7 Mar 12
I worked with a rural, TX Sheriff’s Department yesterday. Curriculum was “Patrol Rifle and Patrol Vehicles.” We spent the day confirming zero, then practicing rifle/handgun transition, close-range shooting, and exiting/fighting from patrol vehicles.
The Sheriff is a long-time friend, and he had equipped his officers well. All had department-issued ARs, mostly LMTs, a few Colts. They ride daily in patrol vehicles. Most were equipped with Aimpoint T1s. Several deputies used iron sights, as that was their preference. Rifles are not “shared” in this department. They are individually issued to officers, who are allowed to take them home and equip them however they prefer.
This Sheriff has also trained his officers well. All came to me as competent riflemen. Rifles were already zeroed at 40m, and none required tweaking. They hit consistently!
Hog-hunting is a popular activity in this part of TX, as there is no “season” on wild hogs. They are extremely prolific, considered “pests,” and can thus be hunted year-around, without the necessity of any kind of license nor permit. Most of my deputies are avid hog-hunters and are actually encouraged by the Sheriff to use their department-issued rifle for this purpose, as it is excellent training in serious rifle use. I personally have surely found this to be true!
All that hog-hunting paid off as we trained! These deputies were extremely competent, accurate, and fast.
223 duty-round is Federal Tactical, an excellent choice, but we shot less-expensive 55gr hardball during our training exercises.
We made grand progress during the day’s exercises, as most deputies has not trained to fight in and around vehicles before. We did many iterations of exiting under fire and using various parts of the vehicle for cover.
These guys are well equipped, well trained, and dedicated to dauntlessly performing their duty. I only wish all sheriffs and chiefs were as personally committed to the performance and safety of their officers and to uncompromising service to their communities!
I feel good about working with a department like this!
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck.’ However, the ‘short-run’ is often far longer than many individual lifetimes!”
/John
