It’s here! Winning a Gunfight, Second Edition; here’s the preface to the second edition:
Ten years, one decade, that’s a long time. Much can change in ten years; and much has changed since I first wrote Winning a Gunfight.
When we think of change, we often think about technology. Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) think about the tools of their trade. Communications, vehicles, new less lethal take down and restraint devices, and of course firearms.
Perhaps the most significant change in the last ten years is proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of almost everything, including policing. It will write reports and save agencies millions in overtime pay. Facial recognition technology and automated license plate readers, generated by AI, are used to identify suspects, find missing persons, alert officers to suspect vehicles, detect gunshots, and issue traffic citations. Again, saving agencies in personnel costs and even generating revenue.
There’s no doubt, crime fighting technology has come a long way. Yet, the good guys (and gals) always seem to be behind the curve. Because no matter how much technology changes, humanity has remained the same. As the wise King Solomon wrote some 3,000 years ago:
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9, ESV)
If the police have the technology, you can be assured the criminals have the technology (or are developing it) to circumvent, break through, or disable whatever an agency deploys. Law enforcement officers are making the same calls they have since the founding of our country. From domestic violence calls to fatality accidents to serving arrest warrants.
On January 3, 1791, New York Constable Darius Quimby, with arrest warrant in hand, pursued Whit Sweeting on foot. The warrant was for trespass, a minor property crime, yet Sweeting vowed not to be taken alive. He ran into the snow-covered woods, jumped on a large rock, and threatened to kill the first man who touched him. Undaunted by the threats, Constable Quimby came up behind Sweeting and pulled him from the rock to take him into custody. The two men engaged in a brutal fight. Sweeting overpowered the officer and struck him down with a fatal blow. The New York constable was the first American law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty. Since that fateful night, more than 27,000 American LEOs have died in the line of duty.[1] By far, most officers who die by felonious assault, are killed with a firearm.[2]
Winning a Gunfight was written to help LEOs win gunfights ethically, mentally, and tactically. The purpose of this second edition remains the same. And because human nature hasn’t changed, neither has much of the content. The grammatical edits make for easier reading, and the updates reinforce that the principles laid out in the first edition are enduring. The big change is the addition of a new chapter. The chapter is an introduction and brief overview of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Moral Injury. These two psychological injuries have come to the forefront in American policing over the past decade and I would be remiss not to mention them in a book on winning—body, soul, and spirit.
Winning a Gunfight, Second Edition is available on Amazon or at TheStrongBlueLine.org for bulk orders.
Bringing Hope to Law Enforcement
The Strong Blue Line Foundation—at no cost to officers or their agencies—brings hope to LEOs with training seminars that help them navigate a myriad of issues they deal with. In the “Moral Injury in Policing” seminar and book, officers learn how to deal with guilt and shame brought on by moral injury. Please partner with us to make strong officers with strong relationships by giving them real hope for complete victory! To help, go to TheStrongBlueLine.org and click on the “Donate” button.
On the Road
Last month, Sherry and I were in Spokane, WA teaching chaplains at the International Conference of Police Chaplains’ Annual Training Seminar (ATS). This was the third ATS I’ve been invited to teach at and always enjoy networking with law enforcement chaplains from around the world. Next month, I’ll be in in San Antonio, I’ve been invited back to my old police department to speak at the Chief’s Inner Circle Prayer Group. The remainder of this year, we’ll be focused on the Adopt a Cop initiative, writing and updating books and curriculum. Pray for your police.
[1] Officer Down Memorial Page, ODMP.org
[2] Federal Bureau of Investigation, Statistics on Law Enforcement Officer Deaths in the Line of Duty from January through August 2024. (2024). Retrieved on May 27, 2026, from: https://le.fbi.gov/cjis-division/cjis-link/statistics-on-law-enforcement-officer-deaths-in-the-line-of-duty-from-january-through-august-2024.
