John Blue and I put our heads together and came up with what we believe
is a good guide for responsible gun owners for the use of self defense tactics
and awareness of our surroundings.  It is angled towards female gun toters
as we started out with the goal of making a Women's Self-Defense Manual. 

F.O.P. Range Inc.

Handbook

Created by:

John Blue

self-defense Course

Course Outline

safe Storage - Home

Introduction

Welcome to the F.O.P. Range Self Defense Handbook. Contained within
are the basics of self-defense tactics that everybody should be familiar with.
This information will help you make the correct decisions and take the
best course of action when faced with a possible use of force encounter.
What should you do? When can you do it? What happens after you have
to use a level of force on an aggressor? What could you have done to avoid
it. These questions and more are answered within these pages.

We have made every effort to ensure that these guidelines and the information
here is correct and current with today's laws and civil liability statutes.
However, it should not be used as a stand-alone textbook for all use of force
scenarios. Please consult your local District Attorney for specific questions
regarding use of force in the jurisdiction of your residence. This manual is
intended for use in the F.O.P. Range's Self-Defense class. The information
contained in this manual regarding the laws of the State of Alabama, concerning
use of force, is by no means complete and is intended only as a brief overview.
Consult your local library for a complete copy of the Code of Alabama.

Course Overview

During the Self-defense course, you will see that a plan of action when
things go bad is a good thing to have. What should you do as that stranger
approaches you? Did you see him coming? Why not? You probably weren't
looking. Most of us walk around our world everyday, totally oblivious to
our surroundings. When we do this, we are victims waiting to be had.

We'll cover the safe use and storage of your firearm, how you firearm works,
how to maintain your firearm, how to select the most effective ammunition,
and how to effectively shoot your firearm (the basics of marksmanship),
methods of carrying a firearm, and maintaining it. You will also learn about
non-lethal alternatives to firearms, what happens before, during and after a
possibly lethal confrontation and most important of all, how you could have
avoided the situation in the first place. The use of force criminal and civil
liability laws in the State of Alabama will also be covered.

Firearms Safety

1.   All guns that are used or relied upon for self defense
are always loaded. Check every gun you   pick up or
someone hands you. If you set it down, check it again
when you pick it back up.

2.   Never point a weapon at anything you are not
willing to destroy or kill.

3.   Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready
to fire. This means do not touch the trigger  until your
weapon is brought into a firing position and you have
a sight picture on your  intended target.

4.    Always identify your intended target and what is
beyond it. This includes dry fire practice in your home.
If you make a mistake and the firearm discharges, it
will penetrate the walls and / or doors of your home.

5.    When you are going to clean or service your weapon,
such as wiping it down with an oily cloth to prevent rust,
unload your weapon before doing so. Visually check to see
that the chamber or cylinder is indeed empty before doing
any maintenance on your weapon. When you are finished,
reload your weapon.

6.    Do not attempt to use firearms when under the influence
of drugs or alcohol. Do not allow yourself to become
intoxicated. Exercise control and restraint. If you drink,
do so in moderation.

7.    There is no rule 7.  (Monty Python joke, Bruce skit)

8.    All guns are always loaded.

9.    All guns are always loaded.

10.   All guns are always loaded.

11.   All guns are always loaded.

Range Rules

1. The range is a cold range. No loaded firearms are allowed anywhere
except on the range firing line.

2. When on the firing line, keep the muzzle of your gun pointing
downrange at all times. Always know where the muzzle of your gun
is pointing.

3. Load your weapon only on the range firing line at the direction
of the Instructor.

4. Never turn around and face up-range with a loaded gun.

5. Raise your hand if you have any questions or don't understand.

6. Follow all commands or directives given by the Instructor or Range Officer.

Awareness Color Codes

We would all like to live in a perfect world where there are no reasons
to fear any man... reality is that there is a small section of our population
that derives their existence from preying on other people. They are
predators. They take advantage of those that they believe to be weak
or an easy target. We can make their perception of us as an easy target
change. We simply have to appear that we are aware of our surroundings.
We have to know what is going on around us at all times, total 360 degree
awareness.

GREEN

The only time when we should relax our guard is in our own home. When
we are relaxed and satisfied that we are is a safe area, we can go into a
GREEN mode of awareness. GREEN is a color code for the times when
you can close your eyes and not worry about any threat. Your home is
the only place you should allow yourself to go into GREEN.

YELLOW

Whenever we are outside our home, we should live in a slightly
heightened state of awareness. This is called the YELLOW mode.
We know what is happening around us. Who is approaching our
space and their position relative to our space. You have not identified
any threat or possible threat but you are aware and are paying attention
so that if one does appear, it does not take you by surprise. You will
probably have time to avoid the threat because you saw it coming.
Because you appeared as if you were aware of your surroundings,
you did not appear to be an easy target. It is easy to get distracted
and slip into a GREEN mode.

RED

When you have identified an actual threat, either perceived or real,
you should immediately go into a RED mode of awareness. You have
seen something that is out of the ordinary, does not belong, or someone
by their actions have caused you to become concerned that they may
not have honorable intentions. RED is where you go into your plan of
action that you have thought through for this scenario. Create distance.
Verbally challenge the threat. Put a weapon to defend yourself with in
your hand. Attract attention to this person's actions any way you can.
Make it clear to the threat that you are not ready to be a willing victim
and will not allow them to have what they want without a fight. Retreat
if you can do so safely.

(Street Smarts)

First and foremost, AVOID SITUATIONS THAT MAY PUT YOU
IN DANGER! If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, your
first reaction should be to remove yourself from this situation and
seek safety. Create distance from the threat. Your number one
weapon is your mind. Always be aware of your surroundings and
what is going on around you. If something or someone doesn't look
right or makes you nervous.... get out! Trust your instincts, they
are usually right.

When in your car, keep your doors locked and your windows up.

Never approach your car before looking around, behind, and inside
your car.

Have the keys in your hand before you leave a position of safety
and go to your car or from your car to a building.

Do not park next to any vehicle that you cannot see into.

Do not leave items in your car that would indicate that your car
belongs to a woman.

Watch for an occupied vehicle in the parking lot.

Look for any vehicle that is cruising around the parking lot when
their are spaces available.

If you are involved in a car-jacking, let them have the car. Do not
go with them.

If someone grabs you while you are entering your car, throw
your keys. This will prevent them from taking you to another
location. Statistically, women who are taken to another location
and attacked are, more often than not, murdered.

Always leave enough room between your vehicle and the car in
front of you in traffic to drive away if threatened.

Your vehicle may be used as an effective weapon. If you cannot
drive away from danger, run into it or over it.

If you jog or walk, always do so with a friend in active areas
during daylight hours.

Do not wear headphones. You cannot hear your surrounding
with them on.

Use all of your senses to monitor what is happening around you.
Bad guys don't bathe.

Do not become immersed in a telephone conversation on your
cell phone.

Pay attention to what is going on around you. If you find that
when you hung up, you cannot remember several details of
what happened around you while you were on the phone,
you just became an easy mark for an attack during the phone call.

Pay attention to your surroundings. When on foot, you think
someone is following you, change directions. If they change
their direction in response to your change of direction, seek
a populated area, such as a store, and call the police.

If in an automobile, make a few turns to see if they are indeed
following you. If they are still in sight, drive to the police department
or a well populated area. If you have a cell phone and find yourself
being followed, your first call should be to the police. Give them
your location, direction of travel, and the description of your car
as well as the car that is following you. Drive normally to the
police department... do not drive home. Stay on the phone with
the police dispatcher until you are talking to an officer in person.

Do not blindly walk out of buildings, including your home.
Always take a second to check the surroundings for anything
out of place or unusual.

If someone approaches you and you have nowhere to go, tell
them in a loud and firm voice, to get away from you, to leave
you alone, etc. This will immediately confirm their intentions
and let them know that you are not an easy mark. Most
criminals prefer easy victims. Never be a victim.

Do your best to stay out of places you know may harbor predators.
Park in well lit parking lots. If you are going to be inside a store
until after dark, park under a street light. Shop only in the daylight
hours. Take a friend with you. There is safety in numbers. If you
must purchase gas after dark, do so at a busy station with lots of
potential witnesses around. Use common sense and avoid any
place you think may be unsafe.

Have a plan of action that you have thought through for every
imaginable scenario. "What if" every situation you can think of.
Have a response planned for any threat you may encounter.
Include a less than lethal level of response in your planning.
Pulling out your gun is not always the best answer to a perceived
threat. It should be your last resort.

Remember, just because you had to pull your weapon, it doesn't
mean that you will have to fire it. Most use of lethal force
confrontations are de-escalated by the presence of your weapon
in your hand in response to an aggressor's threatening actions.
Don't become an easy victim.

Tactical Rules

(mind-set)

Never let a stranger close to you. The average "Safety Zone"
(the distance most of us feel comfortable) when in a public
place is about 6 feet. Inside 3 feet is usually where most of us
draw the line as being "your space". Someone within three
feet is in your space and usually makes us feel uncomfortable.
Never let someone you don't know in your Safety Zone. Keep
distance.

Stay Alert! Live in Yellow. Never allow yourself to slip into
Green while outside your house.

Never use more force than is needed. Be ready to use force if
it is needed.

Any weapon on your person is better than one left in your
car or at home.

Always have a "non-lethal" force weapon at hand or within
reach. Best scenario... in your pocket when you need it.

Always use cover if it available. Never fight in the open

Scream / curse as loud as you can when attacked. Draw
attention to your attacker's actions. Attention is your friend.

Never quit. Never stop. Keep fighting. If you ever quit... you die.

Equipment and Ammunition

Always buy the best you can afford!! Your life may depend on it!!

Handgun -

After you have gained some experience shooting, you will find what
feels comfortable to you. Choose your gun with several factors in mind...

Comfort - Are the grips large enough to allow a good grip when
firing the weapon.

Size - Does it fit your hand. Can you reach the trigger with your
index finger and get the end pad of your finger centered on the
trigger? Can you reach and operate all the controls with one hand?

Weight - Is it so heavy that you dread carrying it. A heavier handgun
is, the more pleasant it will be to shoot because the weight dampens
recoil but it makes the gun less comfortable to carry.

Conceal-ability - can you easily carry the weapon concealed. If it is
too large to be able to effectively hide it under a shirt, chances are
you won't have it when you need. You will have to dress around
your gun. You may decide after a short period of time that it is
not worth the effort required to conceal your self defense weapon
and you may leave it at home or in your car instead of at hand
where it should be.

A gun left in your car or at home because it is too heavy or bulky
does you no good. It is a very sickening feeling to need one and
to not have it accessible.

Long Arms-

A long arm, shotgun or rifle, makes a very effective self defense
weapon. There are several advantages to long arms as well as
some pretty bad disadvantages. The advantages are:

A shotgun is the most devastating weapon available for self defense.
It is a close range weapon, used primarily inside 25 yards. There is
a wide variety of ammunition available for shotguns. They are
easily operated and because of the long sight radius, long barrel,
easy to aim.

A rifle fires a high velocity projectile with very good accuracy.
It is effective at close to very far ranges, contact distance to 250
yards and further. They are easy to operate and are very accurate.

Both shotguns and rifles use much more powerful ammunition.
They do a lot more damage to whatever they hit.

The disadvantages of long arms for home defense weapons are;

The long barrel is easy to grab and will allow the bad guy an
excellent handle for wrestling it away from you. It is at it's
best at a distance.

Movement with a long arm through a house is difficult. It is
hard to move from one room to another without the long
barrel leading the way. Again, it is easy to grab and to take
control of.

The ammunition for long arms is usually very high powered
and moves at a very high velocity. It has a tendency to over-
penetrate and will go through the bad guy and several walls
before stopping. Reduced velocity ammunition is just now
becoming available for this purpose.

These long arms have a much greater recoil and it will take
longer to get the muzzle back onto target for follow-up shots.

The sound made when one of these long arms goes off inside
a closed space is deafening. You will suffer permanent hearing
loss if it is shot in the same room with you.

Ammunition -

Always use high quality, factory loaded ammunition. Never
carry reloaded ammunition for self defense use. First rate
ammunition is expensive.... Smile and pay for it. High performance
ammunition includes hollow-point, frangible, and soft point
ammunition. Police departments will usually use the best
proven ammunition. They know from experience what does
and does not work. Find out what your local department uses
and purchase a box. Make sure your weapon functions reliably
with it. Then purchase some more and carry it for self defense use.

When storing ammunition, keep it in a cool dry place. Not in
your car trunk, bathroom, kitchen or damp basement. Humidity,
heat, moisture, and oils will damage ammunition, making it
unreliable. Ammunition stored properly has an indefinite shelf life.

Rotate your ammunition. This means you need to replace the
ammunition carried in your weapon on a regular basis. Dispose
of ammunition that has been carried in your gun for more that
6 months at the firing range by getting in some practice with it.
Replace it with ammunition that is new or has been properly
stored. Sweat contains oils that, if they are allowed to get on
your ammunition, will harm the primer by contaminating and
deactivating it. Water may also damage ammunition, making
it unreliable. Always replace any ammunition that has been
exposed to water, oil, or that has a dented or damaged case.

Magnum ammunition may not be the best choice for self defense
use. It is a proven man stopper, but has several disadvantages over
non-magnum ammunition.

Magnum ammunition has much more recoil that standard velocity
ammunition. This will make follow-up shots much slower because
the guns moves much more when fired.

Magnum ammunition has a much louder muzzle blast. This creates
bad habits such as flinching when shooting the gun. Is an inside
environment, exposure to this loud muzzle blast will cause
permanent hearing loss.

Magnum ammunition has a tremendous muzzle flash when fired
in low light situations. This will cause you to lose you ability to see
well by temporarily blinding you. It will also give your position
away to an attacker, allowing him to see where you are by these
large flashes of bright light.

Magnum ammunition will penetrate deeper, possibly too deep.
Over penetration is not a desirable trait in ammunition used for
self defense purposes. It may pass completely through your
attacker's body and continue on until it hits another object.
What if that object is an innocent human being or loved one
in another room of your house. Magnum ammunition will go
through several layers of sheet rock that separate the rooms of
a house. For all intents and purposes, sheet rock might as well
be made of paper. Choose ammunition that will usually penetrate
only 10 to 12 inches of ordinance gelatin. This information is
available from the handgun ammunition manufacturers and
numerous publications.

Maintenance and Cleaning

Regular maintenance and cleaning of your firearm is necessary
for it to function reliably when you need it to. Please refer to
|your owner=s manual for cleaning procedures for your specific
firearm. If in doubt, consult a qualified gunsmith.

Alternate Weapons

Pepper / Chemical Sprays -

Good quality chemical sprays that contain both a CS agent and
an OS agent are very effective. CS is tear gas and will blind your
attacker. OS is Olesporin Capsicum or the pepper part of the spray.
It severely irritates mucus membranes in both the eyes / tear ducts
and in the sinuses. The percentage of OS relates to how long the
irritant will effect a person. The higher the number, a good spray
is 5% to 10% , the longer it will take the person sprayed to recover
from the effects of the spray.

When properly applied, sprayed anywhere in the face, it will
severely disable a person. He will be temporarily blinded and
may have difficulty breathing. It will create time for you to create
distance between you and your assailant, get away. The really
good thing about sprays is that they can be employed at a distance
and the effects are not permanent. They are non-lethal and easily
carried. The appearance of someone walking down the street with
a small can in their hand is not offending to anyone and the presence
of a can of chemical spray is accepted as non-threatening.... unlike
walking down the street with your handgun in your hand.

Flashlights-

In addition to providing light, a good flash light can blind an attacker
for a very short period of time, creating an opportunity to access
another weapon or to get away. A self defense flashlight should put
out at least 15,000 candle power and 30,000 candle power flashlights
are available that will fit in you pants pocket. A "police" type light, like
the "Mag-charger" or "Streamlight" are also excellent impact weapons
but are bulky, long and are not easily carried... they won't fit in a pocket.
Any 3 cell flashlight or longer makes a good impact weapon.

The flashlight is great for two reasons. It removes the predator's cloak
of darkness... you can see. It will probably be in your hand when you
need it and can be an excellent weapon, removing your assailant's
night vision for about 5 seconds and if it is a large flashlight, makes
a good impact weapon. The bad part about it being an impact weapon
is that you have screwed up letting someone get that close to you for
you to be able to strike them.

Other Impact Weapons -

Slap-Jacks - a Slap-Jack is a leather
bound weighted device that can
cause injury when you hit someone
with it. It is used against your attacker's
skull and face as well as joints and bones.
It can be easily carried and concealed
and is an effective weapon.

Collapsible Batons - a "casco" or "asp" baton are also excellent impact
weapons. They collapse to about 1/3 their extended length making
them easy to carry and conceal. When needed, they are easily extended
and employed. However, some training on how to use the baton and
what strike areas are best should be obtained before carrying one. If
you have one, practice with it regularly. Become familiar with the
motion required to make it extend

Knives -

A good quality knife can be deadly at very close range. It should
be considered a "last resort" weapon. You must be very close to
your attacker to be able to use it effectively. If you find yourself
this close... You have really screwed up.

Improvised Weapons

Just about anything else that you can imagine can be used as a
weapon. Car keys, writing instruments, cell phones.... what
ever you may have in your hand is often much better than
an empty hand as a weapon for self defense tools.

Carry Methods

The ways to carry a handgun for self defense purposes is only
limited by your imagination.

The method of carry should allow you reasonably quick access
to your weapon.

It should be comfortable to carry all day long.

If it is in a separate container, such as a purse, the purse should
have a reinforced strap that is long enough to fit over your head
and one shoulder. Never set it down or allow someone else to
see your weapon in your purse. Handbags are available with
hidden velcro enclosed compartments that allow easy access
to a weapon.

The weapon must be concealed from public view. Alabama State
Law requires that the weapon be carried in a concealed manner.

Fanny packs are popular for carrying a weapon. Too popular.
The presence of a fanny pack now suggests that there is a weapon
on this person.

Ankle holsters are easy to conceal, are easy to get to if you are
on the ground but difficult to get to with out drawing attention
to your actions.

Small of the back holsters are easy to conceal and offer easy
access but are not comfortable to sit on.

A cross-draw holster is easy to conceal and is very easy to get
to but because to butt of the weapon faces the threat, it is easier
for someone to snatch during a physical confrontation. It is one
of the best holsters to have on if you are in a vehicle because it
can allow a fast draw while wearing a seatbelt.

A shoulder holster is a good choice but you have to dress
around the holster. You usually have to have a cover garment
on, such as a jacket. In our climate, it is not practical to wear
unnecessary clothing. It allows a quick draw while sitting,
standing, or running. However, a few hours of the weight
of the gun, spare ammo, and the holster on your shoulders
and upper back will take its toll and become very uncomfortable.

As you walk, the gun usually bangs against your ribs and
they become sore in short order.

Simple pocket holsters are good if you are on your feet when
you need the weapon. They can make access to the weapon
while sitting difficult if not impossible.

A paddle style holster is another good holster design. It is
comfortable and can be removed easily without undressing
when you get to your office or back home. Most offer good
weapon retention and are made for individual weapons.

A strong side hip holster is usually the best compromise with
comfort and accessibility in mind. It should be molded to fit
you specific weapon and offer some form of retention device
such as a strap or trigger guard pinch device to secure the
weapon in the holster. The top of the holster should have a
rigid material sewn in to keep the top of the holster open for
easy reholstering. It should also be securely fastened to your
belt with a loop or set of holes to pass the belt through. The
belt loop or holes should fit the belt you use with the holster.
Use a quality two ply leather belt. Single ply belts don't last
and tend to roll up.

No holster at all is unacceptable. A gun stuck in your pants
belt line will fall out when running and will shift just when
walking, requiring you to put your hand on it to keep adjusting
it... calling attention to the fact that you have something there.
A gun stuck in your pocket will get lint, keys, change and what
ever else you have in your pocket against it, possible damaging
the finish or entangling the gun when you are drawing it.

13A-3-23 Use of Force in the Defense of a Person

(A) A person is justified in using physical force upon another person
in order to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonable
believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by
that other person, and he may use a degree of force which he reasonably
believes to be necessary for that purpose. A person may use deadly force
if the actor reasonably believes that such other person is:

1) Using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force; or

2) Using or about to use physical force against an occupant of a dwelling
while committing or attempting to commit a burglary of such dwelling; or

3) Committing or about to commit a kidnaping in any degree, assault
in the first or second degree, burglary in any degree, robbery in any
degree, forcible rape or forcible sodomy.

(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (A), a person is not
justified in using deadly physical force upon another person if it
reasonably appears or he knows that he can avoid the necessity of
using such force with complete safety:

1) By retreating, except that the actor is not required to retreat:

a) If he is in his dwelling or at his place of work and was not the
original aggressor; or

b) If he is a peace officer or a private person lawfully assisting a
peace officer at his direction.

2), & 3) repealed by Acts 1979, no.79599, p.1060, ss 1.

(C) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (A), a person is
not justified in using physical force if:

1) With intend to cause physical injury or death to another person,
he provoked the use of unlawful physical force by such other person; or

2) He was the initial aggressor, except that his use of physical force
upon another person under the circumstances is justifiable if he
withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates to
the other person his intent to do so, but the latter nevertheless
continues or threatens the use of unlawful physical force; or

3) The physical force involved was the product of a combat by
agreement not specifically authorized by law.

13A-6-2. Murder

(A) A person commits the crime of murder if:

1) With intent to cause the death of another person, he causes the
death of that person or of another person; or

2) Under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human
life, he recklessly engages in conduct which creates grave risk of death
to a person other than himself, and thereby causes the death of another
person; or

3) he commits or attempts to commit arson in the first degree, burglary
in the first or second degree, escape in the first degree, kidnapping in
the first degree, rape in the first degree, robbery in any degree, sodomy
in the first degree, or any other felony clearly dangerous to human life
and, in the course of and furtherance of the crime that he is committing
or attempting to commit, or in immediate flight therefrom, he, or another
participant if there be any, causes the death of another person.

(B) A person does not commit murder under subdivisions A-1 or A-2
of this section if he was moved to act by a sudden heat of passion caused
by provocation recognized by law, and before there had been a reasonable
time for the passion to cool and for reason to reassert itself. The burden
of injecting the issue of killing under legal provocation is on the defendant,
but this does not shift the burden of proof. This subsection does not apply
to a prosecution for, or preclude a conviction of, manslaughter or other crime.

13A-6-3 Manslaughter

(A) A person commits the crime of manslaughter if:

1) He recklessly causes the death of another person, or

2) He causes the death of another person under circumstances that
would constitute murder under section 13A-6-2; except, that he causes
the death due to a sudden heat of passion caused by provocation
recognized by law, and before a reasonable time for the passion to
cool and for reason to reassert itself.

13A-6-20 Assault in the First Degree

(A) A person commits the crime of assault in the first degree if:

1) With intent to cause serious physical injury to another person,
he causes serious physical injury to any person by means of a deadly
weapon or dangerous instrument; or

2) With intent to disfigure another person seriously and permanently,
or to destroy, amputate or disable permanently a member or organ
of his body, he causes such an injury to any person; or

3) Under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value
of human life, he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave
risk of death to another person, and thereby causes serious physical
injury to any person; or

4) In the course of and in furtherance of the commission or attempted
commission of arson in the first degree, burglary in the first or second
degree, escape in the first degree, kidnaping in the first degree, rape
in the first degree, robbery in any degree, sodomy in the first degree
or any other felony clearly dangerous to human life, or in immediate
flight therefrom, he causes a serious physical injury to another person; or

5) While driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance
or any combination thereof in violation of section 32-5A-191 he causes
serious bodily injury to the person of another with a motor vehicle.

(B) Assault in the first degree is a class B felony.

Civil Liability Guidelines

Most courts in assessing the civil liability of a police officer where an
issue of the use of force or excessive use of force is before them, are
guided by the mandates of the civil rights act, 42 U.S.C., section 1983.
This section provides that:

"Every person who, under color or any statute, ordinance, regulation,
custom or usage, of any state or territory, subjects, or causes to be subjected,
any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction
thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured
by the Constitution and laws, SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE PARTY INJURED
in an action of law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress."

In essence, the Civil Rights Act, prohibits police conduct which "shocks
the conscience", and amounts to "excessive use of force", under the
circumstances of the case in question.

In an effort to determine whether the force used by an officer was
excessive, the court "MUST" consider the following brief set of issues:

the need for application of force

the relationship between the amount of force used and the need
for using force.

the nature of the offence

the behavior of the subject against whom the force was used

the actions by third parties who may have been present

the physical odds against the officer

the feasibility or availability of alternative actions, and,

whether the force was applied to maintain or restore discipline, or
whether it was applies maliciously or sadistically for the very purpose
of causing harm.

It should be noted that liability can be sustained, even if the harm or
injury is not serious or permanent. In most cases though, suits are
awarded in permanent injuries and death situations.

The fact that there is probable cause for arrest, does not mean there
is a legitimate need to control an unruly prisoner, and does not serve
as justification for use of excessive force.

The court will view the amount of force used by you in light of the
particular circumstances which were to be achieved.

In conclusion, the court will reach a decision as to whether you possessed
the requisite state of mind, i.e., a reasonable belief that the force used was
necessary, and whether in light of the above factors, such a state of mind
was reasonable.

Some important points to remember when involved in an excessive force
and/or civil liability suit or investigation are:

these are usually investigated by the FBI, as it is a Federal statute.

be completely familiarized with your department's use of force and
documents relating to all impact weapons.

when an excessive force situation is encountered, be sure to do a complete,
concise, accurate and truthful report on the entire incident of the case in question.

be sure that you are trained and certified in any weapon you carry, and,
you remain current in the respective weapon you carry, with credible
documentation, should you be asked to provide it in a court of law or
an investigation.

Use of Force Guidelines

In the absence of a written use of force policy, the following guidelines
should be followed:

1) Only the force needed should be used to settle an incident. NEVER use
more force than needed.

2) Deadly Force is only to be employed in defense of your life or the life
of another person.

3) Deadly Force is NEVER to be used to protect property. Deadly Force is
only to be used to protect life.

4) Deadly Force may never be used to effect a misdemeanor arrest or in
response to a nonviolent offense even if that offense is a felony or federal
crime.

The above guidelines are not to be considered a Use of Force Policy by
any person or agency.

F.O.P. Range Inc.

May 1996

Marksmanship Skills

Sight Alignment - see illustration ...

Sight alignment is defined as the relationship of the eye, the front sight,
the rear sight, and the target with each other. The front sight and rear
sight should be placed at eye level with the front sight blade placed in
the center of the rear sight notch. The top of the front sight and the top
of the rear sight should be the same height. The front sight should be
positioned so it appears to be in the center of the rear sight notch with
an equal amount of space on the left and right side of the front sight
blade in the rear sight notch creating what is called a "sight picture".
This front sight / rear sight "picture" should be placed in the center
of the target, exactly where you want the bullet to go. Most modern
handguns using high quality ammunition will put the bullet within
an inch or two of this "sight picture's" point of aim at distances out to
50 yards.

Trigger Control -

Trigger control is defined as the ability to maintain sight alignment
on your intended target while causing the gun to discharge. You increase
pressure on the trigger, making it move rearward, causing the hammer
to fall, igniting the round of ammunition in the guns chamber which
launches the bullet through the barrel towards the target without
disturbing the alignment of the gun's sights with the target. Sounds
easy enough.

The problem is that our body does not like loud, sudden noises or surprises.
This creates an involuntary flinch when you believe the gun is going to make
this loud noise. This flinch will disturb your sight alignment with the target
and cause you to miss the target. This flinch or involuntary jerking can be
overcome by practicing at the range with good hearing protection. The gun's
movement in you hand when it discharges is called recoil. This is another
surprise that our body does not like. It too leads to bad habits such as the flinch
before discharge. Practice is the best cure for this involuntary movement.
Continued exposure to the recoil and noise involved with shooting will
condition your body's central nervous system to not react to the stimulus
of the gun going off.

Most of the problems with your accuracy when shooting can be attributed
to anticipating recoil and disturbing the sight alignment while the gun
discharges. The way to overcome this "anticipation of recoil" is to make
each shot a surprise. Increase pressure on the trigger until the gun discharges.

Don't make the gun go off.

Let the gun go off while your sights are where you want the bullet to impact.

If your sights are not on the target when the gun goes off, you will not
hit the target unless you are just plain lucky. Luck comes and goes,
usually when you need it the most. The skills you learn from training
are with you always. Just learn to squeeze the trigger smoothly without
jerking or snatching the trigger while concentrating on where your sights
are. Dry firing is the best way to get this practice. Dry firing is practicing
your shooting without any ammunition in your weapon. Better yet, don't
have any ammunition in the same room as where you do your dry fire
practice. Unload your gun and verify visually that the gun is empty by
looking in the chamber. Locate a solid wall such as a basement wall of
block wall to use for your backstop during your dry fire practice. Place
you target or multiple targets on this wall. Practice your sight alignment
and trigger control skills. This doesn't cost anything, can be done in any
weather, and results in good shooting habits.

Understand that if you don't have the skills to accurately place your shots
on the target while shooting slowly in practice, you surely will not be able
to do so quickly under stress when your life or the life of a loved one may
depend on it!

Grip -

Grip is defined as holding the gun in a manner that it can be operated
repeatedly without changing the way you are holding it. You should
hold it about as tightly as you would a hammer while driving a nail.
It should be positioned in your hand so it can be operated and fired
with only one hand. It should point as naturally as your index finger.
It should be held so that the barrel forms a line that starts at your elbow
and continues down your arm through your wrist, through the sights,
to your intended target without having to shift the gun in your hand to
achieve a "sight picture". You should not have to shift the gun in your
strong hand to get a good two handed grip. Your "strong hand" is the
hand you would normally write and do most things with. Your weak
hand is your other hand that you normally hold stuff with while you
do things with your strong hand to the stuff in your weak hand. With
practice, you will be able to shoot equally well with either hand.

Home Firearm Check List

These questions deal with the subject of firearms safety in the home.
It may also be used as a check list for the hunter or target shooter
before leaving home. All the questions have been framed so all the
answers should be "yes".

Are you sure the gun's condition, loaded or unloaded? YES / NO

Is the gun kept in a location where children cannot get to it? YES / NO

Do you treat every gun that comes into your home as if it is
loaded? YES / NO

Do you always carry the gun in a manner that the muzzle is under
control? YES / NO

Is the whole family familiar with the firearms in the home? YES / NO

Are you certain you carry only the proper ammunition for the gun
you are carrying? YES / NO

When handling a firearm, do you always keep your finger out of the
trigger guard? YES / NO

Is the gun checked thoroughly on a regular basis? YES / NO

Are all the metal parts free of rust? YES / NO

Is the bore clean and free of any obstructions? YES / NO

Are all the metal parts of the gun free of heavy grease? YES / NO

Does the action work freely? YES / NO

Does the trigger work freely? YES / NO

Does the safety function properly? YES / NO

If the gun is not to be used or relied on for self defense purposes, is
it stored unloaded? YES / NO

Is the ammunition stored in a separate location? YES / NO

Is the ammunition locked up? YES / NO

Is the ammunition stored in a box that identifies it correctly? YES / NO

Have the users of the gun had firearms safety training? YES / NO

       If you have any questions or comments about this Self-Defense Guide,
please call me at the range (205-744-2600) or email me at foprange@foprangeinc.com
or foprange@aol.com.  Please don't reprint or publish without permission. 

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Send mail to foprange@bellsouth.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: April 07, 2004