NCJ Number
207934
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 31 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2004 Pages: 78,80-82,84,85
Date Published
November 2004
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the issue of police officer training safety.
Abstract
Every year, police officers are injured or killed while in training. While some risk is inherent in police officer training, much can be done to minimize risk and control the training environment. For example, while many departments understand that the shooting range is a dangerous place and take measures to ensure officer safety, many officers do not realize the danger posed by the lead contained in a bullet’s primer. Lead is dangerous to pregnant women and children and is easily transferable from a bullet, which vaporizes the lead primer when it is shot from a gun. Officers should not eat of drink after firing bullets, either, lest they ingest lead. Safety suggestions for firing ranges are offered and include developing a set of written range rules and using an outdoor range. The safety of other types of training, such as handcuffing and physical tactics training, are not as easy to control, yet steps can be taken to ensure the highest possible degree of safety. In these types of cases, most injuries are the result of carelessness, such as pairing a 110-pound woman with a 240-pound man for physical tactics training. Many other training safety suggestions are offered and it is advised that departments consult with professional trainers and educators and with an attorney familiar with police training issues.