Blue Sheepdog

One of the things that really gets me upset about a lot of the firearms training given to police officers, is the concept of a static officer vs. a static target. You know the training I mean: the officer stands on the line, waits for the command, draws his firearm, and shoots a pre-determined number of shots at a piece of paper. This is supposed to demonstrate that the officer is proficient with a handgun. In reality, it just shows the officer can, in low stress conditions, put holes in a piece of paper that is not moving and not shooting back.

A real deadly force encounter is likely to be very dynamic: the officer should be moving, the perp will be moving, various innocents may be moving in the area, and there will be all sorts of inanimate objects that may be cover…or just trip you as you move. How you train will dictate how you perform when the bullets start flying.

As an example of good technique, view the video below. On November 15, 2007, Altamonte Springs, FL police officers responded to a reported robbery of a hotel near Interstate 4. For those that are unfamiliar with the area, this is just outside of Orlando.

A 10-year veteran officer observed and attempted to stop a red Ford Focus that matched the description of the vehicle that had left the scene of the robbery. As the police officer approached the car, the passenger opened fire. The driver, who was kidnapped by the passenger, fled from the car. The officer returned fire and struck the suspect multiple times, ending the threat.

What I think is important about this video is the use of movement. The officer assumes a solid isosoles stance, and then moves laterally while engaging the shooter. The suspect on the other hand, remained mostly static, as he was inside of a car and could not move off the officer’s line of fire. The end result? The officer was not hit, but the suspect was hit multiple times.

I don’t know if Altamonte Springs PD incorporates lateral movement into the firearms training, or if this officer practiced this independently, but it worked. Think seriously about incorporating movement into your practice sessions, and work with your department to incorporate movement into the department training program.

Stay safe!