I’ve received information regarding the passing of retired Detroit MI Police Sergeant Evan Marshall. I’d read his material in the years before I met him and I spent far too little time with him. 

He began his police career in Detroit in 1969, a wild time indeed. Soon after he started, he and a partner were sent on a call that was set-up for an ambush. Help arrived in time, but he was low on ammunition before they got there. He retired from the Homicide Section of the Detroit Police Dept in 1989 with the rank of Sergeant with experience in the Crime Lab, Crime Scene Investigation, the Tactical Unit, Department Sniper, and Training Sergeant for the SWAT Team.

Evan well knew the relationship between gear and the software element of officer survival. Without the brain, properly employed, gear didn’t matter. Gear could help give you an edge or, more likely, be a lifeline to help get out of trouble. 

If you understand the way in was in those bad old days, you’d understand the way Evan processed information. He thought that those who were known as being paranoid tended to be optimists. And it’s not really paranoia if they are out to get you.

As he was a south-paw, he wore his back-up gun – a concept he was a proponent of – on the right side, mostly in a pocket. There are analysts who say that the back-up gun that’s not an equivalent in shootability, accuracy and power of the main holster armament is worthless. Evan was the guy who proved that wrong.

If you’re not up to the equipment’s capability, that’s your problem to sort out. He did. 

After his tumultuous career at Detroit, he worked for firearms companies including Ruger and Israel Military Industries, was a contract training specialist for the US Dept. of Energy nuclear security element, wrote books (which were broadly misunderstood), and articles. His column in Combat Handguns was read by cops, including me. His writing shaped the thinking and gear selection for many of us over the years. 

Evan was largely about tactics. While he’s remembered more for discussions of gear and his Stopping Power books, written with Ed Sanow, his achievement was teaching people how to stay out of danger. 

His impact on the officer survival movement can’t be estimated; comments on social media after his passing spoke more to that part of his life’s work. 

For his efforts on our behalf, I’m grateful. 

So this feature doesn’t end up a revolving obituary column, let’s check some nuggets written by Evan, quoted by others. The first, from a column in Combat Handguns, where he describes his approach to being caught in a robbery in progress:

"As long as all they’re doing is robbing the till, I’m going to act like a CPA from Akron and be a good witness. But if they start searching people, making people get down on their knees, or herding people into a back room, my wife knows to get away from me because I’m going to start shooting."

Another, quoted in an old email from a member of the faithful, when Evan addressed the loss of lessons learned at so dear a price:

"It horrifies me to see the almost daily murder of cops. It frustrates me that we don't seem to be learning much. When I was a rookie cop in Detroit, I did my best to find out the details of every officer involved shooting. Several old timers told me you never second guess another copper. I thought that was nonsense then and now.

“If we can't learn from others deaths we're guaranteed to continue to lose officers under similar circumstances. I found out all I could and there are coppers who hate me to this day.

“You see, I stood there in my uniform spotless with my shoes highly polished and wept as a brother or sister was laid to rest. These tragedies need to stop.

“Nothing is ever routine and every run you makes is a gun run because you bring a gun to it. Always wear your vest, carry a second gun and don't ever assume anything. God bless."

Finally, a list of things Evan said he’d learned from those who came before him, the WWII generation in civilian law enforcement:

"Evan if you're in a fight and it lasts longer than a minute, you're losing it!"

“We pulled up on a bank alarm and as I started to jump out, he grabbed my Sam Browne shoulder strap and said, "Evan this ain't Hollywood and you ain't John Wayne. I don't go in banks. We'll just wait out here and ambush them!"”

"Did you search him? Well, search him again and this time search like you're in love with him. Find a gun? Keep searching. Find two guns? Strip search him. Then when we get him in the lock up, I'll search him again so we never leave him armed with an unarmed cop!"

"Got the shotgun? Good but did you check to see if it’s fully loaded? Those 4 rounds might be the only thing that gets us home safe and sound!"

Vaya con Diós, Evan – as I know you have.

– Rich Grassi