NCJ Number
83370
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 51 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1982) Pages: 1-8
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article explains a strategy for selecting, training, and evaluating personnel for use on countersniper teams and suggests deployment procedures to assure optimum performance of countersnipers, based on the experience of the police department of Lawrence, Kans.
Abstract
The Lawrence Police Department has had a tactical unit since 1974. Until recently, countersnipers were chosen from the tactical unit based on their marksmanship with a bolt-action rifle. These officers also received full training in other tactical unit activities. However, this training left little time to perfect the shooting techniques sometimes needed for an actual assignment. In July 1980, the tactical unit was reorganized into countersniper teams and an assault team specializing in inner perimeter techniques. The three-man teams each include a team leader, a primary shooter, and a secondary shooter and are modeled after West German countersnipers. Training includes long-range photography, surveillance, and shooting skills. The countersniper teams were chosen from the best rifle marksmen in the police departments of the city or of Kansas University and were trained using specific scenarios to simulate actual conditions. Tests revealed that countersnipers may be left at their posts for about 2 hours without an appreciable loss in their performance, but a better deployment plan would relieve each shooter after 1 hour on post. The use of scenarios proved to be an invaluable training aid. Figures, tables, photographs, and one footnote are provided.