NCJ Number
66205
Journal
Police Product News Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 26-30
Date Published
1980
Length
5 pages
Annotation
IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICEMEN'S BARRICADE SHOOTING TECHNIQUES ARE RECOMMENDED THAT MAXIMIZE THE INDIVIDUAL POLICEMAN'S ABILITY TO FIRE EFFECTIVELY AND LESSEN THE THREAT TO HIS LIFE.
Abstract
BARRICADE SHOOTING AS PRESENTLY TAUGHT HAS SEVERAL WEAKNESSES. HAND POSITIONS ARE SLOPPY AND WEAK, REDUCING OFFICERS' ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY RETURN FIRE AND REQUIRING THEM TO EXPOSE MORE OF THEIR HEADS TO OPPONENTS' GUNSIGHTS THAN IS NECESSARY. FOOT POSITIONS WHICH WERE DESIGNED FOR TARGET SHOOTERS INSTEAD OF STREET COPS ALLOW TOO MUCH OF THE OFFICER'S BODY TO BE EXPOSED TO CRIMINAL GUNFIRE. HEAD POSITION, IN TERMS OF AN OFFICER'S VULNERABILITY IN AN ACTUAL GUNFIGHT, APPARENTLY HAS NOT BEEN CONSIDERED. WEAK-SIDE SHOOTING IS IMPROPERLY TAUGHT. AS ILLUSTRATED BY ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHS, THE HAND-HOLD SHOULD BE A TWO-FISTED, WRAP-AROUND GRASP, WITH THE KNUCKLES AGAINST THE BARRICADE. THE OFFICER SHOULD BE TRAINED TO HIT THE BARRICADE WHILE HE IS RUNNING, WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT FORWARD IF HE IS FIRING AROUND A RIGHT HAND BARRICADE, OR VICE VERSA. THE OFFICER SHOULD BE TRAINED TO FIRE WHILE 'LOOKING OVER THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE,' HOLDING HIS HEAD IN SUCH A POSITION THAT, WHILE HIS EYE IS EXPOSED WHEN HE AIMS THE GUN, THE MASS OF HIS BRAIN IS NOT IN THE LINE OF CRIMINAL GUNFIRE. OFFICERS SHOULD ALSO BE TRAINED TO USE THEIR STRONG HAND FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE BARRICADE, AND THEY SHOULD TILT THEIR GUNSIGHTS, IF NECESSARY, WHEN THEY FIRE FROM THEIR NONSTRONG-HAND SIDE. WHEN POLICEMEN MUST FIRE IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE BEHIND A SUITABLE BARRICADE, THEY DESERVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT WILL REDUCE RISKS OF DEATH AND WHICH WILL ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO NEUTRALIZE OPPONENTS. (DEG)