Archive for Training
Clayton County Police Academy Shutting Down
Posted by: | CommentsThe Clayton County police academy is shutting down. Just south of Atlanta, the Clayton County academy is a professional training center that trained new recruits and offered advanced training to experienced Georgia officers.
In hard economic times, the first thing to cut is cops, firefighters, and teachers. The first thing cut at a police department? Training, of course.
It really is too bad. I had the chance to attend the Clayton County academy for a variety of courses in the late ’90s/early 00′s, and I was impressed by how they ran their ship. They had some very good instructors, and things were kept very professional. Clayton County will suffer with their loss.
What are you doing to train for your next fight?
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Right now there is some street thug who is preparing himself for an encounter with you. Maybe today he is practicing shooting. Perhaps he’s doing push-ups, or running. Yesterday, he figured out a really great spot to hide a small razor knife.
If his buddy is with him today, he’s probably working on disarming you. He’s been working on that one for a while, and has gotten pretty good at it.
I know what he is doing. The question is, what are you doing?
When is the last time you went to the range? Hit the weights? Cleaned and oiled your handcuffs? Have you and your partner practiced a building search lately? Or even just talked about how to handle a hot call?
Someone is preparing to meet you. Will you be ready?
Training to Drill or Training for Real?, Part II
Posted by: | Comments(Ed. note: This is Part II to the original “Training to drill or training for real” article that was published back on March 29, 2010.)
The current firearms qualification course at my agency is divided into two phases, and I use it here just as an example of what an agency could do to add real life shooting drills into their firearms training program. There is one course dedicated to the basics. In that course of fire officers must show proficiency in withdrawing their sidearm, proper shooting platform, and shooting on target in specified times.
There are some combat and tactical reloads incorporated into the training and time restrictions ensure officers are “moving with a purpose”. Weapons malfunction drills are also performed to ensure proficiency and muscle memory. We shoot Glock Model 22, full size .40 cal. pistols and we do use the Glock qualification course in that phase to help determine an officer’s ability to use their sidearm. That’s the easy course, and you are not considered qualified on your sidearm by passing this course alone.
I’m Tired…
Posted by: | CommentsI’m tired of reading the “officer down” messages that come across my computer terminal seemingly every night. Law enforcement officer deaths are up this year. One is too many, but 98 so far, is staggering.
Looking over the information at the Officer Down Memorial Page, we see 98 officer deaths have been listed. Almost half of those came from violent encounters, with the balance being mostly accidental or medical.
It wasn’t that long ago I was telling rookies that more cops die in traffic accidents, than from being shot. Not this year.
- Officers killed by gunfire: 34
- Officers killed in accidents and pursuits combined: 30
Officer Survival Questions for the Day
Posted by: | CommentsAs we head into the weekend, here are a few officer survival questions to consider. Think of this as a pop-quiz with a deadly serious pass-fail grade.
Back Up Gun
Are you carrying a back up gun (BUG)? If not, why not? I don’t care if your Glock or Sig has never failed. You carry it long enough, it will break. When it goes down, you better have a plan B.
If you are carrying a BUG, where are you carrying it? Can you get to it if you need it? Can you get to it if you’ve been knocked down, or if you are wrestling with someone?
When is the last time you practiced with your BUG? Can you shoot it -accurately- with one hand? Your off-hand?
Berghuis v. Thompkins: Supreme Court Clarifies “Right to Remain Silent”
Posted by: | CommentsThe US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) published its opinion in Berghuis v. Thompkins on Tuesday, stating that invoking the right to remain silent requires the suspect to make an actual announcement that he does not want to speak to the police.
The right to remain silent is a major portion of the Miranda decision, as is the right to counsel. The court, clarifying the silence aspect of Miranda, followed their previous thinking which holds that the suspect must make a request for counsel before he is considered to have ‘invoked.’
Curiously, the decision was a narrow 5-4, even though the case seemed fairly straightforward. The latest SCOTUS appointee, Justice Sotomayor, wrote the opinion for the minority.
