Calibre Press

You confront a suspect you’ve been told may be armed. No weapon is visible, but his hands are hidden in his pockets. You have no cover, no concealment. If he suddenly whips a hand out, he may be gripping a gun…a benign object…or nothing at all. How you react to that pressurized uncertainty —and whether your split-second decision proves to be righteous or a tragic misjudgment—may depend on how you’ve positioned your own firearm in a... Full Article »

For the first time, a recent study reports “highly anticipated evidence” about how body-worn cameras (BWCs) are affecting federal litigation that alleges the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. A second recent study reveals how these increasingly prolific devices influence violator satisfaction and impressions of police “legitimacy” on traffic stops. Some results from the two studies are surprising. • In court, ... Full Article »

New research has revealed specific differences in how “expert” officers think compared to novices in dealing with contentious confrontations—and these findings may help trainers more rapidly educate recruits to make better use-of-force decisions. The research—limited but revealing—was led by Dr. Laura Mangels, a sociologist at the University of California-Berkeley. Her team found that experienced cops were far better at identifying �... Full Article »

Facing the many challenges of police work, some officers survive and thrive while others crash and burn under the stress and pressures of the job. The difference seems to lie in their respective capacities for resilience—the quality that enables you to solve whatever problems are thrown your way, recover quickly from setbacks, and keep your life moving forward on generally positive terms. “To some unknown degree, your capacity for resilien... Full Article »

Also: Truths & Myths of CEWs  -- New Court Decision on Handcuffing Injured Subjects Earlier this year a federal district court in Indiana offered some important reminders about the usually mundane procedure of handcuffing a subject In this case, two officers and their municipality were denied a favorable summary judgment on charges of excessive force and battery because of the way one officer handcuffed an injured subject and because th... Full Article »

Once you’ve defended your life on the street, how do you now defend yourself in civil court—and win the lawsuit that customarily follows an officer-involved shooting? We put that question recently to veteran attorney Scott Wood, a former cop who’s spent the last quarter-century representing officers and agencies against accusations of excessive force and other alleged wrongdoings. He identified seven critical issues you and your attor... Full Article »

Often officers have only split seconds to make decisions in armed confrontations. But a federal appellate court has sent an important reminder: When you do have time, use it wisely. How a California officer spent his “discretionary time” in handling a subject said to be wielding a knife was the pivotal consideration earlier this year when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied that officer a favorable summary judgment in a shooting case w... Full Article »

Looking back over a 20-year police career that came close to claiming his life, Anthony Espada recalls a moment in his academy training that puzzled him at the time. “Half of you are here because you want to do good,” the department’s psychologist told his class. “Half of you are here just for the badge and the gun and the paycheck. “All of you will never be the same again because of this job.” “It was like a slap in the fa... Full Article »

Training note: An entire course on this subject, personally conducted by Sgt. Jeffrey Kleinsmith (ret.), is now available for departmental rental! CLICK HERE for details. is now avaikMost officers who get shot are caught by surprise – but does that have to be? If you know how to read subtle cues that indicate concealed carry, you may be able to anticipate that you’re dealing with an armed subject and gain a preventive edge of timing and posi... Full Article »

Court ponders how far is close enough to be an “immediate” threat Is it reasonable for officers to shoot an on-rushing knife-wielder at an estimated distance of 55 feet…or does the so-called “21-foot Rule” suggest that a would-be attacker that far away does not yet pose an immediate threat justifying deadly force? That question is the core issue in a case of alleged excessive force brought before the US Court of Appeals in the nat... Full Article »

From The Calibre Report published by Calibre Press. To subscribe, please e-mail: editor@calibrepress.com Civilians tend to judge an officer’s actions more leniently when they see a body cam recording of an incident than when they watch the same event on dash cam footage, according to a Northwestern U. research team. Because of the weight the public gives to video evidence in assessing police “accountability” these days, this finding co... Full Article »

In this edition: I. Latest findings about cops & the mentally ill II. Free resources on arrest-related deaths from non-firearm causes I. Voices from the front lines: Latest findings about cops & the mentally ill An officer in Tennessee was interviewing the bed-bound complainant on a disturbance call when this horror story suddenly erupted: With a chilling cry, a male who was long off his meds for schizophrenia charged in from another... Full Article »