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Ah, Part Two of Firearms, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways …

1. We just got down to business and shot guns.  No discussion, no lessons (save a brief manual of arms introduction to the Glock … easy as can be).
2. First shot using Officer Jason Anderson’s Glock 22 service pistol cut the intersection of the X at seven yards (see photo below).
3. Another officer to Jason: “It’s not how good they are, it’s how good you make them.” Officer Anderson to me: “Put the rest of the rounds off the target, we’ll tell them you used the same hole.”
4. Double taps in the X-ring.
5. Body armor drills with two to COM and one to the head.
6. Eight shots inside the 8-ring in 3.3 seconds.
7. 42 of 43 total shots in the 9-ring (seven head shots).
8. 34 of 43 total shots in the X-rings.
9. Four for four from 75 feet within the 7-ring: one in the X-ring, two in the 9-ring.
10. Firearms Training System (FATS) … ’nuff said.

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From The Forum:

WEST FARGO – Police here arrested a Colorado Springs, Co., man early this morning after finding him in possession of a 1992 Harley Davidson motorcycle belonging to a Grand Forks, N.D., man.

Mark Richard Wolf, 36, is facing felony charges of burglary and theft of property in Cass County District Court.

He is suspected of stealing the motorcycle from storage at Scheile Enterprises at 1025 Center St. in West Fargo, according to a news release.

Authorities found damage on the east side of the building. Steel siding was found to be cut along with tine snips lying on the ground, the release said.

I was there! This happened during my ride-along with Officer Travis Johnson on Thursday night.  In all honesty, the report above should say that the Cass County Sheriff’s Department arrested the man (but maybe The Forum calls all LEO “police”).

Oh well, the important part is that I WAS THERE!

This week was Part One of the firearms section of Citizen’s Police Academy.  Most of the three hour class was a lecture on deadly force and its application in law enforcement.  A few videos of shootouts were shown, and discussion followed each.  I got an “A” for knowing that officers do not shoot to kill, but shoot to “stop the threat” to themselves or others.

For the last 30-45 minutes, Sergeant Duane Sall gave a brief overview of the workings of the Glock .40 caliber pistols we will be firing at next week’s class.  He had each student hold and dry fire his confirmed-empty duty weapon, and offered feedback as needed.

Next week we meet a little early then head over to the shooting range (it’s indoors, and I have no idea where).  We will have the opportunity to fire handguns and I believe shotguns and AR-15s.  We get to take home a memento — the targets we shoot up during the class.

Over at Capitalism Magazine, Walter Williams writes:

Congress produces nothing. Whatever Congress wishes to give, it has to first take other people’s money. Thus, at the root of the welfare state is the immorality of intimidation, threats and coercion backed up with the threat of violence by the agents of the U.S. Congress. In order for Congress to do what some Americans deem as good, it must first do evil. It must do that which if done privately would mean a jail sentence; namely, take the property of one American to give to another.

Preach on, brother!

Tonight’s session started with some classroom instruction with an old-timey police training video on safety during traffic stops.  Seriously, this video had an actress obviously no older than 20 and the police dispatcher returned her birthday as XX/XX/60.  That’s an old video.  However, Officer Jorgensen stated that all of the information in the short clip (minus the cheezy acting) was current and correct procedure.

We then drove separately to Bonanzaville where we each had the opportunity to pull over an officer using actual West Fargo Police Department cruisers!  During my traffic stop, Officer Anderson initially pulled over and waited patiently, while I “ran” his plates, then took off when I exited the vehicle.  I scrambled back to the cruiser and reinitiated the pursuit which lasted for approximately 50 more feet.

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My restaurants, The Pita Pit of Fargo, are currently hiring for all shifts at both locations (13th Avenue South and Broadway N) for the position of Pit Crew Member.

Pit Crew Members earn $10.00 per hour base wage after a brief but thorough training period.  We offer flexible schedules, a fun working environment and discounts on great food.

We are looking for the best and brightest Fargo has to offer. If that’s you, please fill out an application and bring it by either Fargo Pita Pit location:  4900 13th Avenue S or 206 Broadway N. You may also fax your application to (701) 356-7484.

Tonight was the first night of the free twelve-week Citizen’s Police Academy put on by the West Fargo Police Department and led by Officer Rhonda Jorgensen.  There are 13 civilians in the class, including myself, with eight women and five men (which surprised me).

Tonight’s class was an introduction, with a bit of paperwork (releases and personal information forms) and a brief speech from Chief of Police Arland Rasmussen.  This was followed by a tour of the police station and a run-through of some of the equipment in squad cars.  We were also shown the equipment an officer wears on his patrol belt, including a Taser, collapsable baton and service weapon (a “.40 caliber Glock” which I assume was the 23, though I didn’t ask).

Next week we are scheduled to perform traffic stops, with officers volunteering as subjects (meaning we get to drive the patrol cars!).  If the weather is too bad — and I’m not sure how bad is “too bad” — we will swap Weeks 2 and 3 and get our introduction to firearms next week, and perform traffic stops during Week 3.

I was in college in Moscow, ID and in the Pacific Time Zone. For absolutely no reason I was then or am now aware of, I woke up at 6:40 am and turned on the TV. This was just after the second tower had been hit, and the reporters were concerned that a helicopter in the background was a third plane about to hit.

I was convinced that this was a scene from a movie, a “War of the Worlds” fake broadcast … for about 10 seconds. Then I found the attacks were on every channel.

I had class at 10 am (1 pm EST) and attended that. No one spoke. The professor didn’t show up, so we voted to drop the “ten minute rule” to two minutes and all went our separate ways. I went to my friends’ fraternity house and watched the TV there with about 40 other guys most of the day.

A few days later (less than a week) I was sitting in my Accounting classroom with no windows and one exit door when we suddenly heard a jet engine directly over our heads — but no boom. Everyone sat there stunned for about five minutes, and the professor eventually said, “We’re not going to get any learning done today, go home.”

I found out later that the Air Force ROTC had a previously scheduled military fly-by that they decided to proceed with even after the attacks, but without informing any of the student body. No one was very happy with that decision.

What were you doing 9/11/01?

I was rear-ended while driving the restaurant’s Scion XB on 13th Avenue S in Fargo on Friday the 13th of June.  Everything went well as far as the responding officer, the other driver and the other driver’s insurance company were concerned.  Where I seem to have run into trouble is Progressive Commercial not confirming that the vehicle I have had insured with them for two years (the one that was rear-ended) was actually insured on the account.

When the state received a negative confirmation, they sent me notice that they are suspending my driver’s license for lack of proof of insurance.  I have proof right in front of me that I am insured by Progressive on the exact vehicle involved in the accident, but until Progressive confirms that the vehicle is the one covered, I must live with the threat of losing my license in two weeks.

Progressive, if you’re listening, you are very close to losing a long-time customer with two separate accounts on three vehicles.  Hopefully you’ll be more willing to actually look at my policy when I get involved personally than when the state requests confirmation.

Tonight is the bachelor/ette party K’s friends are throwing for us, starting with dinner at the OB then drinks (likely hitting the bars downtown). Tomorrow marks the two-week countdown for our wedding in Vegas, baby!