Penitentiary is known as the "Alcatraz of the south." It’s home to the state's most notorious criminals, but is also home to a renowned prison ministry.

“I feel there is a great outpouring of the holy spirit behind bars at this time,” said Clifford Bowman.

Bowman is in bible college at Angola. He was selected to be part of a special team on a special mission: to build a casket. It’s a regular casket for a not so regular man: evangelist, Billy Graham.

“We of course prayed before we started and that's something that does not happen every day when they are doing it in the regular work. Where God is working the devil's gonna’ be there working, so he's gonna’ try and get his licks in, too,” said Bowman.

“This was a great honor. Because this is a great man of God and he wants him an inmate to build his coffin and get the inmate preachers involved and it's mind-boggling. It sends a great message,” said Burl Cain.

Richard Liggett constructed the casket for Graham with a couple of modifications from his usual work.

“I respect the man. I've listened to him. I know what he preaches. You know, but other than that, I just wanted to do the best job I could,” said Liggett...

...“It’s so symbolic, even though the prisoners have committed horrible crimes... God loves them, too,” said Cain.

And so did the Reverend Graham. Thank you Mr. Cain, and the rest of you for preparing this great casket:

Rest In Peach Reverend Billy Graham. You received The Calling at age 14, and spent a lifetime spreading His Word. Now He will receive you in His Glory.

911...The Next Generation....

When I was a kid (think less than 5) I called the police from my house outside of Raceland, LA. Like many people in the country, we had a party line. My house was three rings (young people, Google it), and I called the police on my brother because he was a punk.

I think back after all these years, knowing there was a nice women on the other end of the line talking me though my little crisis on one hand and dying laughing on the other. My mother saw me talking on the phone, asked what I was doing, and when she found out I was talking to the cops, slammed the phone down (long time before caller ID).

Little did I know two states over a new system was just starting, the 9-1-1 system. Now as it has completed it's first fifty years of service, it, like telecommunications, must evolve. An interesting read:

What does the next 50 years hold for 911?

Fifty years ago at 2 p.m. on February 16, 1968, the first 9-1-1 call was made in Haleyville, AL...

..History of 911

Before the advent of technology, town criers would summon help by running up and down streets announcing the emergency, which in turn typically got a town watchman (a term used before police officer) to respond, as well as community members.

By the 1920s, call boxes were installed at key locations in a town where first responders could go to receive a call for service or call into the police or fire station to report an incident in the community.

In the early 1950s, independent telephone companies and telephones in homes and businesses were becoming common in the United States. However, if you needed a first responder for an emergency, you dialed a 5- to 7-digit number to the police station, a different 5- to 7-digit number for the fire station and yet a third 5-to 7-digit number for a medic.

Another option was to dial 0 for the operator to connect you but, as you can imagine, you lost precious time going through a third party in order to be connected to first responders.

By the late 1950s there had been enough volume of calls and loss of critical time during emergencies that demands for a universal emergency number started to surface. This number had to be easy to remember and access all responders – police, fire and medical.

The United Kingdom had been using 999 since the 1930s as its emergency number and some standalone systems in the United States used a variation of three-digit numbers. Prior to 1968, there was no standard universal emergency number.

I have read many accounts as to why the numbers 9, 1, 1 were chosen, considering all calls made during this time period occurred on rotary dial phones. For the purposes of dialing the quickest numbers on a rotary dial, it would make sense to dial 1-1-1, however, the number 1 was already used to make international calls and 0 was always for the operator. One of the main reasons was that those three consecutive numbers (9-1-1) were not in use within the U.S. phone systems as a prefix or area code.

On February 16, 1968, the first call was made in Haleyville, Alabama, after the introduction of the nation's first 9-1-1 system, which was located at a police station...

...Where are we today with 911?

The technologies our communities use today to communicate have changed drastically since 1968 and our nation’s legacy 9-1-1 system needs a major overhaul in order to keep up with the public’s expectations.

In my 26 years as a law enforcement officer, I was often astonished by how little the public knew about the nation’s 9-1-1 system. Thanks to TV shows like “24” and “NCIS,” people think 9-1-1 centers know all things about all people all the time when they dial 9-1-1. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Emergency call takers today often only know the number a person is calling from and a general sense of their location. Emergency communications centers report that 75 to 90 percent of their call volume now arrives in the center via phones using a commercial wireless network. These calls typically only provide the call taker with the number calling and the caller’s approximate location based on the cellular tower transporting the call. Location accuracy for wireless callers continues to be the highest concern for personnel who work in these centers...

Harris County TX (think Houston area) has established a "smart" 911 system, the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 system. You can log onto their site, upload information such as two addresses (think home and work), your identification and any medical information needed. By all accounts it's a work in progress, but for an elderly person with a chronic illness it may be a life saver.

...Current 9-1-1 systems across America are based on 1970s technology.

The national 911 infrastructure is well beyond end of life and does not meet the needs of current technology, or more importantly, what the public expects from its emergency communications centers
Most of the 6,000+ public safety answering points (PSAPs) or emergency communications centers are under law enforcement administration and in desperate need of consolidation to make best use of funds, technology and personnel. Some cities and counties have multiple PSAPs in one municipality, often transferring calls between one another, losing precious seconds and information during the call transfer. Creating more shared resources on the call intake and sharing technology and staff, which is arguably the real big money saver especially by sharing technology and resources to maximize the local knowledge value of that function.

What about Next Generation 911?

Depending on whom you ask, you will get different answers on what Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) really means.

If a PSAP has switched to an internet protocol (IP)-based emergency telephony system, they may say they are NG911-compliant even though they may not be accepting any text, photos or video to 911.

The generic definition for NG911 is that it will enhance emergency number services by creating a faster, more resilient system that allows digital information (e.g., voice, photos, videos and text messages) to flow seamlessly from the public, through the 9-1-1 network and eventually, directly to first responders.

Others would argue that this definition needs to include the transfer of all this digital data from one PSAP to another, because in densely populated areas, such as the National Capital Region, emergency calls are often routed to the wrong PSAP based on the location of the cellular tower, not necessarily the location of the emergency.

We need to define “NG 9-1-1” in a common and comprehensive way – meaning connectivity plus the equipment and services needed by PSAPs to process, analyze and store incoming data.

You have full NG 9-1-1 only when a citizen can send a multimedia message to a PSAP, who in turn can receive and process it, and send along to responders in the field (such as via FirstNet) or seamlessly transfer or exchange this data with other PSAPs.

This is where standards will play a huge role to ensure all PSAPs adopt a single set of standards that all equipment manufactures will follow to ensure, not only a smooth transition of digital data from the public to the PSAP, but also between PSAPs. The current leading standard being followed for NG911 is the NENA i3 standard.

When NG911 arrives it will mean faster call delivery and in multiple formats – voice, text, photos and videos. Currently only voice is available to 9-1-1 centers across the country and very small pockets are receiving text to 911. It will mean increased routing accuracy and redundancy when working in tandem with other PSAPs, as well as improved performance for call overflow and backup when traditional voice lines are tied up...

Other information that may be voluntarily given to a "smart" 9-1-1: Medicine taken by the caller; Are their dogs at the house, and; Fence passcodes. A strange new world, where we're defiantly loosing some privacy. But the quicker reaction time for an ambulance may be well worth it.

Very true....

Mroe than a few times I've been ready to take a brink to the head of someone like this...."OK, you waited days to report this...after the heavy rains you want me to obtain evidence...got it..."

Officer Down

Police Officer Glenn Anthony Doss, Jr.
Detroit Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch Sunday, January 28, 2018
Age 25
Tour 2 years
Badge Not available
Incident Date Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Police Officer Glenn Doss, Jr., succumbed to gunshot wound sustained four days earlier while responding to a domestic violence call in the 5500 block of McDougall Street at approximately 10:30 pm.

Before officers arrived on scene the male subject exited the home with a firearm. As Officer Doss and his partner arrived at the location the man opened fire on their patrol car, striking Officer Doss in the head. His partner transported him to Detroit Receiving Hospital where he underwent surgery.

The subject barricaded himself inside of the home for approximately four hours until being taken into custody when the SWAT team deployed chemical agents in the home.

Officer Doss passed away from his injuries on January 28th, 2018.

Officer Doss had served with the Detroit Police Department for two years. He is survived by his 9-month-old child, girlfriend, and parents. His father also serves as a police officer with the Detroit Police Department.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Florida active shooter AAR....

I was in the Gulf of Mexico (on a cruise) when the Parkland FL shooing occurred. While I've already commented on how I think this is another example of a lack of communication between local and federal law enforcement, I found this look at the incident interesting. From PoliceOne.com:

Rapid Response: 4 key takeaways from the Fla. high school shooting

If we want to make a dent in mass shootings like the one in Florida, we need to fix our mental health system

A 19-year-old man shot and killed 17 students and adults at a high school in Parkland, Florida, and wounded many more...

...We will learn more about this horrific crime as the investigation continues, but even at this early stage, we can identify useful pieces of information from the reporting to highlight several longstanding truths about these rapid mass murder incidents:

1. We have a mental health crisis in America.

There will be a predictable focus on the tool used by the killer by some people with a political agenda, but the real story here is about a young man who had mental and emotional problems, and didn’t get the right help for them...

...We can’t say with any certainty right now, but it’s likely that in the coming days we will discover a pattern of behavior indicating this man needed professional help that he didn’t get for some reason.

Cops will be the first to tell you that the mental health system in America is broken, because they’re the ones who inherited the primary burden of dealing with the mentally ill after we deinstitutionalized mental health care in the 1970s. With nowhere else to go, many of these ill people wound up in the criminal justice system, which is ill-equipped to handle their needs. Most of the rest wound up on the streets, with no help at all...

The issue here is very thorny. Two points I would bring out. One, a definition of "mental illness" would have to be in the legislation. Gun control advocates (see liberals) would oppose that, as they would rather it be left to the bureaucracy to define, and change, without notice. See the TSA "No fly" list. Two, a "No buy" would assumedly be built from mental health records. That would conflict with another law called HIPAA. Physiological workers are under similar restrictions of other privileged communications, such as spousal talk, and attorney-client discussions. I don't think many people saying, more accurately screaming, "We need a no-buy list!!!!" have thought the details out.

2. Our schools deserve better security.

While there was an armed school resource deputy on campus at the time of the shooting, he never encountered the shooter, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office. It’s reported that a football coach – who also served as an unarmed security officer – bravely responded to the attack and shielded students from harm.

In this day and age, it’s unacceptable for a school – any school, be it public or private, regardless of student age – to operate without an armed security presence on site. There is no combination of passive security measures, defensive architecture, or unarmed security that can adequately protect our most precious resource – our children – from an armed attacker intent on destruction. The only thing that can properly defeat an armed attacker is a defense manned by trained and armed personnel.

Please note, this does not have to be a police officer. Programs such as the Transportation Security Administration’s Federal Flight Deck Officer program or the Buckeye Firearms Association’s FASTER program have ably demonstrated how selected volunteers can be trained to provide a necessary layer of defense, and act as on-scene first responders, while more capable resources (the police) are summoned. Furthermore, such volunteers can act as force multipliers even if a School Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to the school, and can fill in the gaps for those occasions when the SRO is not on campus...

Good point. We have people who can assist law enforcement in securing these, quite frankly, easy targets. A sign proclaiming "No weapons allowed..." only means there are no good guys allowed to be armed.

3. Enemy tactics are improving.

The killer reportedly wore a gas mask and had smoke grenades, setting off a smoke alarm to flush students from their classrooms, where they could be more easily targeted. In an environment where a lockdown is the predictable response to an active killer threat, today’s killer found an easy way to short circuit the defense by using the school’s own fire response protocol against them.

This denotes a rather sophisticated level of planning and tactical awareness that shouldn’t surprise anyone in this audience. We know these killers study the successes and failures of other killers, and make continuous improvements to their game. They adapt their tactics and their weapons to ever-changing conditions, managing to retain the initiative. We should expect this cycle to continue.

That is the most significant item to take from this. These active shooters are looking studying the techniques of previous shooters, and improving their techniques. In the Army, we used Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield:

...the systematic, continuous process of analyzing the threat and environment in a specific geographic area. It is designed to support staff estimates and military decision making. Applying the IPB process helps the commander selectively apply and maximize his combat power at critical points in time and space on the battlefield by--

◾Determining the threat's likely COA.

◾Describing the environment your unit is operating within and the effects of the environment on your unit.

Perhaps we need to adapt this to the Intelligence Preparation of the Target Space, developing a "systematic, continuous process of analyzing the threat and environment in a specific geographic area" and use it to target the threat. That is a work in progress, and the subject of a later blog post.

4. We cannot relax our efforts.

As a result, we cannot afford to rest. We too must seek continuous improvement in our tactics, training and equipment, and must never allow our preparations to grow stale. We must stay abreast of the latest enemy tactics, and organize flexible, responsive defenses that can quickly adapt to the situation.

Among other things, attention should be paid to:

Developing more comprehensive security protocols for our schools than simply relying on “lockdown” tactics;

Ensuring our schools have a trained, armed security presence;

Providing vehicle-pedestrian exclusion in public areas and venues;

Eliminating fictional “gun-free zones” that only disarm the law-abiding, but leave criminals free to terrorize and injure innocents;

Teaching hemorrhage control basics to the public;

Integrating law enforcement and fire-EMS assets;

Honing the tactics for the joint deployment of these police-fire-EMS resources.

Integrating EOD into our tactical teams, and ensuring those teams are nimble enough to respond to the complex, coordinated attacks that we know are coming.

Providing meaningful safety education and training to employees, instead of pretending that they are suitably trained because we have a “Run, Hide, Fight” poster on the wall in the break room.

Stay Alert

The mass murder in Florida was horrific, but it was not unforeseeable. We don’t know the details of when or where, but we know another tragic scene like this is on the horizon.

It’s incumbent on us, as the guardians of public safety, to take advantage of the time we have and ensure that we are using it to prepare for the next event like this. Hopefully, the citizens in your area will never be the target of a mass killer, but we can’t count on that.

Work hard. Stay alert. Be safe.

About the author

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mike Wood is an NRA Law Enforcement Division-certified Firearms Instructor and the author of "Newhall Shooting: A Tactical Analysis."

Good overall look at a very evolving threat.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Heath McDonald Gumm
Adams County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
End of Watch Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Age 31
Tour 5 years
Badge 381

Deputy Sheriff Heath Gumm was shot and killed during a foot pursuit near 88th Avenue and Dawson Street, in Thornton.

Deputies had responded to an assault in progress call at approximately 7:30 pm and became involved in the foot pursuit with one of the subjects. The man ran behind a house in the 8700 block of Dawson Street. As Deputy Gumm ran behind the house he was shot by the subject and struck in the chest.

The subject was apprehended and charged with murder of a peace officer and two additional counts of murder. A search continued for two additional subjects.

Deputy Gumm served with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for four years. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of detective.

He is survived by his wife, parents, sister, and grandmother.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.