FLETC bans the SERPA!

Tactical Gear Tactical Gear
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http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1931084651/m/86120086563/p/3

Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:24 AM
Subject: Fw: ADVISORY Blackhawk SERPA Holster

FYI - FLETC and many OIGs have discontinued the use of the Blackhawk SERPA

Subject: FW: Officer Safety Bulletin: Blackhawk SERPA Auto Lock System Holster

A CITP student accidentally discharged his weapon into his thigh at FLETC/Glynco last week. He had purchased a Blackhawk SERPA Auto Lock System holster and was using it for the first time. In October of this year, an agent shot himself in the buttocks during a staff qualification at FLETC Cheltenham using a Blackhawk SERPA. USAF OSI has prohibited their personnel from purchasing or carrying this holster.

The below notice was disseminated last week to all 1811s in HHS OIG, and they have given me permission to share it with the IG community’s 1811 population.

SPECIAL BULLETIN
National Training and Emergency Operations Branch
Officer Safety Bulletin

Good Afternoon,

In our efforts to continually stay abreast of issues relating to officer safety, the National Training and Emergency Operations Branch (NTEOB) routinely evaluates the law enforcement equipment issued to or carried by OI personnel.

Recently, one such piece of equipment, the Blackhawk SERPA Auto Lock System holster, has come under scrutiny due to safety concerns involving the design of its retention safety device. There have been several recent documented cases, involving law enforcement and civilian personnel, where unintentional discharges have occurred while weapons were being drawn from this holster. Many of these unintentional discharges have resulted in gunshot injuries to the officers/agents involved.

The SERPA is one of the only holster system designed to use the trigger finger to release the retention safety device. This method of releasing the safety device is contrary to our training methods and techniques, which emphasize attacking the holster from the “top down.” In addition, this retention system is completely different from the standard thumb-break holsters currently issued by OI. While it is true that one of the Cardinal Rules of firearms safety was violated by the individual placing his or her finger on the trigger before they were ready to shoot, we believe that the design of the SERPA holster facilitates this action by engaging the trigger finger well before the individual is prepared to shoot.

In light of these events and in accordance with OI policy, specifically Part 2, Section 2, Subsection IV B, NTEOB is suspending all use of the Blackhawk SERPA Auto Lock System holster by OI agents acting in an official, on-duty capacity. NTEOB will thoroughly research and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this holster system and report on its findings.

In the meantime, those agents who may be affected by this safety bulletin should be directed to utilize their standard agency-issued holster to secure their weapon on their person. As a reminder, new standard issue holsters were previously issued to all OI 1811s. This is the recommended holster system. Should agents wish to purchase a holster, they should be informed that all holsters have to be approved by National Firearms Coordinator/NTEOB, as per policy.

Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.

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Excellent! There are far better comparable holsters which are far safer…such as the Safariland ALS.

3

i just crapped a cat.

4

Thank God. I wonder how Blackhawk will respond to this.

BTW, calling it Flea-Tech is accurate. There was a major bedbug problem when I went through several years ago, and the ticks out in the woods during field ops are really bad too. :stuck_out_tongue:

5

It’s all fun and games until someone gets shot in the thigh.

It is definitely a step in the right direction; however, I recently saw some other investigative agencies at FLETC still using the SERPA. For some reason, most of these federal agencies tend to be behind the power curve when it comes to firearms equipment. The only agency I have seen using the Safariland ALS is the U.S. Marshals Service

Microalign, I have not run into the fleas or ticks yet, but these sand gnats are vicious.

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I’ve got one for a Walther P99. I hadn’t heard of these Serpa AD until recently. Somewhere along the line didn’t they modify these with a deeper finger channel?

I guess if I continue to use the P99 in the Serpa I’ll carry uncocked. A lot of guns don’t give you that option.

:suicide2:

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You must have been stuck in the crack houses. I didn’t have any bug problems in the Taj. :stuck_out_tongue:

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The little bastards are impervious to any kind of bug repellent, too. Any more Max Deet and I think my skin would have melted off. Didn’t seem to bother the sand gnats, though.

ETA - Oh, and to keep this on track I hope the CITP student is doing well. I can only imagine the circus that caused. Glad FLETC has taken the initiative. I wonder how long it will take to trickle down to through all the agencies.

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Why teach yourself a bad firearms handling habit for the sake of continuing to use a $30 holster?

10

Finally, a government backing on not allowing the serpa!

I was fortunate enough to not have anyone in my class use a serpa during FITP. Most, if not all, used leather holsters with and without retention. I think there was one agent that used a 6004 along with me unless the drill/exerciser/scenario called for concealment. They even thought I couldn’t make the time constraint on the initial qual even though I’m pretty sure the qual times were to accommodate a revolver?

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This is GREAT!!! Now, if I could just get my agency to follow follow suit…

I am going to think of a way to work this into conversation this Thursday.

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Good for them. I wish my department would follow suit and ban the SERPA.

While attending a Magpul class last spring I completely locked my old SERPA up by getting some sand in the side button. I was not the only person in the class that had this problem.

I have gone back to Safariland holsters. With their current SLS or ALS offerings, and all of the problems with SERPAs, I don’t see why anyone would go with one.

I know a number of National Park Service Rangers are using ALS holsters. I have also seen a couple of Forest Service officers with them. Not sure if that is agency wide though.

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Front Sight banned the use of the serpa also. Makea you wonder if blackhawk will do anything to fix the design or just pretend there isnt a problem.

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Key phrase:

“While it is true that one of the Cardinal Rules of firearms safety was violated by the individual placing his or her finger on the trigger before they were ready to shoot”

What next? Blaming S&W for an unwanted additional shot because firing the first shot facilitates more?:sarcastic:

I own and have used several SERPA holsters. If you take the time to learn how the holster works and don’t pull a trigger while a gun is pointed at your own body, there’s nothing wrong with them. Surely better holsters exist, but that’s not the point.

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Your finger used to squeeze the trigger should be used for that and only that, when handling a pistol. Using the same finger to manipulate a release device on a holster is simply stupid.

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The difference is that there are many cases of a proficent shooter having a ND while using the SERPA that was directly attributed to the design of the holster. Saying it is the fault of the shooter is like Remington saying that their 700-series trigger NDs is not a result of the design. The NDs of the SERPA that have been occuring almost always occur during stressful shoots, when an instructor dictates the speed and direction of the scenario. When you are tired, and you get into the unpredictability of such a scenario and are pushing yourself to draw quickly then your body does funny things. The muscle memory you gained in using the SERPA of pushing down on the pistol, performing a single depression of the release lever, followed by drawing the weapon, aquiring the target, and then pulling the trigger is no longer smooth. Under stress, you often mix up the steps or do not fully complete one of them. If you fail to get your pistol out of the holster on the first attempt, in almost all cases you frantically try the steps again and often exaggerate the proceedure. In the case of the SERPA, it would be holding your finger in the release lever longer and harder, or repeatedly pressing it even after the pistol has cleared the holster.

If you’ve never experienced such instances, then you’ve probably never run the gun at this level of stress enough. If you do train this hard, it isn’t a matter of if you will get a ND with a SERPA, it’s when. A local officer I work with insists that his SERPA is safe and he likes it. I also know that he doesn’t train all that hard, and he is the type that thinks he knows everything and once he has adopted a position he will defend it to the death regardless of how idiotic it may be.

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I know, right!? Wow. I keep looking behind myself, to see if there are monkeys flying outta my ass…

Triggers and trigger-fingers, I couldn’t care less about. That thing needs to be ditched across the board as a DUTY holster for this reason…

…and the fact that it’s mounts might as well be made of spun sugar, for all the strength they have in retaining during gun-grab.

All the cats vapor-locking on trigger stuff would do well to stop staring at that one tree, look around, and take a glimpse at the forest. Whatever the published central reason for the prohibition, the other problems with that holster are purely design-oriented and have nothing to do with any safe/unsafe actions on the part of the shooter.

Bravo to FLETC…for accidentally falling ass-backwards into doing the right thing…

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So when I ditch this Serpa at the next gun show what’s the better choice: Safariland ALS or just a custom Kydex like I have for the gun I train with (Steyr)? The Kydex isn’t as easy to get on and off during everyday carry and is a bit bulky but it’s simple. A sharp yank and the weapon is free.

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G using Tapatalk.

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This “news” just hit my agency today. Panic has ensued. I like seeing guys debate holster usage that only actually draw from their holsters when it’s time to qual.

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Here’s me being shocked that the SERPA is getting attention for being a fucked up design…:alcoholic: