NCJ Number
217552
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 34 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 98,100,103
Date Published
February 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines firearms training in the form of behavior modification where an officer’s perceptions are altered to improve their response in high-risk situations.
Abstract
An officer whose subconscious recognizes he/she is up to the challenge of shooting smaller, obscured targets at a fast pace can overcome any friction. That officer who recognizes his/her agency will treat him/her fairly after a critical incident is an equipped peak performer. Perceptions are powerful. The interpretation of perceptions is what drives behavior. Training is a form of behavior modification. Altering some of the perceptions while training will improve an officer’s response in high-risk situations. These improvements result in faster and more accurate shooting when officers really need it. This article discusses some of these perception alterations: shooting smaller targets; reducing, ignoring, and exploiting perceived friction; changing the cadence; and reducing administrative friction.