June, July and August are exciting months here at the office of Law Enforcement Technology. The beautiful weather might have something to do with the upsurge of activity. But perhaps most exciting of all, we just received your feedback from our annual readership survey. In the questionnaire you told us your job title, your rank, your assignment and your general concerns within the industry. Some of you are sheriffs in teeny, tiny departments in the sticks. Some of you patrol the fields and forests with U.S. Forest Service, and still others are captains and commanders in large metropolitan agencies.
The research shows that your interests are varied (from forensics to jails, to highway patrol and communications), but you could all agree on a few key points.
We received an overwhelming request for more training news—things like techniques and opportunities in new technology, tactics, fitness, use-of-force and weapons retention. This makes sense. After all, you are charged with seeing to it your officers have the best tools at their disposal to make good decisions, and to make it through the day.
Most of you are also concerned with where your next equipment is coming from, and are looking for ways to scare up those hard-won dollars.
And not surprisingly, you said you want to keep hearing about multi-vendor solutions to a host of technology issues…either newly released or coming down the line.
Here’s a start. In this issue we bring you two solid product reviews: Editorial Director Frank Borelli’s Magnum Boots once-over, and a look at an upper from Alpha Shooting Sports, as tested by experienced firearms trainer Lindsey Bertomen.
This month we also go about as remote as you can get in “First responder, last frontier” to see what the Village Public Safety Officers in rural Alaska are using for equipment, and motivation, over the course of some long (and we mean long) shifts.
Rest assured our editorial team is working hard to see to it that we address your most pressing needs and concerns in this publication, and online at Officer.com.
A big thank you to all of you who took the time to participate in our survey this year. Don’t wait until next summer to give us your feedback; your input is always valued!
Thanks for reading and be safe.
