TAP-RACK Tactical

Last week I touched on leadership as it pertains to standards and the importance of maintaining them. When it comes to firearms, I would say that SWAT guys generally run their weapons better than the rank & file officers of the department. However, I sometimes see teams that are wrapped around the axle when it comes to a score and/or scoring rings.

As I write through this, bear in mind that this is meant to be a conversation, not a lecture from on high, so please don't beat me up for poor grammar or the order in which it comes out.

Qualification courses. Invariably when guys start talking about weapon proficiency they will attempt to quatify skill based on a score. If I told you I always shoot 100% with handgun and rifle, how impressive is that? Well it depends on what that 100% is. If the course of fire is a single round @ 3 feet in 10 minutes, shooting a 4'X8' piece of plywood, that ain't so impressive.

I am a proponent of a scored qualification with set time frames for different drills. I believe that this allows me to evaluate potential training needs. However the qualification course should be changed frequently (You decide) so that training isn't geared to the course. If guys are only training to pass or max the course, are they really pushing themselves to get better?

As an example, take your current qualification course and without telling anyone, mix up the stages of fire. Same course, but make the last thing they normally shoot be the first, the stuff in the middle goes to the end, etc. Tell your shooters that you have developed a new course that you want make the qualification course. Tell them it's alot harder. Have them shoot it and then solicit feedback. My guess, and indeed my experience doing this, is that the shooters will tell you it's more difficult and in fact their scores will be lower than normal.

My opinion is that officers who have shot the same course of fire over & over have been trained to pass a course. When the circumstances are different or unexpected, their true proficiency will come out. I watch officers perform Tap-Rack and reload drills like champs when they know it's coming, how do they perform when they get the unexpected malfunction. How fast are they on a speed reload when they know it's coming versus when they don't? The qual. course is a measure, but it should not be the standard.

This requires more work and effort on the part of the instructor, but hell, peoples lives are the only thing at stake. Maybe a little extra work on your part is the least you can do. When I teach my rifle instructor course, I have the guys shoot a qualification course. I generally do not tell them what their score was. The course is a measure for me to determine if they are performing at a minimal level. I run them through a bunch of timed drills and stress drills that are designed to take them out of their comfort zone. These drills will make you shoot faster and operate the gun faster than most guys have done in the past. The point is to make them push themselves to the extreme. Once that is known, they can slow down and make better hits. Once the hits are better it is time to push again. This is a never ending cycle because EVERYONE should be pushing themselves to get better, not meet a predetermined MINIMUM standard.

Instructors have the responsibility to prepare students for combat, I have yet to see or hear about an officer involved shooting that mimicked a range qualification. The ultimate qualification will come from a trained sociopath, are you and/or your students ready?

As always, feel free to e-mail me with your comments and questions. Be good, to be safe.

I recently went through a period of nostalgia while running through one of the local parks. My mind wanders while I am running, in this case I started thinking about how fortunate I have been in my life to be exposed to some outstanding leaders.

As luck would have it, one of those individuals got in touch with me via e-mail. He was a platoon leader in my troop when I was stationed in Germany. Fox Troop, 2/2 ACR. He, among others in that unit, gave me my first glimpse of outstanding leadership.

There is no doubt that the individuals played a big part in the culture of excellence that was ingrained in that unit. I think another factor was that at that time we had a real world mission, protecting the West German border from invasion. The Cold War was very real and that ever present threat kept us to task. Last but not least, was the implementation and adherence to standards within the unit.

SWAT units usually have higher standards for weapons and possibly PT. However there are some teams that do not require PT at all, and the weapons qualification is the same as patrol officers. In some cases a higher percentage of score is required on the weapon qualifications.

On the topic of PT, there is so much information out there about the benefits of a good physical conditioning I won't go into it here. However I think it's important to say that a PT standard MUST be in place for SWAT team members. It should be a standard that provides some challenge so that officers have to PT in order to meet the standard. Stress management, lack of sleep, heavy gear and so forth are all directly related to the SWAT officers job. Physical fitness is key to your longevity and survival, both in life and on the team.

Weapons qualification is another area where I often see issues. The course of fire is too simple, it is not mission related or it does not incorporate specific skill sets that may critical to winning the gunfight. There is a tendency in LE to have the qualification course drive training. With that in mind, develop your courses of fire so that the training required to pass it is areas that directly relate to the fight.

At the end of all this, remember that it is personal discipline that allows us to succeed. If you are a team leader, then lead by example. You should be far exceeding the standards established by the team. If you are a senior tema member or the newest guy, establish your own personal training regimen so that you are ready and able to finish the fight.

Bear in mind that whatever the established standard is, simply passing means that you have me the MINIMUM standard. Nobody wants to be a minimum man, so push yourself and your teammates to excel.

As a profession we are generally in agreement when we discuss this in the team van, to that end, no excuses will be tolerated in these areas. Do what needs to be done.

I'll leave this with a quote and a comment that I will be trying to leave some thoughts on the Blog at least once a week. If you have questions or comments, shoot me an e-mail and I may discuss the issue here.

The year is coming to an end and it has been busy. I currently have openings in December for a course. In 2010 I might have time available in Feb. and then April. I am wroking with a couple of agencies now that want to host courses during those months, but we haven't settled on dates.

I am teaching a closed course in Kodiak, AK in January and a Hostage Rescue and Breaching course in Spokane in March , 2010. If you're interested in either of the Spokane courses, click the contact button on the homepage and send me an e-mail or call.

I am looking for host agencies for other open courses, if you want free tuition for your men, get in touch with me. As always closed courses can be modified to suit your team needs. I can provide a full resume' and contacts by request.

Be good to be safe.

It has been a while since I updated the blog, I really suck at doing this despite trying to make it a priority.

I am scheduled to teach a Basic SWAT course in Wallowa County, OR September 21-25. There is still space in this course if anyone is interested in attending. You can shoot me an e-mail and I'll get more info. to you.

I am also doing a few closed courses but I have room on my calendar before the end of this year. If you want to host training, reach out and we can work out the details.

I have a couple classes in the works for 2010, but the only solid classes are a 3-day Hostage Rescue and a 2-day breaching course hosted by the Spokane County Sheriffs Office. They have great training facilities and both courses should be great.

I am taking the month of January off to re-write some classes and in general get myself squared away for the coming year. I have several classes already scheduled for the year and the following are open courses. If you are interested in attending, get in touch with me and I can ensure you are registered. I am now requiring payment no later than the first day of class. I have had trouble getting paid by some agencies and this creates extra work that I simply don't have time for. Most of the classes are announced well in adavance so please do your best to get registered early. I understand how the government works so if this jams you up in any way, please reach out and we can work out the details. Thanks.

Feb -  Close Course

October ? (This is a change, dates are TBA), 2009 Mechanical and Shotgun Breaching, Hosted by Spokane County WA. Sheriffs Office.

October ? (This is a change, dates are TBA), 2009 Hostage Rescue, Hosted by Spokane County WA. Sheriffs Office.

April 20-24, 2009 Rifle / Subgun Instructor, Hosted by the Oak Harbor, WA Police Department.

May ?, 2009 Mechanical/Shotgun Breaching, Hosted by Walla-Walla PD, WA.

June 22-26, 2009 Basic SWAT School, Hosted by the Orofino, ID. Police Department.

July 13-17, 2009 Team Leader and Breaching class, Deschutes County, OR. (Dates for each are TBA)

August, 2009 Basic SWAT school, Hosted by Woodburn, OR police department.

I have several short closed courses as well but still have room in the first half of the year. If you would like to host a course get in touch with me ASAP since there are several other courses that are in the works. If you want to ensure dates for a class, get in touch with me early before the calendar is full.

I am looking forward to seeing some of you again and meeting new guys throughout the year. Thanks for your interest in our training.

I have not been very diligent about posting to the blog. I apologize for this but the holiday season and other things have prevented me from doing more.

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the individuals that helped this be a successful year for Tap-Rack. It was great to see guys that I had met before in training and to meet some new professionals as well.

As we go into 2009 the world is still a very violent place. More than ever it is important to keep our bodies and minds prepared for the fight. Alot of police agencies will be struggling with budgets due to the economy which equals less money for Police training. We simply cannot let this take place. If you haven't been selling training as a priority, START NOW! Training is a critical component to successful outcomes. Do what you must to make sure you and your fellow officers are prepared.

Good training can be accomplished for very little money if the person providing the training is willing to put in the work and effort to make it meaningful. We all owe that to our teams and co-workers. You might not be able to afford the super course, take this opportunity to improve the current skill sets you have from previous training. Read professional journals to learn new drills and techniques. It may not be the same as having a good instructor standing there to give advice and guidance, but it's better than nothing.

One thing is for certain, the threat doesn't care what the economy is doing or what your training budget looks like.

My schedule is booking up quickly for 2009, very shortly I will be adding a post with course information, host locations and dates. If you are interested in hosting a course, please reach out. Comp'd spots are a great way to get some training in tough budget years. This isn't meant to be a sales pitch for my training, the point is continue to train.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. Take some time to reflect on family and friends. Make the New Year one with a continued or renewed resolve to be the very best. Master the basics and you will be advanced.

The Team Leader and Shield Courses in Spokane, WA. still have a few seats available. If you're interested in either class shoot me an e-mail and I can get you in touch with the host agency contact to save you a seat. If it's easier, you can also click the link on the WSTOA or Wa. CJTC websites.

I have a closed course in Decemeber and I am starting to fill my 2009 calendar. If you are interested in hosting a class let me know and we can get the dates squared away. I will post open courses here at the Blog so check back to see if anything new is coming up. I can also add you to my e-mailing list for courses that are coming to your area or for a specific course that you may be interested in. If you want to be added, shoot me an e-mail with the parameters you want. I WILL NOT bombard you with advertisements or anything else for that matter.

As always, train hard and be good, to be safe.

The team leader class in Woodburn, Oregon is filling up quickly so if you're interested send me an e-mail ASAP. Information about the course can be found on the Oregon DPSST website.

The shield course in Spokane, WA. still has room and they are handling the registration. Information for that course is available at the Washington State CJTC website and also at WSTOA.org.

I have several closed courses coming up before the end of the year but have some time available. If you're interested in hosting a class or a closed course for your team, reach out and I'm sure we can find some dates available.

I haven't been paying close attention to the blog due to other commitments but I will try to keep up on it. Several guys have commented that they use the blog to check on upcoming training so I will try to post in it more often.

As always, thanks for your interest in our training. Be good, to be safe.

Just finished a closed course and everything went great. I like closed courses because everything is squared away early and the guys are usually dialed in to train hard. This class was no exception.

I plan to start expanding the blog from just being information, to putting some content in here on different training topics. With this being an open source, I can't get too deep into TTP's that I believe in, however I do think that there are some basic topics and hot issues that can be discussed. I will post the first one today and then try to get something up once a week. So please check back often.

Be good, to be safe.

The subgun/select fire instructor school in Clackamas County went off without a hitch. All the guys in the class were top notch and they really put forth good effort during the week of training. Good students make teaching easy, and this was an easy week.

I'm looking forward to going back down to CCSO next month for a closed course, they are great hosts and have really good facilities.

My next open courses will be in June if facilities pan out. If not, I will be looking for a host agency if anyone is interested please send me an e-mail.

Be good, to be safe. 

The Blog has been under attack by spammers so I have disabled the trackback and comment capability. Hopefully this will end soon.

The rifle course in Clackamas County is moving forward but we still have some seats available. If your interested in the course, please get in touch with me ASAP so I can secure a seat for you.

I am always looking for Host Agencies to pt on training, if you are interested in attending a class, but the PD won't pay tuition, host the course and get free tuition. It's as simple as that. I can make most facilities work for excellent training, the exception of course would be firearms ranges. However if you only have access to a small range, we can make it work.

Thanks for checking the site and for your interest in our training.  

The subgun/select fire rifle instructor class still has some seats available. The CCSO range is indoors so weather is not a factor, if you're interested click the e-mail tab and let me know ASAP. I can coordinate getting a seat reserved for you through the host agency.

Due to overflow for the shield course in Richland, WA., Yakima Police have agreed to host a second course at their excellent training facilities.

The course dates are APRIL 7 & 8, 2008. We are handling our own registration and tuition so shoot me an e-mail if you want to attend. There are still seats available, however it is an overflow course and short notice so get your information to me ASAP!

The shield class in Richland was slightly overbooked and I had to turn a few guys away. My apologies for that, but class size has to be manageable to make sure good training takes place.

If anyone wants to host the shield course or any other course, get in touch with me and we can make it happen. There is obviously a need for the training with the amount of interest shown for the Richland school.

The rifle/submachine gun instructor course in Clackamas County, Oregon is starting to fill up. The dates are April 21-25 and if you want to secure a spot in the class, please get your stuff to Deputy Matt Gray, CCSO training division ASAP. That class has ALWAYS filled so the sooner the better. The course is CQB intensive and we don't shoot at any real distances. It is designed as a building clearing/normal police distance shooting type of course. Normal being the national average on shooting distances for police. The principles do carry over to 200 yard and in shooting, it is NOT a sniper course!

As always, if you are interested in attending or hosting a course please shoot me an e-mail or a phone call and we can work out the details. Hosting is easier than most people think and you get free training.

Be good, to be safe.

It appears that the Richland Shield Operator Course is full. I have the last two verbal confirmations and I am waiting on their registrations. If you wanted to attend but haven't sent in your paperwork, please let me know. If I get any cancellations I can add you in. Also, if you want the shield training and got denied, shoot me an e-mail about hosting the course at your own agency. The tuition is free to the host agencies for two officers. I'm looking forward to the class and the great weather in the Richland area.