Keys to a safer Federal Way
By MARK KNAPP

Federal Way Mirror · The Firearms Lawyer
January 6, 2012

Every once in a while, we showcase a Federal Way volunteer that is an example for the rest of us.

I first met Dan Goede at one of the city’s emergency preparedness classes at Federal Way City Hall. Dan is one of many volunteers in our community who is involved in a variety of critical responsibilities, including emergency preparedness and working with the Federal Way Police Department. I have the privilege of working with Dan and getting to know him through the Armed Defense Training Association, where we are both members.

Dan served four years in the Air Force, including a year in Vietnam, where he maintained aircraft. Dan is an informal leader among those of us that have gone through CERT training. Dan and I met for coffee recently, and I asked him whether his military background has anything to with his commitment to emergency preparedness.

Dan told me he kept his AR15 close while repairing aircraft in various remote locations in Vietnam.

The habit of being ready for things that most of us don’t often think about developed from Dan’s experiences in Vietnam. He said the habits developed while working under a chain of command still motivate him to get additional training and work with others who value being prepared, even when it means sacrificing his own time.

Dan completed training with the Federal Way Citizen’s Academy and participates in CERT Advanced Team, a more specialized level of preparedness that comes after classes to become certified with Federal Way’s Community Emergency Response Team. Dan is licensed as a Ham radio technician. Ham radio operation is critical to maintaining communications during any emergency that knocks out electrical and telephone grids.

I have met many of the Federal Way police and CERT volunteers. Many of them have their Concealed Pistol Licenses and have told me that natural emergencies like earthquakes can present threats of violence. Some people who are unprepared for an emergency will often try to take what they need from those who have set aside some extra food and water. There are also opportunists that will use an emergency as an excuse to create chaos.

Dan and 50-75 volunteers know that it makes a difference in how you feel about your city to work with law enforcement officers in making the community safe.

We discussed ways in which Federal Way may be different when we create the proposed “Center for the Shooting Arts.”

We also discussed the ways in which the proposed gun range has the potential to be a “third place” — i.e., one of those places where we can all get to know each other better and interact in order to make Federal Way vibrate with productive friendships and opportunities for growth.

There will be various training groups from in and out of law enforcement working together in collaboration with each other to host events and make the shooting facility a success. Volunteers like Dan Goede are the key to making things work during the tough times when the shortage of funds creates a series of budget emergencies — inside and outside of government. The steps volunteers like Dan take today may also determine how you and I survive in the future.

The next CERT training begins Feb. 9. There is also training for the Neighborhood Emergency Team program scheduled for March 29. For information about these and other emergency training programs, go to www.cityoffederalway.com/prepare or email FWEM@cityoffederalway.com.

Range time on TV: Root for local ‘Top Shot’ contestant | Firearms Lawyer

By MARK KNAPP

Republished with permission from the Federal Way Mirror
The Firearms Lawyer
February 3, 2012

Television programs that feature weapons and shooting technology are becoming very popular.

One of my favorites is “Wednesday Night at the Range” on the Outdoor Channel — actually several different programs about self defense, competition shooting and the history of firearms.

Then on Tuesday evenings at 10:00 PM Pacific Time on the History Channel there is Top Shot. The program has matches in which top military, law enforcement and competitive shooters compete with everything from antique pistols to .50-caliber sniper rifles and machine guns.

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Sometimes they even throw rocks or tomahawks and shoot crossbows and other primitive weapons.

Just getting selected as a “Top Shot” participant requires candidates to compete against men and women that are highly ranked in various shooting disciplines. Most are experts with a certain kind of pistol or rifle. It takes the ability to master whatever weapon is at hand in order to be successful on the show.

Federal Way Police Department’s Cmdr. Kyle Sumpter recently cleared all the initial hurdles and went on to compete in a series of “Top Shot” episodes in Santa Clarita, Calif. Sumpter supervises firearms training for Federal Way police officers and previously headed up Valley SWAT, the largest SWAT agency in the state. Although Sumpter has already completed the “Top Shot” competition, not even Chief Brian Wilson knows the results. Sumpter knows how he did, but the results will be a secret until the episodes air this spring (season starts Feb. 14).

My occasional talks with Cmdr. Kyle Sumpter, mostly by phone, have me looking forward to seeing him on and off the range. You don’t have to talk to him for long to realize that Sumpter is dedicated to the craft of shooting and that he is the kind of honest, straight talking professional that makes him worth paying attention to. That is why the Federal Way Police Department has him in charge of training officers.

Some of my best memories growing up are of watching Westerns on television with my dad. There was more to some of the programs than just bullets being thrown back and forth by men on horseback. Greatness of character and decency could often be discerned in some of the really good shows.

Of course, a gun itself is not somehow a mark of excellent character — or even being good with a gun. It takes courage to face the people in society that are organized against decency. Sometimes it takes a whole lot of character just to figure out who the good guys and the bad guys are.

I don’t know whether kids think about stuff like that today or not. But get your son or daughter to watch “Top Shot” with you this spring. If you want your kids to see one of the good guys who keep Federal Way safe, and learn something about why America is great, you will not be disappointed.