I was just replying to this statement.
so we just talking about the average police officer being better trained than your average gun owner.
semp
My wife and I attended a birthday party for a friend Saturday evening. Her son-in-law is an NYPD Lieutenant. I asked if he had seen the security camera video of the shooting incident between the two officers and the gunman. He said no (which surprised me). Using our friend's computer, I located the video and we watched it. I asked if he saw any errors by the cops, he said, "no, nothing major."
"Really?", I asked. "Let's watch it again, stopping at various points."
After going over it twice, he admitted that the two officers had screwed up royally in virtually every aspect of the encounter.
We talked about the training NYPD gets... He admitted that there should be comprehensive training relative to how to apprehend an armed killer... Yet, it took a non-police person to point out the mistakes. Granted, I'm a shooter who trains on a regular basis. Within the capacity of my job (we design and develop hardware for military small arms), I've worked with and done firearms training with Marines, Army and SPEC OPS personnel many times. I've seen the tactics and the procedures in action, and these cops didn't have a clue as to what to do, how to do it and where to do it. That's what caused the wounding of 9 bystanders. Had combat trained military personnel been there, they would not have made those errors and it's very unlikely that anyone but the perp would have been injured (assuming he even would have had the opportunity to resist).
Most police forces I'm familiar with have minimal semi-annual re-qualification requirements. NYPD doesn't have a comprehensive training program that meets current needs. A study was commissioned by the City to determine where NYPD could improve. The Rand Corporation conducted the study and released a report. Their recommendations relative to firearms training is as follows:
Recommendations
To facilitate training effectiveness, we recommend that the NYPD take the following
actions:
•Develop standards of performance for all basic policing skills and evaluate recruits accordingly, not passing them until they have demonstrated they have mastered the skill at an appropriate level.
•Upgrade computer simulations to incorporate the latest use-of-force scenarios now available from simulator vendors.
•Expose recruits to scenario-based training and role-playing workshops throughout training.
•Design scenario-based training to increase the department’s confidence that recruits have learned basic principles.
•Have recruits practice on a wide set of scenarios.
•Focus debriefings primarily on the big principles, not the potential nuances that exist in every situation.
•Develop detailed evaluation guides and assess training-outcome data to determine whether the training was successful.
•Require recruits to pass proficiency standards in real-life and scenario-based tests of complex decisionmaking before graduating them from the police academy.
•Collect detailed training records from the various recruit-training activities and store them in one location.
•Substantially increase the availability of simulators, including scenarios using Simunition systems, to allow recruits to practice and then demonstrate that they have mastered the requisite skills, particularly those associated with the use of force.
•Take the lead: Partner with one or more virtual-simulation companies to determine whether technological advances can be used to create simulators for judgment in potential use-of-force scenarios that might operate on stand-alone laptop computers without an instructor’s or operator’s intervention. This might start with the issuing of a request for qualification (RFQ) to determine the interest and qualifications of potential collaborating firms.
•Undertake a full cost-benefit analysis of resequencing recruit training. Given the importance of scenario-based training and the high cost of equipment (such as simulators), the analysis should include all tangible and intangible costs and benefits. A rolling induction of recruits with classes starting every two weeks instead of having large, semiannual recruit classes should allow for a much higher utilization of simulators, spreading their use over the entire year and giving recruits more opportunities to practice and be graded on their performance using simulators.
•Investigate alternatives to the current semiannual firearm-requalification paradigm to provide enhanced firearm instruction that would focus on the officer’s proficiency rather than just the score on a static target.
I'm not aware that these recommendations have been acted upon.....
The following is from the NYPD Firearm use guidelines:
•A police officer shall not use deadly force against another person unless the officer has probable cause to believe that he or she must protect self or another person present from imminent death or serious physical injury.
•A police officer shall not discharge his or her weapon when doing so will unnecessarily endanger innocent persons.
This rule was completely violated in that shootout, RE: 9 wounded civilians.•A police officer shall not discharge his or her firearm in defense of property.
•A police officer shall not discharge his or her firearm to subdue a fleeing felon who presents no threat of imminent death or serious physical injury to self or another person present.
This does not mean that you don't unholster the weapon to be ready for a possible resistance with a firearm. Those cops were told that the suspect had just shot and killed a man, yet they were completely unprepared, with their guns holstered.•A police officer shall not fire warning shots. A police officer shall not discharge his or her firearm to summon assistance, except in emergency situations in which someone’s personal safety is endangered and unless no other reasonable means is available.
•A police officer shall not discharge his or her firearm at or from a moving vehicle unless deadly physical force is being used against the police officer or another person present by means other than a moving vehicle, e.g., being fired at from the vehicle.
•A police officer shall not discharge his or her firearm at a dog or other animal except to protect self or another person from physical injury and when there is no other reasonable means to eliminate the threat.
•A police officer shall not, under any circumstances, cock a firearm. Firearms must be fired double action at all times.
This is because NYPD buys double action only pistols, Sigs, Glocks or a revolver if the officer prefers. All guns received get a trigger job before issue, increasing trigger pull from 6 lbs to 12 lbs to minimize risk of AD (accidental discharge). Of course, this greatly effects accuracy in the negative and contributes to wild misses when under stress.
