“The Suspect Tried to Brush the Dot Off His Chest…”

My name is Bob Cutt, I’m a retired Police Officer after serving 26 years, 17 in the Vice Unit. I was also a Firearms Instructor and ran the unit’s training monthly. I was provided with a LaserMax recoil spring guide red laser for my Beretta 92FC for testing and evaluation.

My primary job was electronic surveillance, in support of 3 street narcotics enforcement teams. On one occasion, information was received that cocaine was being sold from a residential house in an urban area. We did several buys of cocaine there and when the warrant was obtained we sent an undercover Officer to make one more buy and confirm there were drugs at the location.

After the buy, I stayed across the street from the location while the team briefed nearby on the entry to ensure the dealer didn’t leave and to get an idea of how many suspects we might deal with. Several people came and went, it was an active house.

As our entry team arrived and began breaching the front door, I observed our target dealer climbing out of a second-story window, onto the front porch roof, above our entry team. He stood at the edge of the porch roof waiting for our guys to go in so he could jump and run.

From across the street, I got out of my van and employed the laser. The suspect tried to brush the dot off his chest but soon found that he was at gunpoint. I held him there with verbal commands, and the assistance of the laser until our team got to the room he had exited and then ordered him back inside. He was taken into custody without any further force required.

The warrant resulted in numerous felony charges and the seizure of several hundred dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana. The laser prevented an extended foot chase, with the risk of injury to both suspect and officers.