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Here’s How YOU Can Identify the Bones Found in Your Backyard

When the topic of identifying skeletal remains arises, two world-renowned renowned forensic anthropologists immediately come to mind—Dr. Elizabeth A. Murray and Dr. Kathy Reichs. Both experts are at the top of their profession and are two of approximately 100 anthropologists certified as Diplomate by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

Law enforcement and other investigators around the world have relied on Drs. Murray and Reichs, as well as other forensic anthropologists, for their help with solving high-profile criminal cases, and to help identify recovered bones.

However, in many instances, on-the-scene law enforcement investigators don’t have speedy access to experienced experts, and they need to know right away if the bones they or someone else discovered are human. This immediate knowledge helps them decide whether the remains belong to a person, and if what they have before them could be a crime scene, or the found bones are those of an animal, which could be the remnants of a family pet, wild animal, or farm livestock.

Knowing the differences between the two bone types (animal and human) could mean a significant saving in costs and/or wasted time of valuable resources if the bones are of bovine origin, for example. If the remains are likely human then it’s time to initiate a full-blown criminal investigation with all the bells and whistles.

So, what do cops and other people with little or no training do when they need to quickly determine if bones are human or animal?

Well, they could turn to OsteoID, a new tool designed to help identify the type of skeletal remains.

Designed by Dr. Heather Garvin and her group from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center, OsteoID is an easy-to-use online tool in which anyone can use simple measurements and morphological information to determine whether a particular bone is human. If not, OsteoID points the user to which animal species it belongs. It’s that simple, and best of all it’s free! Even better, it’s available to everyone, including authors who want and need this sort of detail in their next mystery or thriller.

Here’s how it works.

Users first view a series of high-quality photos to help determine the identity of the bone(s) in question (humerus, tibia, femur, etc.). Once identified, the user is prompted to enter basic measurements—bone length, etc.). The program then returns detailed photos and, when available, 3D surface models/images, of the potential species to allow for comparison.

The list of species included in the system includes (from the OsteoID website):

Mammals: Humans, Black Bear, Brown Bear, Cow, Elk, Moose, White-Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Pig, Horse, Sheep, Goat, Coyote, Wolf, Domestic Dog, Domestic Cat, Grey Fox, Red Fox, Racoon, Opossum, Rabbit

Birds: Golden Eagle, Goose, Chicken, Duck, Turkey

Turtles: Box Turtle, Snapping Turtle

For more, please click here to visit the OsteoID website.

In 2012 Dr. Elizabeth Murray was a featured presenter at the Writers’ Police Academy. Her session included a discussion about skeletal remains and the tools associated with identification. She also provided information about NamUs (the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System) and some of its success stories. Since 1986, Dr. Murray has been involved in forensic and historic skeletal investigations worldwide.

In addition to working as a forensic anthropologist and professor of biology at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio (now retired), Dr. Murray is also the author of the books The Dozier School for Boys: Forensics, Survivors, and a Painful Past Death, and Corpses, Cadavers, and Other Grave Matters, a fascinating, enlightening nonfiction book for YA readers about the science of death. As an expert, Dr. Murray has also appeared on local and national television and in numerous documentary programs, such as Forensic Files and Skeleton Stories, and she’s featured in productions such as New Dominion Pictures’ series Buried Secrets.

To read about how Dr. Elizabeth Murray helped solve a complex murder case using core samples from a human skull, click here.

Dr. Kathy Reichs was a featured presenter at the 2013 Writers’ Police Academy. Her talk focused on how she transforms her real-life forensic experiences into fiction, in the form of books and the TV show Bones. Bones, of course, is based on Dr. Reichs’ career and her bestselling books of the same name, featuring protagonist Temperance Brennan. She was an executive producer of the show.

The following is from Dr. Reichs’ website:

“For years she consulted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and to the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec. Dr. Reichs has traveled to Rwanda to testify at the UN Tribunal on Genocide, and helped exhume a mass grave in Guatemala. As part of her work at JPAC (Formerly CILHI) she aided in the identification of war dead from World War II, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Dr. Reichs also assisted in the recovery of remains at the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”

It’s ALMOST TIME!

2024 Killer Con registration opens in January 2024.

Be ready to sign up because this is a KILLER event that’s not to be missed!

Visit a homicide scene and solve the case using tactics, tools, and techniques learned throughout the event.

2024 Killer Con Guest of Honor is internally bestselling author Charlaine Harris.

Click the link below to visit the Killer Con (Writers’ Police Academy) website to view the schedule of events, classes, instructors, and special guest presenters.

2024 Killer Con

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Revolver v. Pistol: Do Your Characters Know the Difference?

Fictional characters aren’t always as savvy as they’d like us to believe. They’re not human. They make mistakes. And some of those errors, especially those made by characters in crime fiction, involve guns. For example, I’ve known a handful of make-believe cops and criminals who didn’t know the difference between smokeless powder and cordite, and that cordite use in ammunition ceased at the end of WWII.

And there’s this, the differences between revolvers and pistols.

Pistol

The term “Pistol” means a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having:

  • a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s);
  • and a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).

Pistol nomenclature (below).

 

Revolver

The term “Revolver” means a projectile weapon of the pistol type, having a breechloading chambered cylinder so arranged that the cocking of the hammer or movement of the trigger rotates it and brings the next cartridge in line with the barrel for firing.

Revolver nomenclature (below).

 

Semi-autos and fully automatic (machine guns) automatically eject spent cartridges. Revolvers DO NOT. Therefore, writers, chances are slim and mostly none of finding empty revolver cartridges at a crime scene. Please remember this when writing the “aha” moment in your WIP.

Fun Stuff

Can you spot the errors in the text below? Hint – there are more than five, and each is something I’ve read in a book or manuscript.

Mr. Heeza Dilly, a former police captain, was a fire arms instructor back in the day. His specialty was handguns and he taught recruits how to shoot them safely and efficiently. He also showed them how to properly fit revolvers with silencers, and how to avoid being hit with hot brass at it’s automatically ejected from the chamber of a revolver.

Of course, he made it a point to highlight the importance of always keeping safeties switched to the ON position on both Glock and SIG Sauer semi-automatic pistols. After all, all cops are always trained to carry weapons with the safeties on, and without a round in the chamber. These rules are no-brainers according to Dilly, because they 100% prevent the accidental discharge of the officer’s fire arm.

Other tips shared by Dilly were:

  • Always surrender your weapon to a bad guy if he demands that you do so while aiming his gun at you or a hostage.
  • Never use two hands when firing a handgun, because you need a free hand to: operate your portable radio to call for backup, gesture to a suspect and/or fellow officers, stop traffic, or hold handcuffs in preparation of the arrest.
  • When working in plainclothes, always store your handgun tucked inside your belt and pants at the small of your back.
  • Keep in mind that all revolver cylinders rotate clockwise, never counterclockwise.
  • It’s quite easy to tell the caliber of bullet used in a homicide merely by looking at the size of an entrance or exit wound.
  • A semi-automatic weapon, such as a Glock 9mm pistol or AR-15 rifle, fires only once per pull of the trigger (only one round fired each time the trigger is pulled).
  • Machine guns (mega-expensive, fully-automatic weapons that require special, federally mandated licenses to own) fire multiple rounds with a single, continuous pull of the trigger. As long as the trigger remains depressed, a fully automatic weapon will continue to fire until ammunition is depleted.

May you legally own a machine gun (a fully-automatic weapon)? Click here to find out.

*The above pistol and revolver graphics, nomenclature, and accompanying text are from ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives). Thanks to the folks at ATF for allowing the reproduction and use.

The information in the article above is factual. It’s up to writers to incorporate it into fiction as they see fit, if at all. Keep in mind that, while factually incorrect, many people refer to all handguns as pistols. Therefore, when writing dialog your characters should say things and use terminology readers expect to hear/read. Of course, if the character is a firearms expert …

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Investigator G. Nome’s Fabulous Guide to Developing Fingerprints

Confused as to which fingerprinting medium is right for the task at hand? Well, Investigator G. Nome has assembled the ultimate guide for the heroes of your tall tales, and he recommends keeping it within easy reach.

Heroes such as Harry Bosch, Jack Reacher, D.D. Warren, Will Trent, or any of their peers, will never again fret over such details.Actually, the creators of those characters—Michael Connelly, Lisa Gardner, Lee Child, and Karin Slaughter—attended training classes at the Writers’ Police Academy to help their protagonists enhance their crime-solving abilities.

The icing on the cake is that many fingerprinting classes at the Writers’ Police Academy are taught by the pros from Sirchie (formerly Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories). Sirchie manufactures fingerprinting powders, lifters, and a wide range of evidence testing and collection equipment and, well, the list of Sirchie’s products is practically endless. Other printing sessions are taught by CSI experts.

The Writers’ Police Academy and Sirchie partnered to present the unique event, MurderCon.

Anyway, here’s the scoop on processing prints.

Investigator G. Nome’s Guide to Developing Fingerprints

Before attempting to lift a print from any surface, the savvy investigator will first determine the type of surface to be printed. In addition to surface type and texture (porous, nonporous, etc.), other factors must be considered, such as the presence of foreign matters—dust, dirt, perspiration, blood, oils, grease, and moisture, to name a few.

Lighting is important, including the use of alternate light sources and lasers. The latter two can cause the perspiration and oils in found in some prints to fluoresce, making them easy to see without further developing.

Once investigators have determined the surface type and whether obstacles exist (foreign matter) it’s time to select the proper method and materials needed to properly develop the desired prints(s).

Surface Types

As always, the first order of business is to try and see the prints using only the naked eye. Sometimes they’re quite obvious.

Porous Surfaces – first attempt the naked eye approach. If no prints are obvious, then try fluorescence by laser or alternate light source. If that doesn’t quite work, then it’s time to bring out the big guns, such as…

1. Iodine fuming

2. Ninhydrin

3. DFO (1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one)

To learn about Iodine fuming and Ninhydrin, please click here to read my article “Ninhydrin and Iodine Fuming.

Non-Porous Surfaces – again, try the naked eye. If no prints are obvious, then try fluorescence by laser or alternate light source. If those steps do not produce results, then use the following to develop invisible prints.

1. Cyanoacrylate fuming (SuperGlue)

2. Cyanoacrylate dye

3. Vacuum metal deposition (VMD)

4. Powder

To learn about developing prints using SuoerGlue, please click here to read my article “Cyanocrylate Fuming – Fingerprinting with Superglue”

Still not satisfied with your options? Okay, let’s call in the specialists …

Bloodstained Specimens—Porous Surfaces

1. DFO (1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one)

2. Ninhydrin

3. Powder – amido black

Bloodstained Specimens—Nonporous Surfaces

1. leucocrystal violet (LCV) or amido black

2. Cyanoacrylate fuming (SuperGlue)

3. Cyanoacrylate dye

4. Vacuum metal deposition (VMD)

 Cardboard

1. DFO (1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one)

2. Ninhydrin

3. Silver Nitrate

Rubber Gloves—Semiporous

1. Iodine spray reagent

2. Cyanoacrylate fuming

3. Laser or alternate light source

4. Magnetic powder

5. Cyanoacrylate dye

6. Laser or alternate light source

7. Ninhydrin

Tape—Non-adhesive Side

1. Cyanoacrylate fuming

2. Cyanoacrylate dye

3. Vacuum metal deposition (VMD)

4. Powder

Tape—Adhesive Side

1. Sticky-side powder

2. Alternate black powder

3. Ash gray powder

4. Gentian violet

Dark-colored adhesive side of tape

1. Ash gray powder

2. Liqui-Drox

3. Gentian violet

* Should the investigator decide to use Cyanoacrylate fuming, it must be done on the nonadhesive side of tape first, then both sides can be processed with Liqui-Drox.

Photographs—Emulsion Side

1. Iodine spray reagent

2. Cyanoacrylate fuming

3. Cyanoacrylate dye

4. Vacuum metal deposition (VMD)

5. Powder

Photographs—Paper Side—Semiporous

1. Cyanoacrylate fuming

2. Magnetic powder

3. DFO (1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one)

4. Ninhydrin

5. Cyanoacrylate dye

Powder and Other Developer Uses

1. Alternate Black – sticky sides of labels and other tapes.

2. Gentian Violet – adhesive side of various tapes.

3. Sticky-side powder – Duh… This one’s for use on sticky sides of tape.

4. Amido Black (methanol or water based) – prints pressed into bloody surfaces. *water based includes a blood fixative.

5. Cyanoacrylate fuming (SuperGlue) – nonporous surfaces.

6. Cyanoacrylate Florescent Dye – used to enhance prints on non-porous surfaces. Best viewed using alternate light sources.

7. DAB (Diaminobenzidine) – developing prints found in blood. Also useful in this situation are Coomassie Brilliant Blue and Crowle’s Double Stain.

8. DFO (1,8-Diazafluoren-9-One) – porous surfaces; reacts with amino acids in perspiration

*Heating a fingerprint to 40 degrees Celcius forces amino acids to separate from a fingerprint. Add a special chemical to the sample and, with a 99% accuracy, the concentration indicates if the fingerprint belongs to either a male or female. Why? Because females have a different concentration of amino acids than males.

9. Iodine Fuming – porous surfaces containing grease or oils; turns yellowish color/stain

10. Ninhydrin – another product used on porous surfaces. Reacts with amino acids in perspiration.

11. Physical Developer – works on both porous and non-porous surfaces and is especially effective on paper currency.

12. Silver Nitrate – porous surfaces, especially paper. Stains caused by presence of Silver Nitrate cannot be removed. Also, prints developed by Silver Nitrate will totally disappear within a few hours, therefore it is imperative to photograph the prints as soon as they’re visible.

13. Sudan Black – a dye that stains sebaceous perspiration on surfaces contaminated by food items of greasy and oily varieties.

14. Vacuum Metal Deposition – non-porous or semi-porous, such as photographs and magazine pages. Use of VMD causes printed material to become extremely fragile.

15. Liqui-Drox – a fluorescent dye used to develop prints on the adhesive and non-adhesive sides of dark-colored tape.

16. MBD (Fluorescent Dye) – used on various colored surfaces.

17. Safranin O (a florescent dye) – used to enhance prints developed by Cyanoacrylate fuming (SuperGlue). Thenoyl Europium Chelate (Fluorescent Dye) is used to stain those prints. This dye can only be viewed under UV light.

More Graveyard Shift Articles about Fingerprinting

EYE OF NEWT AND TOE OF FROG … AND FINGERPRINTING, FROM A-D 

FINGERPRINTING: “E” BEFORE “I” IN THIS HANDY GUIDE

FINGERPRINTING: A JOURNEY FROM J-N

FINGERPRINTING: A JOURNEY FROM O-R

There’s still time to sign up for the 2022 Writers’ Police Academy. Please tell your friends, family, fellow writers. And please share the information to your social media. Thanks!

 

June 2-5, 2022

Location –  NWTC Public Safety Training Academy

Green Bay. Wi

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

 

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An Aluminum Shampoo and a Shocking Experience … OUCH!

Times sure are a-changin’. Why, I remember the days when we cops carried only our sidearms, handcuffs, a portable radio that only worked when you were near civilization, and a leather SAP or blackjack to help fight off people who wanted to do us harm.

Back “in the day” officers didn’t have the luxury of fancy equipment. There were no Tasers. No pepper spray. No barriers between front and rear seats in patrol cars. No bullet-resistant Kevlar vests. No semi-automatic firearms. No rubber bullets. No bean bags. Instead, we relied on fast talking and sheer muscle power to get out of jams.

An Aluminum Shampoo. OUCH!

Sometimes, since we often worked alone patrolling an entire county, the only thing that kept us from getting hurt, badly, was using a flashlight to deliver a gentle “love tap” to an attacker’s thick skull (an aluminum shampoo). Of course, that’s no longer an option due to laws and/or department policies, but the tactic saved my butt more than once. Hey, you do what you have to do to survive, right?

Rechargeable flashlight mounted inside patrol car

However, things, tactics, and equipment evolved. Cops soon found that a ton of new tools were available to help defend themselves and to assist with making safe arrests.

We were giddy when we first received chemical sprays that actually stopped most people in their tracks. Cool! That meant less use of brute strength to gain control of combative suspects. The availability of those sprays also meant we could then bring someone into compliance without the use of striking instruments/impact weapons (blackjacks, batons, etc.). Less injuries for everyone involved—bad guys, cops, and bystanders.

They Gave Us TASERS!

A TASER delivers an electrical charge that disrupts muscle function. The devices are carried on the officer’s non-gun side, and they’re often marked with bright colors. The purpose of these two important details is to prevent officers from confusing the non-lethal TASER with their definitely lethal handgun.

Stun Cuffs

These specially designed handcuffs are capable of delivering an electrical charge to the wearer. They’re are often used when transporting prisoners, especially potentially dangerous or high-risk inmates.

Stun belts are also available, especially for use in prisons. Prison guards/corrections officers (CO’s) train with the belts and are often called on to demonstrate its effects. Officers refer to the experience as “riding the belt.”

An Ohio sheriff’s deputy left the courtroom for a bathroom break. A few moments later the man in his custody, who wore a stun belt, was hit with a series of electric shocks because the officer accidentally dropped the remote control for the stun belt into the toilet. When drying the controller, the action activated the belt which repeatedly zapped the subject with electrical charges. The judge declared a mistrial. The “shocked” prisoner was cleared medically and suffered no permanent harm.

The Gentle Grasp of the Behemoth’s Skillet-Size Hands – A True Story

Once, while arresting a very unruly man, a guy who just happened to be twice my size (and I’m not small), my future prisoner decided he was allergic to handcuffs. And, during a brief struggle to free himself from the source of his allergies, my neck somehow wound up in the gentle grasp of the behemoth’s skillet-size hands. In other words, he was choking me with every ounce of strength he could muster up. I couldn’t breathe and I knew then how it must feel to be icing inside a pastry bag, because he was squeezing so hard that I thought my eyes would pop out of their sockets at any moment.

The thug had me pinned against a wall in a position that made going for my gun (a .357 in those days) impossible. However, I finally managed to get a hand on my metal Maglite. So I starting swinging (short strokes because of the odd angle), hoping to force the guy to release his grip. Finally, after a few hard whacks to his head he let go. And, as they say, it was game on!

Smith and Wesson Model 19 (.357)

I finally got that big moose handcuffed and delivered him to the jail. But, my car was not equipped with a cage to put him in for safekeeping (none of our cars had cages back then), so I made him ride up front with me. And I made a point to let him know that my gun was in my hand with my finger on the trigger and if he so much as looked at me wrong I’d shoot him.

I was physically and mentally drained. My body was running on instinct and adrenaline. I was glad that he did choose to sit quietly because I truly didn’t feel like cleaning up the mess in my patrol car after unloading my six-shooter into the mass of muscle sitting in the passenger seat. But I was serious and he knew it, so he behaved nicely on the ride in. He didn’t like it, but the idea of me using a half-dozen lead pellets to aerate his body must not have appealed to him.

Aluminum and Plexiglass divider, a luxury our sheriff did not believe was necessary. He thought that we should should be strong enough and tough enough to manhandle our way out of every situation. He was definitely a bit caveman-ish in his way of thinking, and also believed that female deputies shouldn’t carry guns and that their place was in the office answering the phone and working the radio.

We must have been a real sight when we arrived at the jail—clothes torn, badge ripped from my shirt, bloody lips, flashlight-shaped knots on his head, fingerprint-shaped bruises on my neck, and more. But that was how it was back then, in the good ‘ol days …

Blackjacks and SAPs

The term SAP evolved from (per Wikipedia): A late 19th century type is a wooden shaft about one foot long, with a leather- or macrame-covered lead ball as the head. This weapon is referred to by some sources as a “sap” (derived from “sapling” due to its wood handle). Of course today’s SAPS and blackjacks are a bit different (see video below).

It’s rare to see an officer carrying a SAP/blackjack these days. In fact, many departments banned their use because they’re capable of breaking bone and other damage/injury. Back in the day, though, SAPs were widely carried by officers, and even our uniform pants had “SAP pockets” designed to holding the beavertail-shaped weapons.

There are various types of SAPs, slapjacks, and black jacks. In each, the ends are filled with lead or other hard items. If lead is used it’s often either …

  1. Lead powder
  2. Lead shot (similar to buckshot)
  3. Lead clay, molded to the shape of the SAP

There are different types and styles of Blackjacks/Saps/Slapjacks. They are …

  1. Round body with a flat or coiled spring in the handle. The spring provides a whip action that delivers a more forceful blow than other types. 
  2. Flat body with a flat or coiled spring in the handle.
  3. Round body without spring in handle.
  4. Flat body without spring in the handle (SAP). 
  5. Sap Gloves (lead is fitted into the palm area).
  6. Palm Saps – same as above, but this one is a handheld object. Sort of like striking someone with a rock.

Each of the above are small enough to fit into an officer’s back pocket.

When departments began banning the use of SAPs and blackjacks, officers soon discovered that metal flashlights (Maglites, for example) were a fantastic substitute. But, the use of flashlights as a defensive impact weapon was not taught in police academies, so they, too, were banned as official weapons.

Impact Weapons

Here’s a video showing and describing various types of blackjacks/impact weapons.

MURDERCON 2021

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

2021 MurderCon takes writers behind the scenes, into places not typically traveled by anyone other than law enforcement and forensics experts.

I urge you to take advantage of this rare opportunity. It may not pass your way again.

MurderCon is a “killer” event!

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

Seats at this unique event for writers are LIMITED!

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They’re NOT Tanks!

“Why, oh why, do cops need tanks?”

“I don’t want cops to have military equipment. A tank? They don’t NEED a tank!”

“It’s ridiculous. No police department should have a tank.”

“Tank, tank, tank, tank … yada, yada, yada …”

Well, believe it or not police actually agree with those comments. Because they don’t need tanks nor do they have a desire for them.

“That’s a lie. We see those big ole tanks sitting in their motor pools. And for goodness sake, I saw on the news where they parked a couple of them at the perimeter of the riot protest in our town. They want tanks and they’ve got them. THEY DO NOT NEED TANKS!”

Okay, let’s put this tank business, like the use of cordite in modern ammunition, to rest. Here goes, so hold on to your hats because this may shock some of you … POLICE DEPARTMENTS DO NOT HAVE TANKS as part of their fleet of vehicles. More on this in a moment, though.

First, I’d like to tell you a brief and very true story about Robert C. Bayliss, a man who lived in a home nestled within his 18-acre property in Richland County, Wisconsin.

Robert C. Bayliss

Bayliss had not paid taxes on the property for approximately eight years. Therefore, eviction proceedings were underway. Richland County deputies attempted to serve the eviction notice (civil process) to Bayliss several times over a period of three months, but they had not been able to contact the man. So, on the afternoon of March 31, 2008, Richland County Sheriff Darrel Berglin’s deputies warily made their way to Bayliss’s home. It was time to force the eviction and, like all similar situations, one never knows what to expect. But all deputies are aware that evictions, like domestic disputes, can be extremely dangerous.

As the deputies approached, they were suddenly attacked by gunfire from someone using a high-powered rifle. The law enforcement officers immediately called for backup, and in the blink of an eye, what could’ve been a simple eviction service transformed into a highly volatile standoff with Bayliss refusing to negotiate.

Sheriff Berglin decided to send a special response team to the residence, hoping to take Bayliss into custody. But he couldn’t take the chance of Bayliss wounding or killing a deputy so he had them utilize the department’s Bear Cat (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter-Attack Truck).

A Bear Cat is NOT a tank.

Bear Cats are nothing more than large armor-plated four-wheel-drive trucks that are primarily used for rescue operations and for the safety of officers. These vehicles provide armor protection from incoming gunfire up to .50 caliber rounds.

They’re designed with high ground clearance that allows the vehicle to travel in rugged terrain for off-road rescues. They have a large open floor plan that accommodates ten officers as well as space to transport the injured, wounded, and others. Again, a Bear Cat is nothing more than a bulletproof four-wheel-drive truck that prevents law enforcement officers from being wounded or killed by incoming gunfire.

As an added benefit for citizens, the rolling metal boxes/vehicles are well-suited for rescuing lost persons, people stranded by floods and heavy snow. In fact, in 2011, police officers used a Bear Cat to rescue 108 motorists who were stranded by a snowstorm. In Bakersfield, California, officers used a Bear Cat to rescue sixty residents of a neighborhood while a man fired random shots throughout the area, including rounds fired at the Bear Cat as it made its way to and from various homes during the rescue operation. The gunfire was unable to penetrate the Bear Cat’s armor-plating.

Bear Cats and their larger cousins, MRAPS, are not equipped with firepower of any kind. As I stated above, they’re nothing more than rolling metal boxes designed to stop bullets.

MRAPs have a V-shaped hull, a raised chassis and armored plating. They’re capable of withstanding blasts from explosive devices. Their glass is bulletproof and tires are run-flat, meaning that when hit by gunfire the vehicle is still operable.

There’s absolutely nothing scary about either these vehicles. They are not equipped with firepower of any type.

In fact, a couple of years ago, at the Writers’ Police Academy, attendees had a ball climbing in and out of both Bear Cats and MRAPS, and taking time to pose for fun photos and selfies.

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) is a larger armor-plated vehicle. (Writers’ Police Academy photos)

Bear Cat rear interior – Nothing there but seating and storage. No weaponry of any type. It is NOT a tank!

On the other hand, an actual tank, such as the M1 Abrams, may be equipped with a 120mm XM256 Smooth Bore Cannon, a 7.62 M240 coaxial Machine gun, and a .50 cal. M2 Machine gun.

Tanks, such as the the two pictured below, are far more than rolling bulletproof boxes. Instead, they’re designed for fighting by providing overwhelming firepower aimed at an enemy. Law enforcement agencies do not posses tanks.

M1-Abrams tank

Police, by the way, do not have enemies. They arrest criminals and protect life and property.

But let’s return to Bayliss and his eviction for not paying his taxes.

The sheriff and his team, which by this time consisted of personnel from at least four additional agencies, decided to send three Bear Cats, in formation, to the house. As they approached, Bayliss opened fire, moving from window to window to send a barrage of bullets toward the vehicles. The Bear Cats stopped each round, just as they’re designed to do.

Police snipers returned fire at the home, but Bayliss had previously fortified the place with steel plating, which stopped rounds fired by officers. Refusing to give up, Bayliss began to toss homemade explosives at the vehicles.

Suddenly, flames were seen inside the home and soon Bayliss exited through a window, climbing down a ladder. One his side, though, was a holstered pistol. Not taking any chances, police fired less-than-lethal rounds which struck Bayliss in the thigh. He then dropped the weapon and surrendered.

The point of telling this true tale is to make the point that those scary, former surplus military vehicles are absolutely NOT tanks, not even close, and that they’re used to save lives, not take them.

The History

Now for the history of how and why police receive surplus military equipment.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 1990, section 1208, started the ball rolling by authorizing the transfer of surplus military equipment from the Department of Defense to federal and state agencies for use in counter-drug operations. The program was run by the Department of Defense from the Pentagon and its regional offices.

The Law Enforcement Support Office was set up to work with law enforcement.

The National Defense Authorization Act, the 1208 program, expanded to a newer 1033 program which allowed “all law enforcement agencies to acquire property for bona fide law enforcement purposes that assist in their arrest and apprehension mission.” Preference for the equipment was given to counter-drug and counter-terrorism requests and operations. On September 23, 1996, it was President Bill Clinton who signed it into law.

As the liaison for my department with the DOD, I personally acquired a wide array of surplus military equipment, such as clothing, boots, helmets, cameras and film, office equipment, night vision devices, various tools, generators, lighting, and much more. It’s a great budget-saving program that helped agencies obtain tools of the trade they may not otherwise be able to afford. Why not use the equipment? The stuff was simply gathering dust in huge DOD warehouses and on dirt lots where rows of vehicles sat … and sat … and sat. The military was done with the stuff.

The armored vehicles, the MRAPs and Bear Cats, save lives. Think about that for a moment, with an open mind, and please let it sink in that instead of responding to a call in a typical patrol car, where a violent subject, such as Robert C. Bayliss is armed with high-powered rifles, hand guns, and explosive devices, officers could approach the scene safely and securely in an big armored box on wheels.

By the way, Robert Bayliss had more than ninety (90) firearms in his residence. He fired more than two-hundred rounds from a single 300 Winchester Magnum rifle. He threw approximately three dozen explosive grenades at the officers.

Patrol cars are not armored. Their window glasses and windshields are not bulletproof. Their tires deflate when struck by gunfire. An officer’s vest will not stop rounds from high-powered rifles. They have no protection from gunfire for their heads, necks, arms, legs, groins or buttocks.

Isn’t someone’s life worth a law enforcement agency’s ability to utilize an oversized, armor-plated four-wheel-drive truck during emergency situations? After all, that’s all they are … big trucks. However, their occupants are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and grandchildren.

No, those vehicles are not tanks. Perhaps if they were painted a nice shade of pink or lavender …

 

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