Team MRAP

I have been on a bit of a tear here of late on the police and their gear. Man, I can’t get around the fact that we often are our own worst enemies. Let me start out and say a couple of things to lay the baseline. I am completely and totally good with the gear available to the police these days. I think patrol rifles are one of the best advances in policing since the bullet proof vest. I think that every town needs to have access to a SWAT team if they need one.

However, I do not think that every little town needs their own SWAT team. And I think that cops really need to get back to basics on what they need and don’t need on their gear. All this BS about the “militarization of the police” because of appearance and gear?

I have a message for my coppers out there. Are you ready to copy?

Quit furthering the stereotype. Message ends.

Pretty simple, eh? I am one of the most tactical guys you ever want to meet. Tactical from the standpoint that I use really good tactics. I have the tools necessary to ensure that I can employ those tactics successfully. The combination of tools and tactics allow me to attempt to stay ahead of whatever situation I find myself in. I have lots of firepower at my disposal and have really good protective gear. What I don’t do is look like I just stepped out of a 5.11 ad, or am a stunt double for Bruce Willis in Tears of the Sun.

Stop hanging all of that crap off of your patrol rifles. Stop it. Nobody is impressed with all the Tapco stuff you piled on it. I am always at a loss at the amount of cheap crap that officers hang on their rifles. Stop buying $100 optics and hanging them on your rifle. Guess what? They will perform just like $100 optics. Or $40 knock off flashlights. What is your life worth exactly?

Some of the guys that I came up with in the industry used to talk about 1911s and they used the term “well-executed street gun” for a gun that had all the stuff that you needed for success without a bunch of the crap that you don’t. I think that’s the concept that needs to follow these days on ARs. ARs should be a well-executed street gun. Good quality rifle, a quality sling, a quality white light, and then maybe an Aimpoint. I get the fact that sometimes the department will issue the rifle, or they place restrictions on some of the gear. But, damn, you really don’t need all of that stuff to be a gunfighter. You need A) a gun- and B) skill.

KISS, fellas. Keep it simple. A good rifle, a good sling, and a good white light. And while we are at it, a good supply of magazines. Keep the rifle cleaned. Keep it lubed. Be professional. Look professional. You’ll like the results.