I have been contacted by a Special Agent of the SMP (Sky Marshal Program) and have been corrected as to my understanding of rules and procedures for engagement of hostiles and EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Persons). The Agent contacted me via e-mail and provided that the current ammunition carried aboard aircraft is .357 Sig. This ammunition developed by Sig Sauer is referred to as an extremely hot round. The cartridge case is of a necked down (bottle-neck) design similar to a .38 Super cartridge except that it is many times faster and more powerful.

The pistol that it is utilized with is the Sig Sauer P229 Semi-Automatic. The combo was chosen because of the pistol’s compact size for easy concealment and the cartridge’s outstanding terminal ballistics. That term means that the projectile, once contacting a hydraulic medium (like a human body) transfers all of its kinetic energy in a very short distance within the medium. I am told that because of the speed, weight and design of the cartridge’s projectile, over-penetration (pass-through) is not even a consideration. In other words, the round is safe for use within the confines of a supersonic jet as long as it hits its intended target, which is right between the eyes and just above the chin.

The Agent providing this information had found my previous article thanks to a search for the key word “Sky Marshal”. He said he was interested in what the public was saying about the shooting on the jet-way and whether it was perceived positively or negatively. What he didn’t expect was to find my posting. I will not clip and past the e-mail because I was asked not to, but I will relate his and his co-workers sentiments. They do not want any additional tools or weapons that will slow down their decision making process. They only want and need to decide whether to shoot or not. As per this Special Agent, the SMP has been inundated with outside pressure to deploy Tasers. He inferred that not all pressures were from politicians but from inside the agency by individuals with a self-serving interest in seeing Tasers deployed on-board by the Marshals.

During one of the infamous Taser Training Conferences in Las Vegas, at the end of the last day, Rick Smith told all reporters and anyone who was not associated with Taser as an instructor, dealer or employee, to leave the room. It was sealed by employees at the door and in walked several individuals identified as federal agency and airline industry types. Supposedly it was there that secret details to the pending deployment of Tasers aboard commercial aircraft were released to just those chosen few. I have been in contact with one such person who secreted a video camera into the event and has the dissertations on tape. That person reveals that the individuals inferred a very close working relationship with Taser and the Smiths. Was it financial? I can only guess!