

Tactical Tangents
Tactical Tangents
Mike is a police SWAT team member, K9 handler, and tactical medic. Jim is an Air Force pilot with a background in close air support and combat search and rescue. Our goal is to elevate the conversation about all things tactical for public safety, military, and concerned citizens. Join us to hear lessons learned about decision making, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and teamwork.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 23, 2022 • 6min
Short Talk: What does it mean to "Be Safe?"
Mike has a quick rant about when someone says "Be safe tonight!" What does that even mean? Link: The "X" defined Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Jun 15, 2022 • 59min
115: Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? Developing Telepathy in High Performing Teams
People who have worked together long enough can almost read each other's minds, and that sense of shared consciousness and implicit communication is the secret sauce to taking a team dynamic to the next level. Mike and Jim discuss group dynamics and ways to develop the bonds to take teamwork to the next level. Links: Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War By Robert Coram The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations by Ori Brafman Shared Consciousness and High Performing Teams by Khe Hy: Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Jun 1, 2022 • 1h 14min
114: The Dorner Saga: A War Waged Against California Law Enforcement
An ex-police officer went off the deep end and committed a series of ambushes as he sought revenge for alleged injustices that lead to his firing. Christopher Dorner declared "unconventional, asymmetric warfare" against LAPD and targeted police officers and their families, resulting in 4 murders and several other attempts. Dorner's story ended when Deputies cornered him in a cabin and set the place on fire with burning chemical munitions. Mike tells the story with some editorial on tactics and mis-steps of law enforcement along the way. Warnings Unheeded by Andy Brown Dorner Wikipedia Article LA Times Series Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

May 15, 2022 • 1h
113: Gunmen Take 41 Hostages in an Electronics Store: The 1991 Good Guys Rescue
Four refugees entered a "Good Guy" electronics store and took over 40 employees hostage. After hours of deteriorating crisis negotiations, a SWAT team conducted a dynamic hostage rescue. We cover the "doomed captives" concept, tactical considerations, and what went right and wrong. YouTube Clip Wikipedia page Heads or Tails: A True Hostage Story of Terror, Torture and Ultimate Survival A Clear Shot - Movie Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

May 12, 2022 • 16min
Short Talk: Big Picture Lessons from Ukraine
Jim gives us a quick review of the key tactical and strategic lessons coming out of Ukraine, including things like the role of tanks in modern conflict, drones and air power, and information warfare. Russia has been learning lots of lessons like: stay out of Ukraine! Bayraktar Video Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

May 1, 2022 • 1h 16min
112: Doing More with Less: Scaling Resources in Major Incidents, Training, and Leadership Development
Whether you are trying to deliver consistent training to thousands of people or manage a major critical incident one thing is for certain: More is not always better. But a lot of tasks at major events are manpower intensive and we need to make the most of the available resources. This is a thought exercise especially for people who work in either really big or really small organizations who want to be able to scale up or down according to their needs, and who need to develop expertise in their front line troops and supervisors. Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Apr 15, 2022 • 1h 14min
111: Mike Willever of Active Self Protection, Host of the ASP Podcast
Mike is a retired Special Agent from Homeland Security Investigations who also worked as a local cop back in the day. Now Mike hosts the ASP Podcast where he deep-dives critical self-defense encounters from both the civilian and public safety worlds. We compare and contrast federal and local law enforcement, and then we talk about some of the aggregate trends and lessons from the interviews he's done since he started the podcast for Active Self Protection. Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Apr 1, 2022 • 1h 4min
110: Leadership Vol. 2: Your (Shitty) Attitude is Contagious
There is more to leadership than rank or titles—and before you know it, you're the guy or gal with just a few years on when you realize you're not the rookie any more. We talk about capitalizing on good mentoring and working within your sphere of influence to build a foundation of resourcefulness that will keep you happy, your bosses happy, and set you up for success down the road and avoid toxic or cancerous working environments. This discussion builds on an earlier talk, available here: Volume 1 Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Mar 24, 2022 • 12min
Short Talk: Killing People—Don't Beat Around the Bush
A pet peeve of ours is when people talk about deadly force and say, "Do what you gotta do." As instructors, using explicit language when teaching about lethal force is vital when there is a threshold that cannot be crossed. We have to help our students mentally prepare and morally reconcile lethal force so that they can be decisive when lives are at stake. Check out our episode with Dr Blumberg here Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

Mar 15, 2022 • 1h 4min
109: You can't save them all: Dealing with mass casualty incidents
The medical treatment for trauma patients doesn't change just because there are a lot of them. Managing large scenes is fundamentally a logistics problem and requires leadership, teamwork, and communication. We discuss ways you can learn to deal with triage, incident command, and scene management that doesn't involve fancy medicine or bigger kits. SALT Mass Casualty Triage Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sherry Fink Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit to bensound.com


