

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

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

Mar 11, 2022 • 12min
Short Talk: Less Lethal Training and Tools: Bridging the Gap
In between a harsh word and hollow points we need a stepping stone of some kind; training or a tool for situations which lethal force isn't called for. Mike and Jim talk advantages and disadvantages of OC Spray, Taser, and other less lethal tools. 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

Mar 2, 2022 • 1h 28min
108: “Don’t Shoot The Hostage:” How to deal with a person in crisis
Mike and Jim condense a 40 hour week of crisis intervention training into an hour discussion about tactics, dos, and don’ts related to talking to and otherwise dealing with someone who is suicidal or in crisis. 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

Feb 26, 2022 • 14min
Short Talk: Innovation in the Gun Industry—Shiny Objects and the Fundamentals
Fundamentals are final and the mission always drives the gear train, but the role of creativity still plays a huge role in the future of our industry and tactics. Imagine how much the game changed when night vision came out, or police officers got computers in their cars. It's easy to get distracted by the solutions out there that lack a problem to fix, but it's important to approach new ideas with an open mind because they might be one step closer to game changing technology. 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

Feb 21, 2022 • 12min
Short Talk: Bullet Accountability in Officer Involved Shootings
Mike talks about the role of proficiency and stress management in prevent bad outcomes if we miss when we get in a shooting. We briefly touch on using deliberate practice and discipline to make sure we get it right, because you never know when that day will come. 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

Feb 15, 2022 • 1h 13min
107: Should cops transport wounded Officers to the hospital in a police car, or wait for an ambulance?
"It depends" We explore the risks and benefits of a hasty transport instead of waiting for the medical professionals trained for this sort of thing. There are risks and benefits to this practice but it can be a life saving decision. Learn key considerations and other ways you can compress the timeline to definitive trauma care. 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