1 Nov 03

From a friend in the LA area:

“Just saw on local TV newscast footage from LA of man shooting at an attorney with a handgun (looks like a five-shot snubby revolver) at pointblank range. The victim, wearing suit and tie, was struck at least once, but the hit(s) appear to be peripheral and not life-threatening.

The attorney, while being shot at, continued to resist vigorously, dodging behind a tree and using it as cover, with great skill, while his assailant danced on the other side trying for another shot. The assailant quickly ran out of ammunition. Instead of reloading and finishing what he had started, he casually walked away and was immediately subdued by police. The victim walked away too, fully cognizant and displaying little discomfort!

Not often do we see so clearly evidence that pistol rounds are frequently ineffective at stopping people from acting.”

Lessons:

(1) Keep fighting as long as you are conscious. Impacts from most pistol bullets are not instantly incapacitating, unless you’ve convinced yourself that they should be.

(2) On the other side of the ledger, pistol rounds can’t be depended upon to make the action stop. Multiple impacts, even reloading, may be necessary before the fight ends.

(3) Adept use of cover is a critical skill. Cover is a life saver, even at close range

(4) Don’t go to LA without a gun!

/John
3 Nov 03

I got my hands on a G37 at the new Cabellas store in Kansas City today. It is slightly fatter than a G17/22/31, but not nearly as big as a G21. If it catches on, I’m sure we’ll see G38, which will be similar in size to a G19/23/32. Magazine is staggered and holds ten rounds. I suspect the LEO version won’t hold any more.

Caliber is listed as “45GAP” (Glock Automatic Pistol). Curiously, Cabellas didn’t have any ammunition for it, nor were they sure when they would get any in! They didn’t even know who (if anyone) was making it.

The 45GAP round is slightly shorter than the 45ACP, so a 45ACP round would not allow the slide of a G37 to close if one mistakenly finds its way into a G37 magazine. The 45GAP probably will chamber and fire in most pistols chambered for 45ACP, but I doubt that it would hurt anything. Much like firing a 38SPl in a 357Mg revolver, although, in the case of the 45ACP, the 45GAP may not cycle the slide.

So far, the G37 has not garnered much popularity. Like all Glocks, I’m confident it works just fine, but I’m not sure what it is for or what market nitch it is supposed to fill. In any event, this is the first one I’ve seen in a gunshop counter. The clerk indicated interest was scant. In fact, I was the first one in a week who had asked to see it. Not surprising when ammunition is unavailable!

/John

 

4 Nov 03

Comments on the G37 from large retailers:

“I’ve actually had .45 GAP ammo (Speer) for longer than I’ve had the pistols to fire it. I’ve sold a few boxes of the ammo to curiosity seekers, but have yet to find anyone who wants the pistol. I’m baffled by this pistol and cartridge.

(1) It produces ballistics nearly identical to the 40S&W (Glock 22)

(2) It is enough thicker that no currently available holster will accept it, and

(3) It ‘features’ lower capacity magazines than the G22, at least in the LEO version.

My honest suspicion is that Glock wanted a cartridge that bears the Glock name, so a problem (and corresponding ‘solution’) were suddenly ‘invented.’ Can’t have a 40S&W, a 357SIG, and a 400Cor-Bon and not have a _______ Glock, eh?
Other dealers I’ve talked with have had identical experiences.”

“Speer is actually making two loads, a cheap FMJ and a pricey Gold Dot. Winchester just started cranking it out today, supposedly.”

/John

 

6 Nov 03

Report from the 2003 Pig Hunt in OH:

We just completed our annual pig hunt. We all gathered at a hunting preserve in southern Ohio. We took nine hogs this year, ranging in weight from 150 to 400lbs. There were nine of us. We were all successful, to one degree or another. There was one Benelli Super-90 shooting Foster slugs, one 44Mg Ruger lever gun, one 6mm bolt gun, one 303Br SMLE Enfield, one 308 bolt gun w/scout scope, one 30-06 bolt gun, one G20 10mm pistol w/six-inch barrel, one 45-70 lever gun w/Cor-Bon 350gr SP, and I used a Chinese Kalashnikov in 7.62X39 (30 Soviet). I didn’t personally witness all shots that were fired, but I saw most.

This kind of hunting is fast. Targets come and go quickly and always seem to appear when not expected. Windows are typically no more than two seconds. Hunting terrain is such that ranges are ten to a maximum of fifty meters. Pigs are dense, tough, amazingly quick, and close to the ground. They don’t usually “topple” when hit, and multiple hits are difficult, even with an autoloader. Your first hit better be good!

Observations:

Iron sights work well, but scout scopes work well too! A forward-mounted, low-profile, low-magnification scope is well suited for pig hunting. By contrast, high magnification, close-eye-relief scopes are counterproductive, indeed close to useless. Most of us used iron sights.

In profile shots, the best place to aim is the point of the shoulder. Nearly all “instant” stops involved hits here. A bullet passing through this point breaks the shoulders and jars the spine. When thus struck, most pigs drop on the spot or run only a short distance. By contrast, gut shots, from any caliber, will guarantee a long chase and maybe a lost animal. I’ve never seen a gut shot put an animal down quickly. Heart/lung shots are effective, eventually, but the animal nearly always runs afterward, sometimes a good distance. The 6mm shooter hit a pig just behind the shoulder (fifty meters). The 100gr SP bullet went through and through, and the pig left a substantial blood trail, but his legs still worked, and he ran and ran!

The 10mm pistol round was disappointing. The shooter had a good hit (which I personally witnessed). The bullet struck from the front and went into the right shoulder, just to the side of the jaw. It was a 180gr WW Black Talon. I could see the pig was hit, but he still ran and ran. He was obviously uncomfortable, but he kept going. The shooter finally (after five minutes) had to borrow the Ruger 44 Carbine to ultimately stop the flight. Inadequate penetration.

Instant stops were registered with the 12ga slug, the 45-70, the 44mg carbine, and the 308. Good calibers and competent shooters. All went through and through, except the 44Mg. I was presented with an angle-away shot at twenty meters. My first bullet hit just behind the rib cage and ranged forward (125gr Federal SP, no exit). I caught the link and tried to get a second hit, but the pig was gone. He ran fifty meters before collapsing.

I like this kind of hunting, because it gives me the opportunity to fellowship with my friends, but it also reminds me that I need to be observant, reactive, and decisive, and that I won’t get a second chance to be competent.

Fooling around with inadequate calibers in an effort to “push the envelope” is something that doesn’t interest me, and it interests me less every time I see it. A bullet needs velocity, mass, penetration, expansion, and structural integrity (doesn’t come apart). Inadequacy in any category negates the rest. Ask me how I know this!

/John

 

6 Nov 03

OC Advice from an SA Patrolman of many Years:

“Tactical plans always have two parts: The first is to actually have a plan or ‘blueprint of action.’ The second is always having a means of implementing your plan. This second part is where lots of people see their plan fail. Without it, your ‘plan’ remains just a theory.

To this end I have a simple routine that I always follow when performing traffic stops. I make sure both my pistol and my OC are ready for instant use upon exiting my vehicle. This procedure has spilled into my private life. I always make sure that my OC is handy whenever I bring my vehicle to a stop, in other words, whenever I drive my vehicle. I recommend ‘practical’ OC, like Fox, that is of a size that it is easily concealed in your hand with a nozzle that can be ‘aimed’ by feel. I have seen more than one officer accidentally spray himself, because he had no ‘felt aim’ on his OC bottle.

I also wear a sleeveless jacket. These normally have big pockets. I designate one of them my ‘OC pocket.’ Nothing goes into that pocket except my OC. Surprising how readily your OC bottle comes to hand (in the correct orientation) when you make alertness and readiness a habit!”

/John

 

10 Nov 03

From a Friend and Seasoned Rifleman:

“I shot my Springfield M1A last week. To my unhappiness, I discovered that my scout scope had lost its zero since the two of us were last together in Buena Vista, CO in July. Suddenly, it was shooting low and right. All the scope mountings were tight, but there was a crack in the composition stock, below the right side of the receiver. This doubtless reduced upward tension on the barrel and lowered the point of impact. I put the original walnut stock back on for now.

However, I decided to take the scope off. As low as it was mounted, it was still too high to get a satisfactory cheek weld. Few rifles (military or sporting) are set up for a good cheek weld with a scope. Even fewer have a secure way of mounting the scope on a rifle subject to rugged and heavy (military) use. Back to the old faithful iron sights!”

Lesson: Scopes, even scout scopes, will never be a rugged as iron sights. Every serious rifleman should be familiar with, and comfortable with, iron sights, and every serious rifle should be equipped with them.

/John

 

11 Nov 03

Timely advice from a friend and LEO trainer:

“We did the Tueller Drill. We started with students at low ready and had would-be assailants run towards the back of the range. Students were able to aim and fire at paper targets well before the runner covered twenty feet. However, once we had thus bolstered everyone’s confidence, we repeated the process with students drawing from concealment. Seeing students struggle to draw pistols through down, fleece, and other warm clothing was an eye opener for everyone. My fellow instructor tried it with me playing the part of the attacker. I managed to run completely out of the range before he could draw his weapon!

As winter descends on us, it pays to think about how we are going to draw, in a timely manner, from under our winter clothes.”

Lesson: Our most dangerous enemy is denial. We must be careful not to con others and never to con ourselves. Self-deception is a killer!

/John

 

12 Nov 03

The view from Saudi Arabia, from a friend who works there:

“I had a visit with my superintendent yesterday, after work. He has always been a pretty good source for local opinion. He is a typical government guy. His English is thick, but understandable. Like everyone here, he has been educated from birth to harbor a vile, rabid hatred for Western Civilization and everything associated with it, and, like most here, he is convinced that Saudis are God’s chosen people and that the world would be far better off if all Christians and Jews suddenly found another planet!

However, in view of recent events, this was the first time we ever met that he didn’t hit me with some issue about the US presence in Iraq. He didn’t even dump on my president, and he didn’t say (as he always has in the past), “I look at this from a religious perspective….”

He is scared! I’ve never seen him like this. Clearly, he cannot understand the reason for his beloved Al Queda striking the Arabian compound this week, killing and maiming all kinds of Arabs. What is going on here is, of course, an insurgency. It is crystal clear to all us westerners, but this Saudi and his countrymen don’t want to face the possibility of such a thing. It is just too big for any of them to imagine.

Up until now, police and military training here has been mostly a game (like everything else here). When they conduct a raid, they typically send out twelve cops and bring back seven. Not a recipe for long term success! In fact, most government security forces in the Gulf are sweating the day when this comes to their jurisdiction!”

Comment: We may live to see the Saud family topple in Saudi Arabia! Ten years ago, they seemed impregnable. But, they danced with the devil, and now the devil wants to lead. There is a lesson here!

/John

 

13 Nov 03

Winter carry option, from a friend who lives where there is genuine winter:

“I know it’s potential is limited, but during the coldest times of the year, I routinely carry a J-frame snubby in my outermost coat pocket. In cold weather, there is surely nothing unusual or suspicious about someone walking about with hands in his coat pockets.

As is always the case when a carry pistol is not attached in some way to the body, it must be appropriately secured when the outer coat is removed. Generally, I discreetly take the revolver out of the coat pocket and put in into my right, front pants pocket, reversing the process when I put my coat back on.

Needless to say, the little revolver will always be supplemented with a more substantial fighting handgun concealed in a belt holster, but, as I walk about, I find five rounds of Cor-Bon 38 special at my fingertips and instantly ready to shoot through my coat very comforting indeed!”

Comment: S&W’s lightweight (scandium) snubbies are particularly well suited to this carry option. The entire hammer arc is contained within the pistol itself, so there is no chance clothing will get in the way of the hammer path. And, the pistol is so light, carrying it in any fashion is about as convenient and comfortable as the practice gets.

/John

 

13 Nov 03

The Jessica Lynch myth, from a friend in the business:

“As of today, I’ve seen six different accounts of Jessica Lynch’s “story,” including a syrupy, made-for-TV movie. I’ve seen this all before. The party in power is heralding her a hero. Disparaging remarks from the opposition and their benefactors in the media are called politically motivated propaganda.

As nearly as I can discern from various brainless, over-dramatized, spin-ridden accounts, her group really screwed up. If she herself couldn’t get her M-16 to work, maybe she needs to take better care of it, or (heaven forbid) actually load it. She apparently spent most of the conflict curled in a fetal position, posing a threat to no one, and nearly everything else is undeterminable, because she passed out. Victim? Maybe. Hero? Hardly.

There is no doubt Miss Lynch is a fine person. However, I am weary of transparent lies being spoon-fed to me by both the government and the media. I am resentful. I prefer to know what really happened, minus the spin. If nobody knows, I prefer being told that nobody knows and probably never will.

If all they want is my political support, they can go screw themselves!”

Comment: None required.

/John

 

18 Nov 03

On Glock maintenance from an armorer in a large PD:

“One of our deputies was qualifying last week (G21). He had four failures to fire within a single magazine. He, of course, performed a T-R-B drill each time, and managed to get through the magazine, but he ejected four live rounds onto the ground in the process. All four had dented primers, but the firing pin hits appeared light.

He was directed to one of the department armorers (me). I discovered so much ‘gunk’ inside the firing pin hole, that the motion of the firing pin was retarded sufficiently to cause misfires. Our department prohibits our deputies from disassembling their Glocks beyond the frame, slide, barrel, and recoil spring. This deputy said that he thought ‘someone’ had recommended that he ‘lubricate’ the firing pin often. He had performed this ‘maintenance procedure’ religiously.

We cleaned the G21 up, and it ran fine. However I am concerned. This deputy should have never been told to oil the firing pin, and there needs to be a system here through which duty weapons are completely broken down al least once per year in order to scrutinize and clean those areas that are rarely inspected.

I’ve offered to perform complete weapons maintenance for my station, but I only work part time, and the department doesn’t want to spend the money.” .

Comment: Never depend on anyone else to “automatically” maintain your weapons. You must take personal responsibility for your own safety. In every sense of the word, you’re on your own!

/John

 

23 Nov 03

From a friend currently deployed in Afghanistan:

“I made it to Kuwait and Iraq before they sent me here. The differences in attitudes towards personal weapons among the three places is worth noting:

First, upon arrival in Kuwait, we weren’t allowed to possess any rifle ammunition at all. Smart ones among us all carried (concealed) handguns, but the practice was, of course, frowned upon. Nonetheless, so long as pistols were not visible, no one seemed to care.

Suddenly, they graciously permitted us to keep a single rifle magazine on us, but, of course, we were told never to insert it into our rifles. That curious policy made things interesting when a local insurgent (whom the Kuwaiti government insists don’t exist) decided to drive his car into the line of soldiers waiting to get into the PX. Fortunately, some of those soldiers saw it coming and loaded in time to pepper him, but not before he injured ten of us. The driver survived (chalk up another failure to the 62gr ‘penetrator’), and was treated at the camp hospital until he was well enough to hand off Kuwaiti police. He is probably not enjoying his stay with them!

When I arrived in Iraq, we were issued our basic load and then we all locked and loaded, once we were past the berm that divides Kuwait and Iraq. However, back in a ‘secure area,’ we were required to unload our weapons, at least the ones they could see. We did get to keep our ammo. By this time, we veterans were all ‘carrying concealed,’ everywhere and constantly.

I then returned to Kuwait in order to go to Afghanistan. While there, I had the misfortune to pass through Camp Doha, where all the West Point pretty boys hang out. Saigon during Vietnam must have been something like this! We newly arriving GIs came in from Iraq dirty, smelly, and, to the horror of all the antiseptic and meticulously manicured folks there, bearing arms. They were aghast! The first thing we had to do was rid ourselves of those evil, dangerous things. So, we (once again) obediently divested ourselves of all our weapons (that they could see).

The command attitude here in Afghanistan is much improved. They want us to carry our rifles in transport mode (empty chamber, magazine inserted) in ‘safe’ areas, and we can carry all the ammunition we want. Indeed, I found the sight of a M249 with a hundred-round box of ammo, carried by a fellow soldier in line at the PX, to be comforting. Outside the wire, it’s as it was in Iraq: full gear, locked and loaded (carry mode).
As in most wars, there are some bright spots here, but the welfare and safety of soldiers is the last thing anyone seems to consider. As you constantly remind us, ‘we’re on our own!'”

Comment: My friend is right. Vietnam was exactly like that! Soldiers were, and still are, trained only to operate weapons. They are never trained to live with them. Despite the best efforts of the pretty boys however, as we can see from the above, we are finally getting competent personal weapons training to some of our soldiers and Marines, making them into professional gunmen, not just gun operators.

/John

 

23 Nov 03

Length of domestic gunfights:

At a recent gathering of police trainers and range officers, a lecturer posed this question: “How many of you guys have ever arrested a person and subsequently, during a personal search, discovered and removed a concealed gun from them? For that matter, how many of you have ever seized a gun during a pat down?” The response was immediate and 100%. Everyone there had done it multiple times.
He acknowledged the response and then asked: “Okay, how many of you, upon discovering a gun on an arrestee, have ever also discovered spare ammunition in the form of fully charged spare magazines, speed loaders, or a second gun? The response was just as dramatic. None ever had!

This pattern appears to be common among at least criminals in this country. Violent domestic criminals, armed robbery suspects and mugging suspects, when they do carry a gun, almost never carry any more ammunition than is in the gun itself. They are not notorious for long-range planning!

The implication for us on the other side is: The most important part of the gunfight is the first five seconds! After that, most armed criminals will have expended all rounds they have and will have no ability to reload. Having the tactical knowledge and skill (movement, use of cover, tactical planning, shooting and gun handling acumen) and equipment to survive the initial burst of violence is critical. After that, victory is virtually assured (not that we should ever relax). We need to be able to literally outlast any opponent.

/John

 

26 Nov 03

On personal weapon effectiveness from a friend in Iraq:

“Colt M4, 55gr FMJ 5.56, no problems point blank to 200 meters (our unit has gotten rid of the 62gr ‘penetrator’). Most of our engagements involve multiple shots against each adversary. I’m not sure multiple shots are always needed, but it is so easy to just stay on target and keep shooting until he is out of the fight. Upper thoracic hits will get people down and out of the fight the fastest. Nothing new here. 5.56 55gr FMJ renders good penetration through vehicle windows, but my only experience is at under ten meters, and all shots were straight-on.

I bent the trigger guard on one of our favorite gunsmith’s Lightweight Commanders. The trigger housing was bent and the underside of the frame was also slightly deformed. I shot this guy several times (45ACP Hardball, all we can get here), but he still would not let go of one of my people. I then grabbed him around his neck and beat him with the pistol. He finally succumbed to his wounds. I didn’t notice the damage to my pistol until I cleaned it that evening. With a little ‘home gunsmithing (vice, hammer, rebar),’ it still works, and I’m still carrying it.

In another incident, one of my guys got hit (luckily, in the plate of the vest he was wearing) with a 9X19 pistol round at close range. He immediately returned fire with his M9 (issue 9X19 hardball) and hit the guy five times close to the body midline. All hits were above the waist: one in neck. The bad guy was still able to close the distance, grab my guy, and try to choke him. MP came up and pumped two 12ga rounds (00Bk) into the bad guy him at pointblank range. That finally ended the fight.

John, this is a wild place. Just as it was with you in Vietnam, we have contact every day. Every night the mortar rounds and small arms fire never stops. I saw a rifle round come through the tent and go through my sleeping bag and cot. I was sitting on a chair watching a DVD at the time. I saw another round come through our chow hall trailer, hit the salad bar, and then spin around on the floor. A trooper came up, grabbed the round, and said ‘Lucky this thing didn’t land in the salad; somebody could have broken a tooth!’ Wartime humor, it seems, never changes.”

Comment: 55gr hardball still works, at least at close range, and so long as you don’t have to penetrate anything substantial. 9X19 hardball out of a pistol doesn’t work well at any range.

All this we have known for years, but we still can’t seem to get effective calibers and weapons into the hands of our soldiers. As I have noted, many have grown weary of waiting and have started to equip themselves.

/John

 

28 Nov 03

A missed opportunity to alter the course or world history, never to present itself again, Nakma Chu, India, 1962

The Himalayas have been disputed territory for centuries. When Communists took over in China at the end of WWII, thousands of Tibetans (we’ll never know how many) were displaced and ultimately murdered. To the South, newly independent India’s Nehru became progressively nervous, as Communist China also made territorial claims to large parts of its northern frontier. The warm and fertile plains of India were tempting military objectives and would make a welcome addition to Chinese national dominion, and the Chinese knew it was all ripe for the picking!

With no roads in the area, India’s northern frontier posts could only be reinforced and resupplied by helicopter, and the high altitude limited carrying capacity of each sorty to barely more than a thousand pounds. Airdrop was the only other option, and the mountainous terrain and high winds made that a dubious proposition indeed. Significant reinforcements would have to get there by foot from lower altitudes.

Assignment to these posts was considered punishment. Living conditions were wretched. Acclimatization to high altitudes took weeks, so troops were rarely rotated. Pulmonary disorders and temperature casualties regularly reduced manpower to far below published levels. Radio communication with headquarters at lowers altitudes was sporadic and unreliable. Maneuvers were rare, as troops had only individual weapons (rifles and pistols). There were no machine guns, mortars, or artillery. Indian troops mostly huddled in shacks and tried to stay warm. By contrast, corresponding Chinese posts were amply supplied via all-weather roads. Hardwire communication was all-inclusive, and manpower was more than adequate. Patrols and other maneuvers were constant and aggressive, and Chinese troops were well equipped with crew-served, as well as individual, weapons and were backed by artillery.

However, China’s Mao Zhe-dung, after being surprised by America’s unexpected resolve on the Korean Peninsula, was concerned about British (and, by proxy, American) military involvement if he made an overt territorial grab on India’s northern edge. On the other hand, he had no fear of a dithering Nehru and his bumbling administration, and, based on the Korean experience, he was pretty sure that Americans lacked the will to use nuclear weapons.

By the early 1960s, Nehru, trying desperately to be taken seriously by the Western Powers, decided to take a stand (of sorts) against provocative Chinese intrusions. Unfortunately, Nehru’s “army” was completely outclassed, in every way, by the Chinese. As noted above, India’s frontier posts were remote, poorly manned, and miserably equipped. Nehru’s pitiable forces had no chance against the well equipped Chinese, but Nehru, relying on fraudulently optimistic reports manufactured by his generals (who, like generals everywhere, were afraid to tell him the untidy truth), pushed the issue anyway, issuing empty threat after empty threat, hoping to get Mao to back off. The stage was set!

On 10 October 1962, Nehru’s general Kaul was personally sent to the area and commanded to “throw out” Chinese troops from disputed territory. Kaul’s “strategy” was to have a company of his men march in the open, past Chinese positions, and defiantly “sit” behind them. In an attempt to execute that plan, hapless Indian troopers made it only a few meters forward before being annihilated in less than a minute by an amused, dug-in Chinese battalion. Kaul was boggled! He immediately got aboard the nearest helicopter and deserted the area, muttering that he had to “consult” with higher command. He never returned. On 20 Oct, hoards of Chinese troops, supported by artillery, effortlessly overran one Indian position after another. They were met with virtually no resistance, as thousands of fleeing Indian soldiers were killed and captured.

There was silent panic when the news reached New Delhi, as all the fiction about India’s military prowess began to unravel. Newly arriving reinforcements, rushed to the area, were all deposited at low altitude and instructed to climb, on foot, to the area under siege. All quickly succumbed to altitude sickness and the cold. The few that actually arrived had inadequate clothing and only a few rounds of ammunition. It quickly became obvious that there would be no significant reinforcement and thus no credible resistance.

With his new nation on the verge of being swallowed up, Nehru issued a plaintiff call to Britain and the United States to come to his aid. Nehru now knew the dysphoric truth. Without immediate foreign intervention, he could not stop, or even slow down, the Chinese. But, even as intervention was being contemplated, the Chinese suddenly withdrew back to their original positions. The crisis was apparently over.

Mao was advised that the point had been made, and that risking confrontation with Britain and the United States was too big a gamble. It was a colossal and costly miscalculation on Mao’s part! Mao had little to fear from either the British or the Americans. By the time British and American forces could be mobilized and transported to India (assuming they could even make a decision to come to Nehru’s aid), the invasion would have been over, and China would be in the process of consolidating its new territory. After begging America not to use nuclear weapons in Korea, it would be the height of hypocrisy for Britain to urge their use in India.

In the early 1960s, China could have easily annexed all of India at virtually no cost, citing, correctly, that India had started it. By the grace of God, they missed their chance!

Lesson: Any political leader who believes, without question, what his generals tell him is a fool! Nearly all military disasters are preceded by overly optimistic, indeed fictional, reports, promulgated by generals who are interested only in keeping their jobs. Digesting the lumpy truth is always more difficult than gulping down smooth lies. But, in the end, lies, smooth or otherwise, always unravel. If you rattle the saber often enough, someone will call your bluff. When they do, you better not be bluffing!

/John

 

29 Nov 03

Holiday Report from LA:

“At 2200 hours, the combined levels of L-Tryptophan and Budweiser became elevated to the point where ‘family and friends,’ remembered, once more, that they really didn’t like each other after all. My guys and I handled a rapid succession of out-of-control party and ‘family fight’ (now, there is a redundancy) calls that lasted well into Friday morning.

Our department’s Glock transition schedule starts just after the first of the year for us patrol folks. So far, our Metro Division (includes K-9), Antiterrorism Division, and some other specialized/detective units have already changed over from the Beretta 92F. Curiously, every ‘civilian consultant’ our new chief has brought here from the East Coast is now carrying a Glock too. Though not sworn police officers, they carry a peculiar ‘Police-Commission-issued CCW permit.’ Funny, I didn’t think we had a citizen CCW system here in LA!

Chief Bratton is popular with the troops! He has changed management philosophy at every level to be a whole lot more street-cop friendly than it has been. In light of the succession of dithering buffoons we’re had in that post since Daryl Gates left, we, at long last, have a truly competent and qualified person as chief. We all hope he sticks around.

On the vest front, Second Chance is now replacing all of our ‘Zylon’ body armor with their standard, Kevlar vest. All vests are scheduled to be replaced within the next few months. As you noted, whether it actually works or not, Zylon is toast. We’re all back to Kevlar.”

/John