NCJ Number
142382
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 41 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1993) Pages: 63-69
Date Published
1993
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Because the issue of training and the carry-condition of shotguns are problematic, survey questionnaires were sent to 50 randomly selected law enforcement agencies in California to evaluate shotgun training and how they mandated that guns be carried on duty.
Abstract
Survey questions focused on police department size, shotgun issued, number of vehicles carrying shotguns, carry method, ammunition issued, inservice training, field disabling techniques taught and authorized, written policies concerning shotguns, and accidental discharges. The 33 responding agencies included 25 municipal police departments and eight county sheriff departments. The largest department had 1,400 sworn members and 400 shotgun-carrying vehicles, while the smallest had seven sworn members and three vehicles. Annual shotgun maintenance and qualification training were conducted by 32 agencies. The most popular shotgun issued was the Remington 870; the favored ammunition choice was 00 Buck. All but four agencies indicated they trained officers in some form of emergency shotgun disabling. Four carry conditions were identified: (1) hammer down, chamber empty, safety off; (2) hammer down, chamber empty, safety on; (3) hammer back, chamber empty, safety on; and (4) officer discretion (no policy). Of 30 accidental discharge incidents, 3 resulted in civilian death or injury and 2 caused police injury. The survey did not question whether shotguns were left in patrol cars or checked out of department armories with each shift change.