Basic Firearms Safety Course Walpole VFW Hall on Saturday February 27th 8AM-1PM

This program of instruction is designed to give the student a basic knowledge of
the firearm, so it can be handled and stored safely. The Basic Firearms Safety
Course is designed for Massachusetts’s residents looking to obtain a License to
carry firearms in accordance with the Massachusetts Gun laws. This is a
classroom only presentation with lecture and hands on dry fire drills conducted
to enhance learning.

Action, Reaction, Counteraction

Randy Watt has written a great article on redteaming our plan. Thinking about our adversaries options before we take option so we can prepare and adapt is a critical component to implementing tactical plans and an often not of aspect of police response. Randy talks about the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) but is also practicing Adaptive Leadership Methodology. Great advise from Randy and the  NTOA  newsletter.

“Understanding the suspect’s reaction options and planning an effective counteraction will provide the greatest chance of tactical success in any situation. No plan ever goes exactly right and, no matter how much police try to “control” the suspect, the suspect will always choose his own response.”

Principles for tactical operators and Instructors

This outstanding article expands on the art and science of tactics. Understanding tactics are and art and science,  is a critical component to our effectiveness on the street.  The concepts apply not only to tactical teams and instructors, they apply as well, to “Full Spectrum” Police Officers who respond daily throughout this nation to dynamic encounters.The focus is also on understanding strengths and weakness on both the adversarial and friendly sides and that positioning ourselves to the advantage which is the key to leveraging the slower moving Boyd Cycle of our adversary.

“Every tactic and technique has positive and negative attributes. Although none are perfect, there are ways to validate tactical options. By executing different tactics and techniques head-to-head or side by-side, we can see which tactics have fewer shortcomings versus more.”

Matthew W. McNamara in this NTOA newsletter article makes outstanding points every cop should know.

Colleges Wary of Violence Near U.S. Border

Escalating Violence in Mexico Is Causing American Schools to Take Precautions.

As drug violence continues to escalate across the Rio Grande, particularly in Juarez, Mexico, many colleges and universities along the U.S.-Mexico border are working to assure students that their campuses are safe.

Knowing your environment and the climate of your surrounding are obvious factors to consider in security efforts.~Fred

Driving to Distraction

There is a great article in the latest National Tactical Officers Association NTOA newsletter by Alexis Artwohl, Ph.D. on the distraction officer have while on patrol and responding to calls. All you need to do is to look at the number of accident officers have in responding to calls and the fact that motor vehicle accidents is now the leading cause of officers killed in the line of duty each year. Read this article and think about applying its advise.

. . . “research has confirmed that multi-tasking, the notion that we can simultaneously do more than one task, is a myth. When people try to do this, their brain is actually rapidly switching back and forth from one task to another and their performance on both will suffer.”

Nurses Often Silent About Workplace Violence

The physical and verbal abuse nurses face on the job often goes unreported, according to an Australian survey. Over the prior year, 52% of nurses in one community hospital said they had been physically assaulted and 69% reported being threatened with violence, according to Rose Chapman, PhD, of the University of Western Australia in Perth, and colleagues.

When you talk with Hospital Security and staff, this report is not surprising. Although it may be news to those who do not frequent the hospital environment where emotions run high and peoples resistance low due to illness and psychological effects associated with it.~Fred

Mother Says Illinois Shooter Wouldn’t Harm Others

The mother of a man who opened fire at a Macomb Farm King store says her son was depressed, but never planned to hurt anyone.

Police identified Wednesday's gunman as a 19-year-old  of Tennessee, Ill., and said he died of a self-inflicted bullet wound. No one else was injured.