Once again, NRAblog carries the message of Gunny R. Lee Ermey straight from the range at the National Police Shooting Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What? You aren't keeping up with your NRA Law Enforcement training? Don't let Gunny know ...

Director of NRA's Law Enforcement Division, Glen Hoyer, sent NRAblog the following on Retired and Off-duty Officer Insurance Coverage available through the NRA:

When President Bush signed the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act in 2004, it was welcomed by retired and active duty officers alike. Retired officers could now carry nationwide and protect themselves from the criminal element they previously put in jail, additionally, active-duty officers no longer had confusion over whether or not they could carry on or off-duty out of their jurisdiction, or even out of state.

It didn’t take long for retired officers to realize they had no liability protection, and, although the likelihood of a deadly force encounter is reduced when retired, it’s still present. Would a deadly force encounter, when retired or off-duty and out of your jurisdiction, be covered by your home owners insurance? Would you have any insurance protection?

What about active-duty officers who are out of their jurisdiction on vacation and are forced to defend themselves? Will their agencies liability coverage extend to them?

Until recently, if you could find coverage it was generally prohibitively expensive, or had law enforcement exclusions.

Problem Solved

With hundreds of thousands of retired public law enforcement officers around the country and over 800,000 active-duty public law enforcement officers, it was obvious there was a need to provide a special self-defense insurance policy for them. With the training and experience these law enforcement officers have, shouldn’t they be given good coverage at a reduced price? More...

Seminar: Concealed Carry Issues and Equipment
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 & Saturday, May 15, 2010
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Charlotte Convention Center, 217A-B
Guest Speaker: Tom Marx, Blackhawk
Moderator: Glen Hoyer, Director, NRA Law Enforcement Division

This is an illustrated lecture and demonstration program, directed at both officers and civilians who carry handguns concealed during the course of their daily activities.

Traditionally, little if any time has been spent on the subject of Concealed Carry.

In the past, it was often assumed that proficiency on the range transfers to the ability to successfully carry, conceal and ultimately produce a firearm under the stress of a life-threatening situation.

Thankfully, for the last several decades, the flaws in such thinking have become more obvious, and people (both civilians and law enforcement officials) have recognized the need to be more critical in their equipment selection and more comprehensive in their training with it.

This program will deal with overall concepts as well as the building block-like components that must be considered in order to successfully carry and produce a firearm from a concealed location on and (in some cases) off the body.

From gun and holster selection to carrying environments and activities; from clothing to physical shape and conditioning; from women's issues to accessories; we will look at this subject from these prospectives and more, in order to come up with basic guidelines to serve the audience in both studying and selecting equipment and employment methods with a more critical (and informed) eye in the future.

See the preliminary schedule of events for more information about what’s going on at the NRA Annual Meetings.

Have you seen Brownells new Law Enforcement store? Located at www.PoliceStore.com, this new website has increased their inventory and redesigned their website to make finding everything you need all that much easier.

"We have hundreds of new products giving the officer all kinds of individual duty gear options plus all the firearm parts and tools Brownell's is known for," said company President Pete Brownell. "We're turning it into a one stop shop for officers around the world."

They've also added some expertise as renowned security expert Wes Doss has been appointed Leader of Brownell's Law Enforcement Training Group. With more than 20 years of experience in security and law enforcement, Doss has helped create a series of training & armorer courses, instructional articles, and industry/product videos for law enforcement professionals.

"All of this is about providing real value to police departments, federal agencies and the individual officers," said Brownell. "You can expect the same Guarantees, quality of products and efficiency of service you get always from Brownell's."

Eric Lipp from NRA's Law Enforcement Division sent us the following update on their trip to Chicago:

The Law Enforcement Division just completed at trip to the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Conference (ILEETA) in Chicago, Illinois. With well over 700 law enforcement trainers in attendance, ILEETA's conference plays host to over two dozen instructor certifications all while offering courses in disciplines such as Tactical Response, Officer Survival, Defensive Tactics, and Firearms Training.

NRA Law Enforcement sponsored several events and provided a t-shirt for all attendees. In addition to the sponsorships, we also arranged for transportation to and from the ranges for the live fire events.

As an added bonus, ILEETA Executive Director Harvey Heddon presented Glen Hoyer, Directed of NRA Law Enforcement, with a plaque commemorating the NRA Law Enforcement Division on its 50th Anniversary. In case you can't make out the picture to the right, it reads:

Presented to the National Rifle Association Law Enforcement Activities Division by the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association in recognition & appreciation of a half century of service to law enforcement, 1960-2010.

Jack Giordano has been instructing at Range Development Conferences since 1999. An integral part of the team, Jack’s years of experience as a Port Authority Policeman in New York and New Jersey – and his countless NRA certifications – make students stop and listen. Teaching is not new to Giordano; he spent 14 years as an adjunct Firearms Instructor in the Port Authority Police Academy Firearms Training Unit. Giordano has completed Police Armorer training by Smith & Wesson, Remington, Colt and Ruger. Oh, and he's a Certified Chief Range Safety Officer Trainer, NRA Senior Training Counselor, and currently serves as Eastern Region Supervisor of the NRA Range Technical Team.

As a boy, he learned to target shoot. Target shooting led to hunting. Eventually, as a cop, Giordano tried his hand at competitive shooting, taking part in NY State Police Olympics. 

It's not a jump, then, to describe Giordano as an expert on everything about shooting and, more specifically, shooting ranges. 

As NRAblog learned at the first Range Development and Operations Conference of 2010, starting an indoor or outdoor shooting facility is a large undertaking. Giordano teaches courses titled “hooting Range Safety and Risk Management,” “Maintaining Safety during Law Enforcement Training,” and “Civilian and Law Enforcement Shared Ranges.”

As someone with firearms experience as both a civilian and a cop, Giordano moves easily between the two groups. He estimates about 30% of any given conference attendees are law enforcement. “There’s no difference (between cops and civililians). They need to hear about (range safety and operations),” he said. “They say, ‘oh it’s an NRA conference, and it’s not going to apply to us,’ but 100 percent of the time the law enforcement agency comes up and says we never thought we would learn as much as we learned.”

More...

The NRA's Law Enforcement Division is turning 50!

You've read about the commemorative coin police officers will receive when attending an armorer school or training school, or taking part in one of the division's many competitions.

The NRA Program Materials Center offers a few items anyone can purchase, including the badge in the photo at left.

From Friends of NRA website:

Although the NRA's involvement with law enforcement dates back to the 1920s, our Law Enforcement Activity Division, or LEAD, as we know it today, was formed as a department in 1960. Since then, LEAD has trained more than 50,000 law enforcement instructors.

To commemorate LEAD's 50 years of service to law enforcement and military officers of the country, a special Model 10 Smith & Wesson service revolver was created, and a matching commemorative badge was developed exclusively for Friends of NRA Events.

Each Smith & Wesson Model 10 features the original design wood duty grips; blue carbon steel medium frame with a 4" barrel with front/rear fixed sights. All are chambered in .38 SW Special +P caliber and have a 6 round capacity. Each is sequentially numbered on the frame in 24K Gold and includes the same matching number NRA Law Enforcement Commemorative badge. The badge was made by Smith & Warren, a long time provider of police badges and includes the NRA Law Enforcement Division Logo with the anniversary dates of 1960-2010. The badge includes an NRA display box. The cylinders on the Model 10 include the following text: Dedication ; Compassion; Courage; Honor; Duty; Service in 24K gold plating. The hammer and trigger have been hand jeweled and the barrel includes etch and selective 24K Gold plating text: NRA Law Enforcement - 1960 50th Anniversary - 2010.

This exclusive edition is limited to 50 units and can only be found at limited 2010 Friends of NRA Events. Find yours now, and stay tuned to NRAblog for updates on which events will feature these service revolvers.

Bill Campbell, Adjust Instructor for NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division, recently wrote an article for PoliceOne.com on muzzle safety. Take a look:

Remember the Safety Circle when muzzling your gun

For the past 12 years, the NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division has taught the concept of the Safety Circle in Firearms Instructor Development courses offered nationwide. Throughout the past decade, I’ve seen the concept renamed and re-taught at many training conferences and courses, but occasionally I still find that officers and agencies are unfamiliar with it.

What is the Safety Circle?

The Safety Circle was first introduced by my friend and mentor Clive Shepherd as he developed some of the NRA LEAD's training courses. Clive’s intent in teaching the concept was for officers to have a place to point the muzzle when a downrange direction did not necessarily exist, or when working in and around other people who did not need to be shot or muzzled.

On the range, we usually think that the targets or the berm are safe places to point the muzzle. Clive recognized that on the street, downrange may not be so easy to recognize and innocent citizens and other officers may well occupy that space. The Safety Circle reflects the idea that there may not be a recognizable “safe place” to point the muzzle. Therefore, Clive taught the concept of finding the safest place to point the muzzle when the firearm is drawn.

Click here to read the rest of Bill's article.

Captain Phillip Hemphill, 10-time NRA National Police Shooting Champion and the 2007 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, was spotted several times at the 2010 Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show.

Finally cornered at the Rock River Arms booth, the gentle giant of a champion agreed to a brief interview with NRAblog. Hemphill has been to five SHOT Shows, and he said the 2010 show was positive. “Traffic has been off the charts, and it looks like it’s that way for everybody in the rifle business (on the show’s exhibit hall),” he said.

Hemphill, who serves as the instructor for his department’s Police Academy, assured us his “fully capable, dependable assistant” was managing the range in his absence. NRAblog snuck in a comment about the upcoming 2011 National Police Shooting Championships, hoping Hemphill would divulge his plans. “I have no idea,” was the response. An 11th title might look awfully nice, we pointed out. “It’s still a long time out,” he responded. “I just don’t know.”

We tried a different angle. “Well, maybe you should retire … Border Patrol Agent Robert Vadasz would appreciate the chance to reclaim the NPSC title.”

“Vadasz always says he shoots better when I’m there,” he said. [Vadasz won in 2008 when Hemphill stepped back from the line, and narrowly lost to Hemphill upon his 2009 return. The two are friends.] “Anything to help that boy out,” he grinned.

Stay tuned for more on Hemphill’s next move. For now, it’s back to Mississippi, sharing his knowledge with the next generation of law enforcement officers.

NRAblog was thrilled to be invited to the Safariland booth yesterday for a very special SHOT Show event. Safariland, a premier provider of law enforcement products and services, delivers a full-range of customer-specific solutions and devotes itself to saving lives.

Safariland Saves Club honors law enforcement officers who have been saved in the line of duty while wearing Safariland body armor. The program aims to bring attention to the dedicated police officers who serve and defend. Of all officers nationwide who have been saved by body armor, Safariland estimates  two of every three were wearing the company's armor.

Above, view a slideshow of the complete ceremony, which kicked off at 11 a.m. yesterday. The following officers were honored during the presentation:

NRAblog was not surprised to learn our friends at Northwest Territorial Mint got involved and assisted the Saves Club. A commemorative coin was unveiled yesterday which is given exclusively to members of the Club. 

• Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Detective Jared Reston
• Cedar City (Utah) Police Officer Jason Thomas
• Missouri State Trooper Cody Dunfee

Safariland Saves Club liason Ed Hinchey, also a member of the Club, emceed the program. Hinchey serves as Safariland's armor technical specialist and is a retired officer. “Nothing reflects the spirit of Safariland and its people more than the Safariland Saves Club,” he said. Hinchey is pictured above.   “With each product we make, we put the emphasis on protecting the lives of those who use them.” After introducing each officer, Hinchey would tell the crowd a little more about the events of each incident.

"You're being too humble," he said, touching on some of the brave acts of each officer. As soon as each officer had addressed the crowd, Hinchey invited family members in attendance, including his wife and daughter, to join the heroes onstage. The crowd gave the crew several hearty rounds of applause, and the booth was packed with onlookers. 

Learn more about Safariland, and if you’re here in Vegas at the SHOT Show, stop by and say hi at booth #12360.

Anniversaries are special occasions. Usually, those celebrating the distinguished event are lavished with thoughtful gifts from family and friends alike. NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD) has turned the table ... just a bit.

To celebrate their 50th Anniversary, LEAD has issued a commemorative challenge coin. With the NRA Seal on one side and a special 50th Anniversary badge on the other, this coin is sure to be a favorite for all. Unfortunately, all can not own one.

Ownership of these coins is restricted to a select few. Only those who attend a LEAD school, training seminar, or competition will receive this coin. And for those of you asking that all important question; no, they are not for sale in any stores. Don't worry thought - some LEAD 50th Anniversary items are.

For a 50th Anniversary memento of your own, visit our Program Materials Center page at http://materials.nrahq.org/go/home.aspx. Scroll down and click on the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Items link under Law Enforcement. From there you can choose a badge, an embroidered logo, and more. And be sure to keep checking back as new items should be added throughout the year.

LEAD has long worked to support the efforts of law enforcement throughout the land. In addition to classes and tournaments, LEAD offers the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, the Jeanne E. Bray memorial scholarship fund, and a life insurance benefit program.

"NRA’s relationship with the nations law enforcement community is an enduring one, reaching back through generations of lawmen and women," Glen Hoyer, Director of NRA Law Enforcement Activities Division, told NRAblog. "NRA Law Enforcement Firearm Instructor Training has trained well over 50,000 firearm instructors since 1960. Many branches of the U.S. Military also attend this training in addition to the countries law enforcement officers."

The Law Enforcement Activities Division celebrates the 50th anniversary of its training department this year. The badge, pictured above, honors this accomplishment.

Stay tuned for more on the history of this division.

A mere week after bringing Sig Sauer into town, the gang at NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD) are at it again. Today, they're hosting a new group of instructors for the Smith & Wesson armorer school.

LEAD Armorer schools are held year-round here at NRA headquarters and various other locations throughout the United States to ensure that those who protect us have the most current information when it comes to the maintenance and operation of their firearms. Free to any law enforcement officer, civilian employed by a law enforcement agency, or any active duty of the United States armed forces (including reservist), these schools have understandably become quite popular. So if you wish to attend, you better sign up early.

Most classes generally focus on the disassembly, repair, reassembly and functioning of the firearms. Those who attend today's class, held by Smith & Wesson, will receive a three year factory certification upon completion.

These courses, seminars and training schools are donated by participating companies as a way of giving back to law enforcement. For additional information, please call the Law Enforcement Activities Division at 703-267-1640. Good Luck!

Whenever they can, NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division hosts an armorer school right here at headquarters. For those who don't know, an armorer school is open to any law enforcement agency employee or member of the armed forces. There they will learn how to take apart, repair, put back together a firearm as well as well as how to keep that firearm within factory standards.

Today's class focuses on the Sig Sauer 'P' Series Pistol. Representatives from Sig have already started sharing their vast knowledge of breaking down and caring for these great these wonderful guns. And, as always, the class is free to all law enforcement officers.

If you haven't make it to an armorer school yet, check out the Law Enforcement calender before time runs out.