DEC.1, 2010 – AQUATERRO IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE IT’S POSITION AS FINALIST FOR THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL DUN & BRADSTREET BUSINESS AWARDS.
The Age | D&B Awards, now in its 17th year, has consistently identified high-performing organisations in Victoria.
The program is renowned for its objectivity and fairness, with businesses invited to take part in the awards based on the strength of their financial profile within the D&B database.
Previous category winners have been recognised for successfully managing their businesses with the right balance of entrepreneurialism and safe long-term growth strategies.
The awards, unique to others, operate on an exclusive invitation only basis. Businesses are invited to take part in the award program based solely on the strength of their financial profile contained within the D&B database.
Strong Dynamic Risk Score – The DRS is a statistically derived measure that assesses the probability of a business experiencing severe financial distress during the next 12 months
Strong Dynamic Delinquency Score – The DDS is a statistically derived measure that assesses the probability of a business paying its bills in a severely delinquent manner over the next 12 months
Lack of adverse information – Collections, court actions and registered charges
Positive Net Worth
Aquaterro is encouraged by the nomination and subsequent finalist position as it reinforces the company’s long term strategies centering around sustainable growth and building a strong, viable product portfolio for the most demanding of users.
As strange as that may sound, there is a very good chance that you, or one of your fellow officers, will go on duty tonight wearing body armor that may provide far less ballistic protection than expected.
Modern body armor is designed to protect the wearer from deadly high-velocity handgun rounds using a sophisticated combination of bullet-stopping materials, strategies and tactics.
From the moment a bullet tears through an officer’s uniform shirt at supersonic speed, it engages several different layers of an amazing “ballistic sandwich” engineered to take on many different roles during an extremely violent ballistic event that takes place–from beginning to end–within 3 nanoseconds. All in a distance of less than two inches. A nanosecond is one-billionth of a second (1/1,000,000,000), so all of this interaction with the bullet and the vest is happening very very quickly.
In fact, Safariland’s body armor engineers use ultra-high speed digital photography to slow this incredibly destructive event down to the point where they can study, frame-by-frame, how each layer of material and individual vest component interacts with the bullet during each phase of the ballistic event. Unimaginable forces are created by these devastating impacts, and they are being transmitted through, and absorbed by, your vest’s ballistic panel and your upper torso.
Concealable body armor is designed to both stop bullets and reduce serious injury in a multi-step process:
Armor panels must first slow and deform the projectile, blunting its tip and increasing its footprint.
Since bullets also spin and violently twist anything in their path, engineers then seek to engage and entangle them with as many high-strength ballistic fibers as possible. That blunting and entangling action “catches” the bullet in a net-like fashion, ultimately slowing and stopping it.
In addition, the vest panel must keep the bullet and the back of the vest panel from protruding (in a net or trampoline-like fashion) deep into an officer’s muscle tissue and chest cavity (called backface deformation). Currently the new NIJ Standard and federally mandated backface limit is 44mm or 1.73 inches.
Finally, the panel must also absorb and dampen the resulting shock wave, which by itself is capable of tearing skin, breaking bones and damaging organs (backface trauma injuries).
The resulting multi-material (hybrid), multi-layered vest panel designs (ballistic sandwiches) are often patented and considered closely guarded trade secrets. Safariland alone offers many patented constructions and innovative approaches to solving these ballistic protection challenges.
Unfortunately, these highly sophisticated panel structures are usually directional in nature. That means if they were shot from the opposite or back side, the complex methods they use to stop bullets and protect officers become all but useless.
So, wearing vest panels in the proper strikeface/body-side orientation is a serious life and death issue. Federal requirements are already in place to make sure all NIJ compliant vests are properly labeled to indicate which side is which. Unfortunately, many officers still don’t take the time to read the labels and double-check their vests.
So, the next time you wash your vest carrier and head back to work after a few days off, take a moment to read the label on your vest panels to be absolutely sure the strikeface side of your panels are facing the bad guys. It could save your life.
There are not many shooters among us who neglect their firearms after a hard day’s shooting. Whether they get cleaned that day (best case scenario) or a few weeks after they've been used, the fact remains that they eventually get the care and attention they deserve. For many of us, there's always that tinge of guilt hiding in the back of the brain that keeps reminding us, "Your guns are dirty…you're neglecting them…why exactly do you hate your guns so much, what have they ever done to you…" and so on. The question is though, if this much attention is paid to the firearms, why neglect what houses, protects, and makes your handgun available, the holster?
Although made to work in the worst environments around the world, even the best holsters (Safariland, of course) need some care and respect before, during, and after use. This doubly applies when working in extremely wet, sandy, or hot environments. There are a few rules to always keep in mind when caring for your holster:
Always keep it out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time. This obviously does not mean it can't sit on your waist while you go about your business, whether on duty, out hunting, or for a day of competition shooting at the range. I'm talking about leaving it on the dashboard of your car or even in the trunk in an Arizona summer. All of these situations exceed 140°, which is a no-no. And did you know that the temperature in the dashboard of a vehicle or direct sunlight through the glass window can exceed 190° Fahrenheit? If a Safariland holster is exposed to these kinds of temperatures, visually inspect the product and if deformation has occurred, discontinue use immediately.
Keep it clean of debris. This applies to both the interior and exterior of the holster. The SafariLaminate™ or STX finish makes this extremely easy to do on the outside. A quick wipe down with a clean cloth and warm soapy water will do. The interior, especially when covered with suede (which is often the case), can also be cleaned with warm soapy water. It can then be washed down and sprayed with any easy to find silicone spray for best results. Obviously, make sure there is never any large debris in the holster as this will affect holstering and possibly cause an accidental discharge.
Let it dry. Although Safariland holsters will work under wet conditions, it's best to let it dry when given a chance. If your holster becomes submerged or soaked with water, the following steps should be taken to bring the holster back to satisfactory working condition.
Remove the holster from wet conditions and ensure all excess water is drained from the holster.
To enhance quick drying of the suede interior, use a towel or piece of cloth to pull through or dab the inside of the holster until contact dry.
To fully dry the suede interior while concurrently drying the rest of the holster, place in a dry location and let air dry for 24 hours or accelerate the process with cool air from a fan or other cool air source. DO NOT use an oven, microwave, hair dryer, heat gun, or any other heat source.
Spray a shot of silicone spray inside the holster on the suede.
Specific products will need specific care. If you have an SLS™, ALS®, or other acronym titled Safariland holster, other care may be needed for its distinct retention device, such as re-lubing the retention mechanism, then locking and unlocking until the lubricant is fully in place. It's best to check your manual if you still have it, visit our website, or call our Customer Care department at (800) 347-1200.
Below is a short video on how to adjust and care for a new 6280 SLS Duty Holster. Most of the tips mentioned in the video apply to all of our holsters. It also demonstrates how to care for a wet holster.
In short, when in doubt, just think about giving that holster of yours the same love and attention your firearm gets.
Few, if any, officers are overjoyed when coming into contact with OC Spray (oleoresin capsicum). The taste and intense burning sensation in the eyes or face is unpleasant to say the least. Regardless, in essentially every training course on OC Spray, students are regularly exposed to OC or worse.
For example, the United States military has used a time honored and progressive educational approach to introduce recruits to ‘gas warfare’. It begins with classroom instruction, equipping them with protective mask and, if necessary clothing, and then having them practice getting in and out of that equipment prior to entering a ‘gas house’ where they are exposed to various chemical agents.
Why do instructors do this to their students? Well, in the case of the military, recruits that pass in and out of the ‘gas house’ gain confidence in their ability to survive should they ever be exposed to ‘gas warfare’ on the battlefield. Similarly, officers who work in the criminal justice profession will likely be exposed to OC spray at some point. Unfortunately, OC doesn’t take sides and because it takes the form of a spray, it tends to drift everyone and affects everyone, be it Good Guy or Bad Guy.
In a worst case scenario, such as this news event in Winnipeg, Canada shows, law enforcement officers may not be the only individuals to have an incident with OC Spray. The most common area affected by OC is a person’s vision. However, breathing can be affected too whenever OC enters a person’s lungs. If you aren’t prepared for the effects of OC, the delay in combat can give a combatant enough time to flee or worse.
In early OC training for officers, officers were sprayed in a manner that would affect mostly their vision. Once ‘blinded’, they were directed to water by a fellow officer so they could begin to decontaminate by applying copious amounts of water in hopes of eliminating, as quickly as possible, that intense burning/stinging sensation in their eyes, as well as on their face. This was the state of OC training in those early days, which was good for exposure, but not for officer survival. Officers often believe that once blinded they were helpless and had to be guided to safety. Again, this belief doesn’t build the kind of confidence officers have to have in order to survive on the job.
Today, many trainers have created specific learning objectives for OC training whereby officers learn how to ‘fight through’ OC induced ‘blindness’ by rapid blinking. Officers then learn how to transition to performing various empty-hand skills like punches or knee strikes and/or using less-lethal technologies like a baton to protect themselves, as well as their firearm, from an attacker. This ‘dry-run’ practice leads to the actual spraying and demonstration of skills for self-defense and, when possible, subject is taken into custody.
It is not a case of if officers will be exposed to OC spray either directly or indirectly but rather when it will happen to them on the job. Consequently, officers have to learn how to survive and win in an actual OC environment that they or someone else has exposed them too.
For those following my blog posts regarding firearms rights or to anyone closely following the news at all, last week was a big week for those involved on either side of the gun rights argument, with the recent arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago. However, it only appeared to be a good day for one side…
With Alan Gura (of Heller fame) and Paul Clement (strangely, also of Heller fame in a different way…) on the gun rights side and James Feldman representing the City of Chicago, the scenario was set for an impressive face-off. Alan Gura took the more difficult road of arguing for incorporation via the Privileges and Immunities Clause with Paul Clement taking the Due Process avenue. Without getting into too many technical details, the P&I clause is thought to be by many as a legitimate road to incorporation but could have larger implications outside of gun rights if it is successfully argued and old case law thrown out. Although the Justices certainly appeared interested in the idea, there was very apparent hesitation on their part to change over a 100 years of case precedence to go this route. Clement, on the other hand, took the NRA’s position of incorporation through Due Process, an argument first heard in the oral arguments when Justice Scalia actually brought it up to Gura as being the easier route. Clement calmly breezed through his portion with no mention from the Justices of his previous involvement on the other side of the equation with Heller. After Gura and Clement were done presenting their respective arguments, it was obvious the odds were favoring incorporation of the 2nd Amendment.
When James Feldman’s turn arose, it was clear he would have his work cut out for him in arguing that the 2nd Amendment should not be incorporated to the States. That work load appeared to be too much as Justices Scalia and Roberts continually questioned what argument he was trying to make while Feldman appeared to avoid questions, change arguments and revert back to pre-Heller arguments. Although some of the liberal leaning Judges would occasionally “throw him a bone”, there did not appear to be too much going well for Feldman or who he is representing, the City of Chicago.
While incorporation is hardly a done deal, it looks like a major point of the outcome of these arguments will be (if incorporation is indeed granted) what level of scrutiny will be relevant when gun laws are challenged on a Constitutional basis. If “reasonable regulations” are accepted, as they almost certainly will be, what will encompass “reasonable”? Although Chicago’s handgun ban will likely not be found to be reasonable (just as D.C.’s ban was not in Heller), will “assault weapons” bans in some states or locales hold up? How about gun registration? These are all questions that probably won’t be explicitly answered by the Court’s decision, but there will be a much better idea than we currently have.
Here is a link to the Supreme Court oral arguments (PDF) for those of you who are interested. Although long, they are certainly intriguing and a relatively quick read. Look for a decision sometime in June of this year.
Chemical presumptive narcotics identification systems, such as the NIK® Polytesting System and the ODV NarcoPouch® and NarcoTest® lines are some of the most widely-used field drug testing systems used in law enforcement today. Law enforcement officers are expected to combine their investigative skills and experience, knowledge of the characteristics of suspected narcotics and familiarity with the expected color reactions from field tests to correctly identify suspected narcotics.
To gain the maximum benefit from using these test kits, officers should incorporate the following twelve points into their testing protocols to generate accurate and consistent results and successfully establish probable cause to support arrests.
1) Use more tests
Presumptive drug testing systems are designed to identify compounds based on probabilities and the use of multiple tests in succession. The more tests used in the identification of a substance, the greater the probability of positive indication.
2) Don’t overload the test Always use the correct amount of drug sample when testing. Never overload the pouch. If necessary, adjust the amount of sample according to the strength of the color reaction observed.
3) Break the ampoules in the right spot Always break the ampoules in the middle of the special ampoule holder by pinching the holder between the thumb and index finger. Never use another instrument to break the ampoules. Most presumptive drug tests include glass ampoules. Break the ampoule in the wrong place and the glass can puncture the test kit (and your finger).
4) Not shaken or stirred
Completely agitate the pouch with the index finger while holding the pouch by the plastic clip in the opposite hand. Never shake the pouch up and down.
5) Use a white background Always use a white background behind the test pouch to accurately identify the color results. If you view the test on a colored background, it will skew your perception of the test results and could result in a false identification.
6) Your results may vary
Color results are based on the quality and quantity of the drug in the sample. Cutting agents may shift the color hue from the color example printed on the pouch. These shifts should be expected and should be considered when interpreting results.
7) Always consider age
When testing for the presence of marijuana, the age of the plant should be considered when interpreting the results. Older plant material will take longer to react than fresher material.
8) Consider form when testing for Cocaine
Depending on the form of the Cocaine, the first ampoule of a Modified Scott Reagent test (Test G of the NIK Polytesting System) will vary in its reaction.
9) Take the high road AND the low road
Some compounds have multiple tests for presumptive identification. By using more than one test, the chances of a presumptive identification are greatly increased.
10) Three is better than two
Three ampoule tests are more discriminating than tests with one or two ampoules. This is particularly true with the Duquenois Levine and Modified Scott tests.
11) Never introduce liquids
When testing for liquids, place a small amount on a clean white tissue or paper. Never introduce liquids directly into the pouch for testing, except when testing for GHB.
12) Neutralize your tests Always use an acid neutralizer before disposing of NIK tests, and ALWAYS wait for the test pouch to be completely neutralized before placing the safety clip back on the pouch. Do not handle the pouch after adding neutralizer, as it may generate substantial heat.
The economic crisis is taking a toll on just about every aspect of American business. As well, many of our state and local Agencies are undergoing budget cuts for 2010 that may force them to cut officers at a time when some cities are experiencing crime rates that are higher than ever. So, the question is, how can we be better or at least “as efficient” with a reduction in force?
By training the people you’ve got to be even BETTER. If agencies began to look at training as a way to build their employee brand as opposed to being an expense, they can get ahead of the criminals and the technology while the economy improves, and in the end, come out better than ever.
There’s a reason why more millionaires are created during down economic periods than during times of prosperity: Wise investors snap-up great deals. Similarly, while most businesses cut back on what they consider “unnecessary or “additional” expenses, such as marketing or training, wise business leaders capture significant market share by snapping-up the recession-adjusted advertising rates their competitors are passing on, enabling them to win over new customers.
The same comparison can be applied to an agency’s human assets: its officers. How your talent “stacks up” within your agency can mean the difference between life or death in some cases. Are you actively leveraging this economic opportunity to upgrade and solidify your roster of current talent?
Why not? Currently many training companies are offering great specials for training that should be investigated and utilized while the deals are hot! More importantly though, make sure you investigate the quality of training your people will receive. Does the company offer training by former or current law enforcement officers with real world experience? Are they in classes that can significantly improve their current skills and make a difference on the street or in the courtroom? Will they be working with products that officers actually use in their everyday experiences? Do they employ proven tactics that will enhance the performance of your team? Check out all the aspects of a training company’s program before making your decision.
Another point that I also think many Agencies miss is that while they are trying to save money by cutting back on training, it only takes one good lawsuit due to a “failure to train,” “deliberate indifference” or an ”improper or ineffective reaction” by an Officer that could result in an unfavorable judgment that would cost a lot more money than sending a few officers to a training class.. So the old saying comes to mind, “pay now, or pay later.”
No one performs at their peak under duress. Giving your officers the additional training and skills they need to be more effective in their jobs, especially with reduced forces, and personnel can make a difference in a wide range of situations. You can still get the best training available and maybe even catch a deal…
A date has been set for the McDonald v. City of Chicago Supreme Court case. On March 2nd, 2010 the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments addressing whether the city of Chicago is in violation of the Constitution in banning handguns, the annual taxation of firearms, and other items. Although the SC’s previous Heller decision would seem to clearly oppose those regulations, since the case involved Washington D.C., it only applies to that location for the time being.
Although important in its own right, the case takes on a much greater importance in that it will also decide whether the 2nd Amendment is incorporated into local jurisdictions and states, much as the 1st Amendment is. In an earlier blog post, I wrote about the Nordyke decision in the 9th Circuit which incorporated the 2nd amendment as an individual right for western states, but several months later (after an en banc review) the decision was delayed in anticipation of the Supreme Court hearing this case.
This, in addition to the Heller ruling, is one of the most important firearms rights cases to ever go to the Supreme Court and the legal ramifications could be huge and long lasting. The Plaintiffs will be represented by Alan Gura (the same person that argued Heller) and a decision is expected at approximately the end of June.
To get the most effect out of your OC aerosol, you need to be aware and trained on how it should be deployed. Is the aerosol in a Foam, Stream, or Fog delivery system? With this information, a subject or assailant can be targeted appropriately and the best effect will be achieved from the aerosol.
Foam is intended to stick to the target area and stay there, lessening cross contamination.
Stream is an excellent delivery system as it is target specific and can be easily “aimed” at a subjects’ eyes – the intended target area.
Fog is another option, designed to affect the eyes and respiratory system by utilizing smaller particles in a mist-like pattern.
Each form has great advantages, but also individual disadvantages. Foam, although designed to stick to the subject, can also be thrown back at the officer. It can also cause smooth flooring surfaces to become slick. Stream is target specific and therefore requires the user or operator to be target specific when deploying. Fog is greatly affected by the environment and a breeze can cause cross contamination.
All OC and its various delivery forms are intended to create a pause in combat, giving the officer an eventual opportunity to complete an arrest. To quote a buddy of mine; “OC is not intended to be Karate in a can”, but if used properly and in conjunction with other tools and tactics, OC is a very effective tool that can be used to provide both officer and subject safety.
As strange as that may sound, there is a very good chance that you, or one of your fellow officers, will go on duty tonight wearing body armor that may provide far less ballistic protection than expected.
There are not many shooters among us who neglect their firearms after a hard day’s shooting. Whether they get cleaned that day (best case scenario) or a few weeks after they've been used, the fact remains that they eventually get the care and attention they deserve. For many of us, there's always that tinge of guilt hiding in the back of the brain that keeps reminding us, "Your guns are dirty…you're neglecting them…why exactly do you hate your guns so much, what have they ever done to you…" and so on. The question is though, if this much attention is paid to the firearms, why neglect what houses, protects, and makes your handgun available, the holster?
Few, if any, officers are overjoyed when coming into contact with OC Spray (oleoresin capsicum). The taste and intense burning sensation in the eyes or face is unpleasant to say the least. Regardless, in essentially every training course on OC Spray, students are regularly exposed to OC or worse.
For those following 
Chemical presumptive narcotics identification systems, such as the 
The economic crisis is taking a toll on just about every aspect of American business. As well, many of our state and local Agencies are undergoing budget cuts for 2010 that may force them to cut officers at a time when some cities are experiencing crime rates that are higher than ever. So, the question is, how can we be better or at least “as efficient” with a reduction in force? 
A date has been set for the McDonald v. City of Chicago Supreme Court case. On March 2nd, 2010 the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments addressing whether the city of Chicago is in violation of the Constitution in banning handguns, the annual taxation of firearms, and other items. Although the SC’s previous Heller decision would seem to clearly oppose those regulations, since the case involved Washington D.C., it only applies to that location for the time being.
To get the most effect out of your OC aerosol, you need to be aware and trained on how it should be deployed. Is the aerosol in a Foam, Stream, or Fog delivery system? With this information, a subject or assailant can be targeted appropriately and the best effect will be achieved from the aerosol.