2011: A Real Knockout Punch!

2011: A real knock-out punch

2011 has been a year I’ll never forget. Lot’s of images, events, and memories that’ll stick with me forever. I truly wish I could say the year has been a good one. But I can’t, not at all. In fact it arrived with a knockout punch. Don’t believe me, well, see for yourself…

We’d barely turned the page on January when Denene took a nasty fall, breaking her leg in three places.

The injury was so severe that it required immediate surgery to install a heaping handful of hardware. Looks nasty, right? Well, it’s a bit worse than you’re imagining. Her foot is supposed to be pointing up instead of at a right angle. Yep, that’s her shin at the top. What a way to start our anniversary! So much for our big night out.

When Denene was finally able to return to work (in the wheelchair) I carried her from the front door to the car and drove her to the university, every day, where I stayed with her so I could roll her to her classroom so she could teach. I also played the part of errand boy until the day was over when we made the trip back to the RV (we still hadn’t sold our house in NC) where I carried her from the car, up the front steps, and to the couch. This went on for months.

After living in our RV for a year, we finally sold our house. Should have been a great day, huh? Oh, Nooooooo… We hired the “Movers From Hell,” who broke lots of things, had all new workers, neglected to tell us they only worked at night—all night—and, by the way, had never moved an entire house-load of furniture. Ours was their first packing job too, something else they failed to mention. Oh, and their truck broke down in front of our house at 4am, with the rear of the truck in our driveway and the nose of it on the other side of the street. The owner of the company decided to leave the large truck there until the next afternoon when he got off his day job as a hospital operating room technician—no sleep after working nearly 48 hours and this guy was going to work in an operating room. Not to mention no shower! Our neighbors were trapped until I finally called the police who made the guy call a tow truck to move the moving truck that, by the way, was loaded with our things.

Finally, I fired the clowns and hired another company (Mayflower), movers I highly recommend.

And the list goes on…

We’d been in Georgia for a couple of weeks and, during a thunderstorm, a large tree limb broke off and landed on my vehicle, crushing part of the passenger compartment.

I met my first thousand fire ants. Nope, not a single person bothered to warn me about these critters. One night I took our little dog outside so she could do her pre-bedtime business. It was dark, I couldn’t see very well (I was actually keeping an eye out for alligators and wild boars) and set her on top of a fire ant mound. Who knew? In a matter of seconds we were attacked and the only way we could get any relief was to jump in the shower. So, at midnight I’m taking a cold shower with our toy poodle.

And I absolutely must mention the night I took her outside and set her down beside a large rock. Well, after a couple of seconds the rock got up and walked away. No warning about armadillos either.

We finally bought a house on one of the coastal islands, and it’s a nice place. Really nice. But we’d only been in it for a few minutes when Hurricane Irene welcomed us to the neighborhood.

Then, just days after Irene moved up the coast, our beloved companion, Pebbles, left us. She’d been with us for nearly twenty years, so it was a tough goodbye.

And that brings us to the present. Should be smooth sailing from this point forward, right? I certainly hope so. Denene underwent surgery again last week, but this time it was to remove the plate and 15 screws from her leg. She’s healing nicely, and so are the other wounds we received from 2011.

But now we’re living in paradise. So what could possibly go wrong now?

After all, Sandra Bullock is almost our neighbor. And that’s a good thing, right?

 

/by

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Deputy Sheriff Matt Miller, 53

Seminole County Florida Sheriff’s Office

December 26, 2011 – Deputy Matt Miller was killed in a motorcycle crash while conducting a traffic stop. An oncoming vehicle turned in front of his motorcycle as he was catching up to a speeder. Deputy Miller is survived by his wife.

Officer Clifton Lewis, 41

Chicago Police Department

December 29, 2011 – Officer Clifton Lewis was working security inside a convenience store when two armed robbers entered the store and immediately shot Officer Lewis multiple times, killing him. The two killers then grabbed the officer’s badge and gun and fled the scene. Officer Lewis was working in the store due to recent robberies of the same business. He is survived by his fiance. The couple was recently engaged.

The scene outside M&M Quick Foods where Officer Lewis was gunned down – CBS Chicago image

*     *     *

2011 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities

(From the page of the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund)

Preliminary 2011 Numbers

December 30, 2011

2011/2010 % Change

Total Fatalities 2011 = 173  2010 = 153 +13%

Firearms-related 2011 = 68  2010 = 59 +15%

Traffic-related 2011 = 64 2010 = 71

-10%

Other Causes 2011 = 41 2010 = 23

+78%

Please note: These numbers reflect total officer fatalities comparing December 30, 2011 to December 30, 2010. Stats do not reflect the recent death of Chicago Officer Clifton Lewis.

2011 Fatalities by State

Florida 14

Texas 13

New York 11

California 10

Georgia 10

Tennessee 7

North Carolina 7

Missouri 6

Ohio 6

Arizona 5

Louisiana 5

New Jersey 5

Michigan 5

Virginia 5

Pennsylvania 4

South Carolina 4

Alabama 3

Oregon 3

South Dakota 3

Colorado 2

Illinois 2

Indiana 2

Iowa 2

Kansas 2

Kentucky 2

Maryland 2

Mississippi 2

North Dakota 2

Oklahoma 2

Washington 2

Arkansas 1

Delaware 1

District of Columbia 1

Hawaii 1

Maine 1

Massachusetts 1

Minnesota 1

Montana 1

Nebraska 1

Wisconsin 1

Wyoming 1

Federal Agencies: 10

U.S. Territories: 4

Note: All data are preliminary and are subject to change.

/by

Close-Contact Gunshot Wounds

Close-Contact Gunshot Wounds

 

Shots fired from close range leave tell-tale marks called stippling, or tattooing. These marks are discolorations of the skin caused by burning gunpowder.

Evidence of contact with hot gunpowder can be seen just above the “V” opening of the shirt (the blackened area) in the photograph above. The person who wore this shirt was the victim of a shooting at close range—less than a foot away—with a 9mm pistol. Notice there’s no hole in the back of the shirt. No hole, no exit wound. The bullet stayed in the body even from a shot at this short distance.

The next photograph (post autopsy) is of the wound the victim received in the upper image.

* WARNING! ACTUAL GUNSHOT WOUNDS BELOW – GRAPHIC  IMAGES *

The wound in the image below is round and neat, and it’s approximately the diameter of an ink pen. It’s not like the wounds seen on television where half of the victim’s body is blown into oblivion, or beyond, by a couple of bullets from a bad guy’s gun. Sometimes exit wounds are nearly as small as the entrance wound.

The amount of damage and path of travel depends on the type ammunition used and what the bullet struck as it makes it way through the body. I’ve seen officers who easily mistook exit wounds for entrance wounds, at first glance. A closer examination reveals stark differences. Exit wounds normally present pieces of avulsed flesh angled slightly away from the wound. And, usually, there’s little or no trace of gunshot residue around the outside of the wound.

bullet-hole.jpg

(Above) The hot bullet entered the flesh leaving a gray-black ring around the wound. The impact of the bullet, gunshot residue, and hot gases striking the tissue left behind a distinct bruising (ecchymosis) around the wound, as well as stippling/tattooing. The zig-zag pattern above the wound is the post-autopsy stitching of the Y-incision.

(Above) Stippling is clearly visible below the wound. Above the wound, hair prevented the hot gunshot residue from contacting the flesh.

(Above) Contact wounds/muzzle imprint may be present when the the barrel of a gun was in direct contact with the skin at the time the weapon was discharged.

Wounds sometimes show an abrasion ring (a dark circle around the wound) that’s caused as the hot gases from the weapon contacts and enters the flesh. The force of the gas blows the skin and tissue back against the gun’s muzzle, leaving the circular imprint. Other markings from the weapon are sometimes visible as well, such as the checkered pattern and barrel shape below.

 

background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% / 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 844px; left: 20px;”>Save

/by

How To Cool Down The "HOT" Cop In Your Life

How to cool down

It’s common knowledge that ALL cops are a 10 on the hotness scale—perfect bodies, superb intelligence, extremely charming…well, there’s no end to just how hot cops are. Sometimes, though, to protect the innocent, that heat needs to be reduced to a simmer. So how do they do it? Cold showers? Ice baths? No, silly. They cool off by using the handy-dandy…

CoolCop Body Armor Air Conditioning System. CoolCop easily snaps to the air conditioning vent in any patrol car, and within seconds cool air is directed between the vest and the officer’s smoldering hot skin. That’s right, no more steaming pecs and blistering rock-hard abs.

CoolCop is also available for police canines.

*Top photo is of New Jersey’s finest. Yes, they’re actual police officers. Note: Not typical police officer physique.

Fortunately, CoolCop works for all body shapes and sizes. Available for less than $60.

/by

After The Trigger Is Pulled: What Happens To The Bullets?

After the trigger is pulled

Experts are often asked about the kind and size of entrance and exit wounds produced by various ammunition. The rounds (bullets) in the photograph below are .45 caliber hollow-point bullets similar to the rounds fired from the Thompson sub-machine gun I’m holding.

The diameter of the .45 rounds is slightly larger than the diameter of the slim Sharpie pens many authors use to sign books. That’s pretty close to the size of most entrance wounds—the size of the bullet(s) that struck the victim.

hollow-point-and-magazine.jpg

.45 caliber rounds and magazine

The picture below is of one of the .45 caliber rounds after it was fired from the Thompson machine gun. The round passed through the self-healing wall tiles in the firing range, striking the concrete and steel wall on the the other side. Hitting the solid surface head-on caused the bullet to expand and fracture which creates the exit wound we see in shooting victims.

Many times, those bullet slivers break off inside the body causing further internal damage. The size of an exit wound depends on what the bullet hits inside the body. If the bullet only hits soft tissue the wound will be less traumatic. If it hits bone, expect much more damage. Easy rule of thumb—the larger the caliber (bullet size), the bigger the hole.

.45 caliber round after it struck concrete and steel head-on. Note the expansion and separation of the round

Bullets that hit something other than their intended target, such as a brick wall or a metal lamp post, can break apart sending pieces of flying copper and lead fragments, called shrapnel, into crowds of innocent bystanders. Those flying fragments are just as lethal as any intact, full-sized bullet.

FYI – Bullets don’t always stop people. I’ve seen shooting victims get up and run after they’ve been shot several times. And for goodness sake, people don’t fly twenty feet backward after they’ve been struck by a bullet. They just fall down and bleed. Well, they may moan, wriggle, and curse a lot too. And they might get back up and start shooting again.

*This is a repeat article. I decided to re-post it after attempting to read a book that clearly showed an author’s obvious lack of knowledge and research regarding shooting situations. Needless to say, I did not turn another page after reading the goofy scene.

/by

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Master Public Safety Officer Scotty Richardson, 33

Aiken South Carolina Department of Public Safety

December 21, 2011 – Officer Scotty Richardson was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle that was suspected of involvement in a crime. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Officer Arnulfo Crispin, 25

Lakeland Florida Police Department

December 21, 2011 – Officer Arnulfo Crispin was shot and killed while speaking with three suspicious suspects. While searching the three for weapons, another suspect approached from the rear and shot Officer Officer Crispin. The officer is survived by his brothers and sisters.

 Officer Timothy Schock, 41

Chesapeake Virginia Police Department

December 20, 2011 – Officer Tim Schock died during a training dive in a local lake. Officers were unsuccessful in attempts to resuscitate him on the scene. Officer Schock is survived by one child and his fiancee.

Officer John David Dryer, 46

East Washington Borough Pennsylvania Police Department

December 19, 2011 – Officer John Dryer was shot and killed during a traffic stop. He is survived by his son and parents.

Deputy Sheriff Ronnie Smith, 49

Butts County Georgia Sheriff’s Office

December 17, 2011 – Deputy Sheriff Ronnie Smith was responding to a fight call when he lost control of his patrol car and crashed into a group of trees. He was killed in the crash. Deputy Smith is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Sergeant Michael Andrew Boehm

United States Department of the Interior

December 16, 2011 – Sergeant Michael Boehm suffered a fatal heart attack while responding to a call involving a person who had jumped from a bridge. He is survived by his wife and son.

/by

The 41st Police Academy Graduates: Another Officer In The Family

The 41st Police Academy Graduates: Another Officer In The Family

Graduation from a police academy is a moment in life that is forever ingrained into an officer’s mind. The event marks the end of a grueling period of study and intense physical training. And, it’s the beginning of an exciting and rewarding career. For many, that career is the dream of a lifetime.

Last week, Denene and I had the pleasure of attending a police academy graduation in Northeast North Carolina. And to make the event even more special for us, our nephew was one of the graduating cadets.

You’ve all heard me preach about the differences in law enforcement agencies and procedures throughout the country. And, well, police academies and their procedures and rules also differ throughout the country. North Carolina is no exception. In the Tar Heel state, most police officers receive their academy training in community college public safety programs, such as the program where our very own Writers’ Police Academy takes place.

In the North Carolina system, officer-candidates pay their own way, registering for and attending, a college Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program, and many recruits do this before they have a job with a police agency. They do so hoping a chief or sheriff will recognize their abilities and hire them, and many do. Our nephew is great example of how this works. A sheriff hired him when he was halfway through the academy training, which also meant his new boss picked up the tab for his training, and he began paying his new employee a salary while he finished the academy.

In other states, officers are hired by a department and are then sent to the training academy where they’ll receive the required certification to work as a police officer. By the way, a sheriff may appoint deputy sheriffs who can work, including making lawful arrests, for up to one year before attending any training whatsoever.

Anyway, back to the nephew’s graduation…

The 41st Academy, consisting of several jurisdictions, began as a class of 21, but only 5 made the cut. That’s right, 16 cadets didn’t make it to the end, dropping out for various reasons—failed academically, couldn’t take the pressure, couldn’t handle the physical training, failed the driving or firearms testing, etc. As a result, as with all police academies, the 41st was left with the best of the best.

Each police academy class elects a class president. Deputy Phillip Massey (far left) was the president of this academy class (Deputy Massey is also our nephew). It is the job of the class president to keep morale high and to motivate his/her fellow cadets.

The formal ceremony began with an honor guard’s presentation of the colors (state and U.S. flags).

Waiting to march in. By the way, Deputy Massey was represented by four generations of family members—his parents and sister, his grandmother, uncles and aunt, and his 104-year-old great grandmother, were all seated in the audience.

Receiving the certificate from academy officials (BLET coordinator, Dean, President, and academy staff). Awards were also presented for top driver, top shooter, and highest academic achievement. The achievement awards brought back fond memories. I was top shooter in my academy class (I won’t tell the score but it was somewhere between 98 and 100), and I graduated with a GPA of 99.63. Sounds like a great average but even with that score I wound up third academically, out of a class of dozens.

After speeches and words of encouragement, the ceremony ended with the retrieval of the colors…

…and with five brand new, certified police officers ready to hit the streets.

The four deputy sheriffs and one city police officer began their four month field training program last Monday.

Deputy Massey received the Top Driver Award and the “class president” certificate.

The second graduation was over, Denene and I started in on Deputy Nephew…”Always wear your vest…Don’t take any chances…Don’t trust anyone…Be Careful…Stay alert…” Phillip rolled his eyes and politely smiled as we made our way through the been-there, done-that checklist, and I understood as only another cop could.

Anyway, congratulations 41st, and stay safe guys.

*A note to our grandson…don’t get any ideas. The world also needs plumbers, carpenters, doctors, teachers, and writers—hey, that’s a great idea. Writing about cops and robbers is much safer…

/by

Thank You GTCC!

Thank you GTTC

 

After twelve months of planning, tons of hard work, lots of fun, and three wonderful days of playing cops and robbers, it all boiled down to the stroke of pen. On Thursday, Denene and I traveled to Guilford Technical Community College to present the Writers’ Police Academy’s donation to the Criminal Justice Foundation. So, thanks to the hard work and generosity of everyone involved, we are pleased to announce that our donation for 2011 was…

A whopping $10,000.00!

That’s right, I said Ten Thousand Dollars!

Eric Holloman, the department chair for the GTCC public safety department, accepts the WPA’s $10,000.00 donation. The money is used for training and supplies above and beyond the department’s extremely limited budget.

Denene Lofland, Eric Holloman, Nancy Metzner, Jo Williamson

Thanks again to the Writers’ Police Academy recruits, Sisters in Crime, the High Point Public Library and “The Library Ladies,”our fabulous sponsors, the planning committee, volunteers, GTCC instructors, Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, all the police officers, firefighters and EMS workers who donated their valuable off-time, presenters and speakers, those of you who donated items for the raffle and auction, and everyone who spread the word about our one-of-a-kind event.

Reflections of 2011…

See you in 2012 for an all new, even more exciting program, including the fabulous Lee Child, our 2012 keynote speaker!

/by

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Officer Anthony “Tony” Alan Giniewicz, 58

Signal Hill California Police Department

In 1985, Officer Giniewicza was wounded during a shootout with three gang members at a local restaurant. He became paralyzed as a result of his injuries, and then passed away as a result of those wounds on December 7, 2011.

Officer Giniewicza is survived by his son, two stepchildren, mother, and six sisters.

Sergeant David Enzbrenner, 46

Atchison Kansas Police Department

Sergeant David Enzbrenner was shot and killed when a man approached him and opened fire without warning. Officials believe the suspect has a grudge against police officers because his father is serving a prison sentence of life without parole.

Sergeant Enzbrenner is survived by his wife and three children.

Officer Peter Figoski, 47

New York City Police Department

December 12, 2011 – Police Officer Peter Figoski was shot and killed while responding to a robbery call. The two suspects were hiding inside the building and when confronted, one of the suspects shot Officer Figoski in the head. He is survived by his four daughters.

Agent Isaac Joel Pizarro-Pizarro, 30

Puerto Rico Police Department

Agent Isaac Pizarro-Pizarro was shot and killed in an ambush that is believed to be retaliation for an ongoing narcotics investigation.

He is survived by his mother and several brothers.

Undersheriff Pat Pyette, 54

Blaine County Montana Sheriff’s Office

December 14, 2011 – Undersheriff Pat Pyette was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic around the scene of a disabled truck.

/by

Aikido: The Force Behind Use Of Force

The art of peace

Before police officers actually hit the streets to begin making arrests, directing traffic, responding to domestic complaints, and investigating murders, they must attend a basic police academy to receive their certifications as police officers. The time spent at a police academy varies. Some basic classes last for as little as twelve weeks while others may last in excess of five or six months. Police academy training is quite similar to military basic training.

Some academies require police officer recruits to live on-site during their training, such as the Virginia State Police Academy pictured above. The VSP academy is a full-service operation, complete with dormitories, an indoor pool, and cafeteria facilities.

Police academy training is similar to military basic training

Other locales require their police candidates to attend public police academies, such as those taught in some local community colleges. Officer candidates there must pay for and complete their own training before they can apply for a job with the prospective police agency.

A fantastic example of a college/police academy is the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Guilford Technical Community College in North Carolina, the home of our own Writers’ Police Academy. Sheriffs and police chiefs often scout the college police certification programs looking for top candidates. If one of the recruits stands out (high academic and practical achievements) the officials may offer a job to that particular officer-to-be. Such is the case of my nephew who has a job as a deputy sheriff waiting for him after he graduates from the police academy this weekend (Congratulations, Nephew! WEAR YOUR VEST!)

Basic training consists of many aspects of law-enforcement, but perhaps the most memorable course is—the one course that sticks in the minds of all police officers—Defensive Tactics. Recruits often refer to this week in the academy as Hell Week.

During Hell Week recruits learn how to defend themselves from weapon wielding attackers, and they learn various techniques, such as weapon retention, weapon disarming, handcuffing, baton use, Taser and stun gun use, how to effectively arrest combative and non-combative suspects, and the proper and safe use of pepper spray. They’re also required to exercise and run….lots and lots of exercising and running. And when they’ve finished all that exercising and running, they run and exercise some more. I still have blisters on my feet from the weeks I spent running through the grounds of the VSP academy.

The training is intense, very painful, and exhausting.

Recruits learn to control and handcuff combative suspects by using pain-compliance techniques—wrist-locks and joint control. These techniques are based on the techniques used by martial artists. Aikido and Chin-Na are two of the martial arts used to develop these highly-effective techniques.

 

Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba (O-Sensei, “The Great Teacher”).

Aikido (The Art of Peace) uses the attacker’s own force against him.

Sticking to O-Sensei’s original teachings, Yoshinkan Aikido was first taught to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police in the early 60’s. The Tokyo Riot Police receives Yoshinkan Aikido instruction to this day. Aikido techniques in American police academies are a bit less intensive.

To give you a better understanding of Aikido and what the techniques look like in action, think Steven Seagal, a 7th dan black belt in Aikido.

The purpose of police defense tactics training is actually threefold—to protect the officer, make a safe arrest, and protect the attacker/assailant from harm.

Basic Aikido For Law Enforcement

1. Develop a keen sense of awareness. Learn to observe the entire picture. No rear attacks!

2. Being able to quickly move forward, backward, side-to-side, and diagonally… all without losing your balance.

3. Verbally calm down any potential aggressor.

4. Knowing the right time to arrest or detain a suspect. Avoid any escalation of violent behavior.

5. Having the tools to cause pain without causing injury—use of pressure points to safely effect the arrest.

6. Always use the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest.

Remember:

– Unbalancing the suspect is key to reducing their resistance.

– Control the head and the body will follow.

– Move the suspect into a position where their chance of reaching you with an attack is greatly reduced—controlling their arms, wrists, elbows or shoulders.

A wrist turnout applies intense pressure to the joint in the wrist, forcing the suspect off balance.

Proper grasp to begin the wrist turnout (Kotegaeshi Nage) technique. To complete the technique the officer maintains his grasp, rotates the suspect’s hand up and to the rear in a counter-clockwise motion while simultaneously stepping back with his (the officer) left leg. The suspect ends up on the floor on his back (see picture below). Any resistance inflicts excruciating pain in the joints of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

Combative suspects are normally forced the ground for handcuffing. From this position, a quick turn of the suspect’s wrist and arm will force him to roll over on his stomach. Any resistance causes extreme pain and could severely injure the controlled wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

To effectively control the wrist, the elbow must be stationary. From this position, the suspect is easily handcuffed.

This wrist lock can cause intense pain in the wrist, the elbow, and the shoulder. Forward and downward pressure forces the suspect to the ground.

*     *     *

I was a police academy instructor and instructor trainer for many years, teaching basic, advanced, and in-service classes such as, Defensive Tactics, Officer Survival, CPR, Interview and Interrogation, Homicide Investigation, Drug Recognition, and Firearms. I also trained, certified, and re-certified police academy instructors. Outside the academy, I owned my own school/gym where I taught classes in rape-prevention, personal self-defense and self-defense for women, and advanced training for executive bodyguards. I trained others in stick (tambo) and knife fighting. Throughout my career I maintained the rank of Master Defensive Tactics Intructor/Aikido and Chin-Na.

“To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace.” ~ Morihei Ueshiba

/by