This week at the annual conference of ILEETA, the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, the anti-gun factions were nowhere to be seen. After all, they have nothing to offer the police sector…and, I suspect, they know that. On the other hand, the National Rifle Association was present as usual with a heavily-attended booth that focused on their half-century history of aiding law enforcement training. The United States Practical Shooting Association was present as well, and their booth likewise drew much interest from the criminal justice trainers in attendance. Much of what has been learned in their practical shooting competitions has migrated directly to America’s police academies and in-service training and qualification ranges.  I had predicted as much in this space a short time ago. It is always good to have one’s predictions validated.

The conference was sited in Wheeling, Illinois – the greater Chicago area. Colleen Lawson dropped by from the city to visit. Colleen has been mentioned here in the recent past: she is one of the plaintiffs in the landmark gun owners’ civil rights case McDonald, et. al. v. Chicago, which challenges the city’s long-standing ban on ownership of handguns by its citizens. She was warmly welcomed by ILEETA director Harvey Hedden. ILEETA had submitted an amicus curae (friend of the court) brief in favor of the plaintiffs in the prequel to the McDonald case, Heller v. District of Columbia, and if memory serves submitted such a brief in favor of Lawson and the other plaintiffs in the current case, as well.

Theirs is by no means a maverick position in law enforcement. The state attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer at the state level, and many state attorneys general submitted briefs and opinions in favor of the plaintiffs in McDonald.

All this is good to keep in mind whenever you hear the false blanket statement that “the cops don’t want the citizenry to have firearms.”

This weekend, the superb United States Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma will be host to the National Tactical Conference. This conclave was created and is spearheaded by Tom Givens, a retired cop turned trainer who is proud of how many of his civilian students have survived gunfights with criminals. In the intense classroom and live-fire programs, cops will train alongside private citizens in armed self-defense. Later, they’ll compete against one another in a very challenging and realistic combat shooting match.

It is significant that the shooting contest is called the Polite Society match. The term comes from science fiction writer Robert Heinlein’s classic statement that “an armed society is a polite society.”

NRA’s law enforcement division was busy at the police trainers’ conference…

…ditto the USPSA representatives.

1 COMMENT

  1. All depends on RANK. Street cops have a pro-gun attitude overwhelmingly – but chiefs are “politicians with badges” parroting whatever local mayor, city manager, or city council says.

  2. Sir, as along time fan and reader, I wanted to pose to you a question, especially after your attending the ILEETE:

    How much can you hang on to a gun before you can’t hang on to a gun?

    I see both law enforcement and civilians going far beyond a weapon light or additional grip with sometimes as many as six or seven major appliances clamped onto a a good rifle or pistol.

    I’m also former law enforcement and a friend at the sheriff’s department recently showed me his personal patrol rifle that’s kept in his cruiser. It must have 6 or 7 pounds of stuff clamped onto it… light, laser, optical 3x sight, EOtech red-dot sight too, front vertical grip, bi-pod, sling, doubled-up 30-round magazines…

    I’m curious as to your thoughts as to was is really necessary (and a viable improvement) as far as firearm-mounted accessories for police and personal protection.

    Thanks in advance!

  3. Dann, hanging everything but a blow-dryer on your rifle does reach a point of diminishing returns. I like to see the illumination option, though, and the flashlight protruding from the bottom of the service pistol (or home defense pistol) keeps the slide from going out of battery if you have to jam it against your would-be killer’s body and fire at belly to belly distance. I don’t think a flashlight, for example, hurts the officer in a struggle for the weapon, either.
    best,
    Mas

  4. Having tried them, I don’t see laser sights. “Dot” just bounces around too much and frustrates efforts to aim at longer distances.

  5. In re: the false statement that “the cops don’t want the citizenry to have firearms.” My general understanding is that this is false, however, I don’t have any polls or studies to cite, are you aware of any?

  6. jmcaul, they’ve been done in the past by various law enforcement magazines, and assorted law enforcement associations. NRA, Second Amendment Foundation, LEAA, etc. should be able to provide you with details.
    best,
    mas

  8. Law enforcements attitude on armed citizens in a mass shooting situation: I have often wondered, if I were to ever find myself carrying concealed in a public place where a gunman is shooting people (Luby’s, Lakewood, WA cop shooting, Ft. Hood, etc.) and had to try and stop the shooter before LE arrived, how would I let LE know I was NOT the bad guy once they get there so they don’t shoot me?
    My guess is any remaining witnesses would certainly point out the real bad guy to them but in the chaos of a public shooting, but I’m not sure I could count on that.
    What’s LE’s advice to armed citizens who find themselves in the position of having to try and stop it before they arrive?

  9. jmcaul, that’s more than I can answer in a comment. Sounds like material for a blog post, though, or maybe an article in the magazine. Stay tuned…
    best,
    Mas