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TACTICAL TECH & GEAR The science of dynamic entry From inspiration to development, what goes into the gear that gets you beyond the door By Jonathan Kozlowski T he Washington D.C. naval yard shooting put the nation on a coast to coast stun. Responders searched multiple buildings to locate the gunman. "Multiple buildings." How many locked doors do you think that accumulates to? I'm betting the yard's maintenance crew hadn't offered up a humorously large ring with an assortment of keys to fumble through. This leaves ad hoc first responder teams as well as SWAT to use, shall we say, alternative tools. 10 Law Enforcement Technology But first You need to get there. Back in 2000 Patriot3 took inspiration from an existing system and developed its Mobile Adjustable Ramp System (MARS) elevated tactics system. It had three elevated tactics systems (ETS) available—the MARS, Liberator, and RAID (Rescue, Access, Intervention and Deployment)—the connection being simply to bring you to an access point safely via a patented ramp. The metal comes to Patriot3 cut, January 2014 www.officer.com pieced and coated ready for assembly. Its a hard anodized aluminum capable of withstanding a wide range of environments, be that sand, salt, or snow. Over the years the weight of the system increased and Patriot3 moved to needing a straight front axle, such as the Ford F550. Popular alternatives are a Humvee or a Lenco Bearcat. The company can mount to a good number of vehicles—even cab-over-engine trucks. The weight of the MARS can run around 2,500 pounds. In compari-