COMBAT SHOOTING - THE ART AND THE SCIENCE (FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT BIBLE, 1978, BY ROBERT A SCANLON - SEE NCJ-49390)

• NCJ Number: 49396
• Author(s): R A SCANLON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: Stoeger Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

WEAPONS TRAINING, PARTICULARLY IN COMBAT SHOOTING IN SITUATIONS WITH ARMED SUSPECTS, IS ESSENTIAL TO THE EFFECTIVENESS, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND PERSONAL SAFETY OF EVERY PROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICER.

Abstract

TRAINING MAY BEGIN WITH TARGET PRACTICE FOR ROOKIES. ONCE WEAPON HANDLING HAS BEEN MASTERED, THE TRAINEE SHOULD USE FULL LOAD AMMUNITION AND SHOULD NOT USE EAR PROTECTORS. INSERVICE WEAPONS TRAINING SESSIONS SHOULD BE HELD AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. PROPER CLEANING OF THE WEAPON AND ITS MAINTENANCE ARE IMPORTANT, AND THE USE OF RELOADED AMMUNITION IS NOT ENCOURAGED. IN COMBAT SHOOTING, GRIP ON THE WEAPON IS IMPORTANT. PROPER GRIP HELPS CONTROL RECOIL AND SAVES PRECIOUS SECONDS. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMBAT TRAINING IS UNDERLINED BY NATIONAL STATISTICS ON POLICE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. CONSIDERATIONS IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH AN ARMED SUSPECT INCLUDE KEEPING A SAFE DISTANCE, MAKING A CAREFUL APPROACH, AND FOCUSING ATTENTION ON THE SUSPECT. IN DEALING WITH MULTIPLE ADVERSARIES, THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PROPER COVER IS EMPHASIZED. SHOOTING POSITIONS USED WILL DEPEND ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE COMBAT SITUATION. AS LONG AGO AS 1930 THE PRACTICAL POLICE COURSE PROVIDED COMBAT TRAINING WHICH INVOLVED 9 FIRING POSITIONS FROM HIP SHOOTING AT 7 YARDS TO THE PRONE POSITION AT 60 YARDS. SINCE MOST ACTUAL CONFRONTATIONS TAKE PLACE AT DISTANCES LESS THAN 15 YARDS, MUCH OF THIS TRAINING WAS IMPRACTICAL AND WASTEFUL. IN 1961, THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) DEVELOPED THE DOUBLE-ACTION PISTOL COURSE, WHICH CONCENTRATES ON FIRING POSITIONS AT 7, 15, AND 25 YARDS. ANOTHER EXCELLENT COURSE IS THE FBI CLOSE COMBAT COURSE WHICH COVERS TRAINING IN FIRING POSITIONS AND TACTICS AT DISTANCES BETWEEN 3 FEET AND 21 FEET. ALL HIP-SHOTTING POSITIONS ARE USED. IN CLOSE COMBAT SITUATIONS, STANCE AND POSITION ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. TWO OTHER USEFUL FBI TRAINING COURSES ARE DESCRIBED: THE TACTICAL REVOLVER COURSE AND THE NIGHT FIRING COURSE. DEVELOPMENT OF DEFENSIVE SHOOTING SKILLS WILL HELP THE POLICE OFFICER COPE WITH AND ADJUST TO ADVERSE CONFRONTATION SITUATIONS BY INCREASING BOTH SKILLS AND SELF-CONFIDENCE. A NUMBER OF COMBAT TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES ARE DESCRIBED AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF SHOOTING POSITIONS AND TACTICS ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (JAP)