Light 'Em Up!

Hello again!

Today I’m going to discuss one of the most underrated pieces of equipment used in both the military and in law enforcement, the flashlight. The flashlight is both a useful tool and if used effectively, it can also be a non-lethal weapon. Most people think of a flashlight as being just that, a light, but, it can also be used as a striking weapon so long as it’s not a flimsy cheap one that you would buy for reading a book. A sturdy and durable flashlight can be a great tool used much like a kubaton or an ASP in the closed mode. With a good tactical light, the user can effectively subdue an assailant using a variety of joint-locks and strikes.

If you are an officer of the law, just remember to be wary of your agency’s policy concerning non-lethal weapons. The last thing you want to do is strike an assailant with a flashlight to find out later that it is against your agency’s policy to do so and now you are facing charges for assault with a prohibited weapon, yikes! I would say that in a deadly force situation, you would probably be in the clear, just check with you agency first, better safe than sorry. Another great use for a tactical flashlight is that it can be a blinding tool used to temporarily pin an assailant while you move in to do your business.

A Surefire tactical flashlight comes to mind when I think of blinding a person prior to moving in to subdue him or her, but, there are many other excellent tactical flashlights that can be used to the same effect such as the Streamlight tactical C4 series, Pelican M6, Coast LED Lenser, and the Smith and Wesson Delta Force Tactical Light. Each of these lights range from 80 to 100 lumens which is pretty handy when you need to see out to ranges of 100+ feet. Neither of these flashlights cost a fortune either which is a good thing.

A good tactical light used to temporarily blind a foe can be a great way of quickly identifying whether or not they are wielding a dangerous weapon in their hands or not as most people will instinctively bring their hands up to their face when a bright light is aimed towards their face. It is the same principle that law enforcement officers use when they conduct a traffic stop using their take downs and high-beam light to aim towards the vehicles driver’s side and rear-view mirrors in order to cover their approach to the vehicle. This technique is most often used during limited visibility or complete darkness situations. Just remember not to leave your light on while you move as you will be quickly identified while your subject will be completely invisible, usually. I prefer to use the firefly technique which is simply turning the flashlight on for a second then off, move to a different location then turning it on again, that way, your foe will have to guess where you will appear next like a firefly.

In conclusion, all tactical minded persons should never go anywhere without a good flashlight by their side, whether using it as simply a light, an impact weapon, or a blinding tool, keep one on you at all times. Most importantly, don’t forget to carry extra batteries and bulbs in case your flashlight dies on you. A flashlight can be your friend in complicated situations such as CQB, arrest warrant/ search warrant when making your approach towards a foe. If you do have to do so even in daylight hours indoors, light ‘em up, it just might give you the edge you will need to be successful.

Job Interview Advice

If you have made it past the first stages of the job hunt and are lucky enough to be asked to come in for an interview, you are most likely facing mixed emotions. First there is excitement and a sense of confidence for being one of the chosen applicants to meet in person with the company. But, shortly after, you begin to think about the actual interview. That is when the anxiety and nervousness sets in.

We can all admit that job interviews are stressful. They put you on the spot and in a setting where you are basically selling yourself to a person or group of people that barely know you.

So how do you remain calm and comfortable, taking advantage of your time with the interviewer(s), instead of selling yourself short?

Here’s some expert advice I found on how to avoid making silly mistakes that could cost you the job…

Article from the Boston Herald: “Don’t Make Silly Mistakes During Job Interview”

The Importance of Dry-Firing

Hello, my name is J. Anderson, the Chief Security Operations Officer for CopTimeandaHalf.com. I also serve as both a member of the Armed Services as a Special Forces soldier and a Special Agent in the law enforcement community.

I understand more than anyone the importance of maintaining a high level of proficiency with your service weapon, but in this day and age, budget cuts and lack of ample range time can make this critical task much more difficult. No matter how frustrating this situation is, there is always time to practice with your weapon using one of the most basic techniques that is taught to all combat shooters, dry-firing.

This simple technique will in no way replace the application of putting rounds on a target, but, it will greatly assist the shooter with maintaining proficiency with any weapon. Simply drawing from the holster numerous times, wearing different types of clothing while drawing from the holster, magazine changes, trigger squeeze, strong hand/ support hand techniques, downed person shooting techniques, or one-handed weapon handling skills while dry-firing will greatly enhance any shooter’s ability to perform much more smoothly and efficiently in the heat of battle.

Of course, the most important rule when conducting this type of training is always, Safety First. It wouldn’t do the shooter any good if he/ she forgot to unload his or her weapon while conducting this training, nor would it be of any use if one simply forgot to reload the weapon after dry-fire training has concluded. Don’t forget to always conduct this type of training in a relatively safe environment. The front porch of your front yard or the nearby playground is no place to conduct this type of training unless you own the neighborhood and l just so happen to be the only resident living in your community. I don’t know how many times that simply dry-firing for approximately 20 – 30 minutes prior to a qualification made the difference between a good score and a great score. It works for me, it may just work for you. Just remember to always be safety conscience whenever you handle a handgun or any weapon for that matter. Be safe and good luck!

Welcome to Cop Time and a Half.com

Welcome to our web site Cop Time and a Half.com !

Some of you reading this blog post to TacTips (our really cool informative blog for law enforcement, intelligence, military special operations and private security professionals) may be slightly confused by the first part of the name "COP" don't be. Cops or Police officers are awesome, I should know I used to be one but this web site is not just for police officers we are here for the entire national security community seeking Job Opportunities far and wide. Think of Us as monster.com with an M-4... and some highly technical spy gear.

However as the Founder and CEO of CopTime and a Half.com I would like to spell out clearly who we are and what we can do for you. Hopefully!

Who are we exactly?

I could tell you but I might have too.....nah.. its not that serious although a few of us on the Cop Time and a Half.com Executive Management team might have lived by that at some point in our career, although the Kill Ya' part is not really true and killing is never a joking matter (even if we're taking out bad guys). See The Leadership Team http://www.coptimeandahalf.com/leadership.cfm

Many of us are still currently active within law enforcement, military and intelligence so we don't like to divulge much however I can say that we are a group of less than 10 individuals with varied skills in special operations, law enforcement and intelligence that wanted to finally see a place on the Internet that understood "us". A Job web site that really understands the type of skills we bring to the table as an Industry and most importantly to attract the right opportunities in which allow us to be satisfied financially.

Who are we here for?

We are here for all the professions who seek a career that protects, serves, and operates in dangerous conditions when called upon. We are here for the individual who stood out in the rain LAST NIGHT protecting a stranger in the most austere and foreign conditions. We are even here for the individual looking to find part-time security work just to make a little extra cash for their family. We are also here for the small specialized security company trying to network enough to find a partner that will give them a multi-million dollar contract.

How can we help You?

Finally I want to be very clear in explaining what we can do for you.

1. Showcase your skills and abilities in a comprehensive snapshot better than a resume.

2. Help Job Seekers find work that you will enjoy and which compliments your skills.

3. Make available opportunities to Earn Money Quickly with CopTimeOnDemand, which focuses totally on finding Jobs that are needed after hours or at the spur of the moment (i.e. On Demand). See our Twitter Page http://twitter.com/CopTimeOnDemand

4.If you are a Small Security Business showcase your company and find you work by allowing you to become a member and view our Ads page just for the Business owner seeking work.

5. If you are a large Security/Defense industry company you can search and post ads to find the company or individual with the specialization you need for a position or subcontracting opportunity.

6. TacTips Blog which will keep you updated about what's going on within the web site and always have something interesting that you can learn about the Tools of your Trade.

7. War Journal Blog an interactive Blog coming soon that will knock your socks off !

So that's if for now if you have any questions about the web site especially while we are in BETA we would love for you to send us your feedback. We want to get this right!
CopTimeFeedback http://www.coptimeandahalf.com/feedBack.cfm

Write ya Soon

SHEP

Founder and CEO

CopTimeandahalf.com