Search Result: Firearms Training

For as long as most active SWAT operators have been police officers, there has been one gospel truth about SWAT sniper operations: the 70-Yard Rule. Ask any SWAT sniper what is the average range of a police sniper shooting, and he will answer, “About 70 yards.” Ask him the source of his data, and he will say, “FBI statistics.”

All holsters are not created equal. You know that. You also know that different types of holsters are designed to be used for different police applications. But what you may not know is how to evaluate holsters for quality, fit, retention, and general function.

A career in law enforcement on the warm and sunny island of Oahu may seem like a dream come true to most of the readers of POLICE. And after training with nearly 30 officers from the Honolulu Police Department, I can assure you that the reality is just as great as you imagine.

We all know that most police-involved shootings develop at a range of just a few feet. But there are exceptions. It’s not easy to hit a target in combat at long range with a pistol. But it can be done.

History has shown over and over again that merely shooting a set course of fire, or qualification course, will not truly prepare you for an armed confrontation. Yet, agencies continue to schedule officers for firearms qualification only three to four times a year. Is it any wonder why our hit ratio in gunfights hovers at 20 percent?

Of all training accidents, police officers shooting each other in simulation drills are the most tragic. They are also the most difficult for some officers and civilians to comprehend.

You don't like doing it, I don't like doing it…no one I know likes shooting with one hand. But quite often, how you shoot determines whether or not you go back to the street or end up in an office job riding a desk.

Although most agencies supply their officers with basic firearms training, there are reasons that law enforcement officers are some of the most active attendees of specialized gun training academies.

The ultimate goal of any defensive pistol-training program is to stop a life-threatening attack against you or another innocent party. You have to know how to shoot consistently and accurately to save lives.

These three skills can offer simple solutions to often complicated problems in the field.

For many investigators their handgun is their primary weapon. Consequently, it must be the most effective tool they can have. Here are some thoughts on the selection process of both the handgun and the ever-important holster it's carried in.

Increased urbanization has created new conflicts with shooting ranges used by law enforcement agencies, defense installations, as well as civilian gun clubs across the United States and Canada.

Personal investigation indicates that only about 25 percent of officers practice on their own time.  Supervisors, concerned by a low hit rate in critical incidents, may push for better handguns and advanced training.  But officers are responsible for their own safety and should practice on their own.