NCJ Number
63136
Date Published
1979
Length
334 pages
Annotation
A BRITISH POLICE SUPERINTENDENT, LAMENTING THE DEARTH OF POLICE TRAINING IN FIREARMS USE, OUTLINES POLICY, TACTICAL PROCEDURES, PHILOSOPHY, PLANNING, AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS FOR VARIOUS ARMED POLICE OPERATIONS.
Abstract
ARMED POLICE, LIKE UNARMED POLICE, HAVE A COMMON OBJECTIVE--TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. NEUTRALIZING THE OFFENDER IS SECONDARY. THE CHANGING TACTICS OF CRIMINALS, HOWEVER, NECESSITATES POLICE DEVELOPMENT OF FIREARMS STRATEGY. USE OF FIREARMS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A GOOD SYSTEM OF FIREARMS TRAINING. THIS SYSTEM ENTAILS STUDYING IN DETAIL THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH ARMED POLICE FACE, STUDYING AND DEFINING POLICE METHODS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS, ESTABLISHING WHAT WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT ARE NEEDED AND WHAT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE WILL BE REQUIRED, AND DEVELOPING A DEVICE FOR IMPARTING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE AT AN OPTIMUM LEVEL. THIS BOOK DEALS WITH THE FIRST TWO PROBLEMS, COVERING CONTROLS ON THE POLICE USE OF WEAPONS, BASIC PRINCIPLES OF POLICE TACTICS (ARMS AND PLANS, MEN AND EQUIPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND PHILOSOPHY), KINDS OF CRIMINALS, CHEMICAL MUNITIONS, AND THE HANDLING OF PRISONERS. IT COVERS BUILDING SEARCHES, STRATEGIC CONTAINMENT OF CRIMINALS IN VEHICLES, VEHICLE CHECKPOINTS, SEARCHING OPEN COUNTRYSIDE AND URBAN AREAS, AND THE STAKEOUT. RESPONSES TO TERRORIST INCIDENTS--HOSTAGE TAKING (THE PROBLEM, POLICIES, STRATEGY, APPROPRIATE TACTICS), PROTECTION OF PUBLIC FIGURES, AND MAJOR SECURITY OPERATIONS SUCH AS AT AIRPORTS OR OF VEHICLES CARRYING HIGHLY VALUABLE LOADS--ARE DETAILED ALSO. FINALLY, SURPRISE ENCOUNTERS IN WHICH THE POLICE HAVE NO PLANNING OPPORTUNITY ARE CONSIDERED. THROUGHOUT THE TEXT, THE IDEA OF POLICE AS EFFECTIVE AND WELL-TRAINED PROFESSIONALS IS EMPHASIZED, AS IS THE NECESSITY OF ANTICIPATING AND PLANNING CAREFULLY AND RATIONALLY FOR EVENTS. AN INDEX AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)