Police Firearms Training

[Chuck]

Sim: Looks as though they are still fighting that battle regards the "kill or not to kill syndrome", easier said than done. Surprised it is still happening as much given the new generation of reactive targets and realistic training that replace the bullseye targets of old.

Sandgroper: yes standard technique for engaging a target BUT the question is just HOW do they train the police to kill.. I refer to Sim's post which would suggest that doing so is STILL a difficult thing to do for the military and so must be a whole lot harder for the police whose main job is to "protect".

Looking at the mental /emotional /phsyhological issues, surely training someone to kill who, by their job requirement, follows the rules to the nth degree, must be nigh impossible.?

[Sandgroper]

You're not training someone to kill - you're training someone to respond to a given situation, instinctively ie no thought, just do it.

I remember when practising building clearances, my weapon failed to fire on the second round of a double tap, so I clobbered the target (another Squadron member) with my rifle. The exercise was stopped then and there and I was asked WTF I was doing, I replied, "Neutralising the threat." Clipped around the ear while waiting for him to be escorted to medical - game on! The thing is, I didn't think - I reacted.

Chuck, I think this is what you are getting at in regards to the Police. It's not that they are trained to kill is just that they are trained to respond to situations differently. Look at your training - you're not training to kill but that could be the result depending on how the situation progesses. However, someone who doesn't know better could say that you have been trained to kill, because that could be the outcome of any given situation.

Just my two cents worth.

[Sim G]

Just my two cents worth.

Penny please, pennies. You're not in the bloody colonies now, you know old chap....... :lol:

[Sim G]

Mmmm...... on second thoughts, you're in Scotland......

(Incoming!!!!!)

[Chuck]

Sim: :lol: :lol:

Sandgroper:

I remember when practising building clearances, my weapon failed to fire on the second round of a double tap, so I clobbered the target (another Squadron member) with my rifle. The exercise was stopped then and there and I was asked WTF I was doing, I replied, "Neutralising the threat." Clipped around the ear while waiting for him to be escorted to medical - game on! The thing is, I didn't think - I reacted.

Good second choice IMO: Now WHY would they stop the exercise...seems daft to me but that's from limited info on the tasks set out for you. From our system we would allow the exercise to continue cos there are NO instructors when sh1t happens. Too many folks are trained to raise their hand when they get a problem wich IMO is entirely WRONG, that breed a nasty wee habit: rely on someone to bail you out when you get a stoppage or weapon malfunction. If you cannot switch weapons then why not use it as a club??

It's a bit like on ranges here, people are not allowed to really learn how to clear a stoppage cos they always have top defer to an RO: How can you learn to do if you never do it yourself?.

[Sandgroper]

Now WHY would they stop the exercise...seems daft to me but that's from limited info on the tasks set out for you.

Well, it was the Military and I did take everybody by surprise when I decked him! While H&S wasn't as big as it is now, we did have to check that he was alright.

In any case they should have known better as I had a history of doing things like that - I once had my bayonets (yes plural) taken off me just before a live fire excercise so I wouldn't charge ahead and bayonet the fig 11's. :shock:

Sim,
I thought we where already a colony of Europe.

[ovenpaa]

I remember when practising building clearances, my weapon failed to fire on the second round of a double tap, so I clobbered the target (another Squadron member) with my rifle. The exercise was stopped then and there and I was asked WTF I was doing, I replied, "Neutralising the threat." Clipped around the ear while waiting for him to be escorted to medical - game on! The thing is, I didn't think - I reacted.

Brilliant :lol: :lol:

Squadron?

[Sandgroper]

I remember when practising building clearances, my weapon failed to fire on the second round of a double tap, so I clobbered the target (another Squadron member) with my rifle. The exercise was stopped then and there and I was asked WTF I was doing, I replied, "Neutralising the threat." Clipped around the ear while waiting for him to be escorted to medical - game on! The thing is, I didn't think - I reacted.

Brilliant :lol: :lol:

Squadron?

Airfield Defence - Royal Australian Air Force.