Gunfights that Changed Law Enforcement Tactics

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 1/16/20 | M Ayoob

[w1n1]

In the past 30 some odd years, U.S. law enforcement tactics, procedures, and policies have evolved because of these tragic incidents. Not all of us are LEO’s but their training in gunfight tactics have trickled down to private citizen training as well.
The gear and training employed by officers is much different today, partly as a result of the infamous FBI Miami shootout in 86. There have been other game-changing gunfights in the last quarter century. The following segment examines each of them and how they changed LE tactics, procedures, and policies.

FBI Miami Shootout April 11, 1986: Pinecrest, FL
This close-quarters gun battle involved eight FBI agents and two heavily armed suspects during a felony stop in southern Miami. This horrific incident led FBI Firearms Training Unit Director John Hall to conclude that the carnage was primarily "an ammo failure."
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the FBI phased out revolvers and .38 Special ammunition. Agents were also eventually issued H&K MP5 submachine guns for high-risk encounters.
"The FBI went looking for a pistol round with deeper penetration," says Dave Spaulding, a retired Ohio police lieutenant and pistol instructor. "It's not important that you hit something, it's important that you hit something important."
The FBI’s adoption of 10mm Auto to attain greater stopping power popularized the then-obscure round. The FBI later switched to a subsonic load (the “10mm FBI”) to better tame the full-powered 10mm that delivered about 38,000 pounds psi.
Later, the FBI switched to the .40-caliber S&W that was the most prevalent duty ammo in law enforcement in that era. The .40-caliber provides similar ballistics to a 10mm in a shorter casing.
Fast forward to the modern day, with the advancement of technology – the 9mm round can perform just as well as the 10mm in terms of penetration. The FBI has gone back to the 9mm not for the knockdown power but for less recoil and ability to do multiple rapid fire.

Carl Drega Rampage Aug. 19, 1997: Bloomfield, Vt
Recluse Carl Drega took his one-man war with society across state lines on Aug. 19, 1997, launching a rampage that started with the murder of two New Hampshire troopers attempting to ticket him in the parking lot of a LaPerle’s IGA market in Colebrook.
Drega, was armed with an AR-15 and ballistic vest, stole the trooper’s cruiser and drove to Columbia, where he killed a judge and newspaper editor. He then crossed into Vermont, running a game warden off the road and firing on responding officers who located the stolen cruiser.
Two New Hampshire troopers and a U.S. Border Patrol agent with an M14 .308 rifle providing mutual aid eventually stopped Drega by shooting and killing him. The gunman had also been struck in the vest with a rifled shotgun slug.
Following the incident, rural agencies began equipping their officers with patrol rifles, says Ayoob, who was a reserve officer in New Hampshire.

North Hollywood Bank Robbery Feb. 28, 1997: Los Angeles, CA
The Los Angeles officers who found themselves under a barrage of heavy machine-gun fire from the North Hollywood bank robbers quickly realized that their 9mm pistols and shotguns were ineffective against the armored gunmen.
Officers responding to the Bank of America branch along Laurel Canyon Boulevard on Feb. 28, 1997, engaged Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu from the cover of a locksmith shop across a four-lane thoroughfare. LEO’s typically trained at 25 yards with 9mm handguns fired from 70 yards, attempted to answer the military-style rifles—a full-auto Romanian AIM AK-47 variant, Norinco Type 56 S-1, semi-auto HK91, and modified Bushmaster XM15 E2S—used by the suspects. Their loaded 3,300 rounds of ammo were in boxes and drum magazines inside the trunk of their white Chevy Celebrity.
With his troops outgunned, Lt. Nick Zingo authorized officers to head to nearby BB & Sales Gun store to acquire rifles to match the ones fired by the suspects. Following the shootout, which was broadcast locally on live television, law enforcement agencies began providing AR-type rifles to patrol officers.
"Two important lessons come to mind from the North Hollywood shootout," says retired LAPD Capt. Greg Meyer, a member of the POLICE advisory board.
-"First, it is essential these days to equip patrol officers with rifles. Incident after incident around the country proves this. The North Hollywood officers did not have that resource until SWAT arrived on the scene in the final minutes of the shootout."
-"Second, several of the nine heroes wounded were detectives, male and female. Don’t overlook tactical training for your detectives." Everyone needs to keep up-to-date with tactical training. (gunfight drills) Read the rest of gunfights that changed law enforcement tactics.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

If it goes “Rat-a-tat-tat” and YOU are under fire do you split hairs to decide if it was a MACHINE GUN or a SUB-MACHINE GUN?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

“The gunman had also been struck in the vest with a rifled shotgun slug.”

I’ve read that the slug to the bulletproof vest compressed his chest and stopped his heart, which killed him.

[Magnum44]

A better than average AM shooting article :)

[mad_as_he$$]

Yea but “heavy” machine guns go BOOM,BOOM,BOOM.

[real saxophonist]

A better than average AM shooting article :)

Because he stole it.

[Magnum44]

Now it makes sense...lol

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

But the sound of the BOOM BOOM boom gun only hits you after the bullets do, as the bullets travel faster than sound.

[thefactor]

I can’t stand asshole posters like this guy, and I wish they were banned. I know FR has a “bloggers and personal” forum but it’s not meant for people to continually post in it and never respond to anyone. What a loser.

[Paal Gulli]

"Did you get Ayoob’s permission to take his work and post it here, just to pimp your own blog with it?"

Pimps gonna pimp. If American Shooting Urinal couldn't poach or post clickbait they wouldn't have a website.

[OKSooner]

True dat.