Shooting at Empire State Building

[revance]

While collateral damage can happen to anyone, there are a few things that scream "lack of training". First is the one hand draw and shooting. He had no reason to do that and it was likely the biggest cause of collateral damage. A proper draw to a 2 hand grip should be instinctive to anyone who trains regularly. He wasn't doing anything with his off side hand.

Next, neither of them scanned the area after shooting. Anyone who regularly trains would do that out of habit. You can't blame that on the situation. Real shootings don't make those habits go away. Hence police depts stopped allowing officers to dump their empty brass out of their revolvers into their hands and pocket it. Officers were killed with their hands full of empty brass.

High stress causes people to miss for lots of reasons, but they don't cause your habits to go away, very much the opposite. I'm willing to bet these officers didn't have these habits.

Big city depts are rumored to avoid hiring gun enthusiasts for political reasons. My neighbor, a retired NYC cop complained that they required him to shoot 30 rounds a month. That mentality doesn't create competent shooters. I can guarantee he didn't run worthwhile training drills.

 

[revance]

I agree with you Phylodog. It is sad how little training they get (or is even available).

I can shoot every day here AND take multiple Gunsite and Yavapai classes a year right down the street (can't afford to do it multiple times a year, but it's available). I can't imagine being a LEO and not having that.

 

[thumperdogg]

That is what NYPD provides. Two days a year with shooting at static targets. It isn't enough.

Even if an officer wanted to shoot more than that I doubt they would have luck getting on the NYPD range. They have 35,000 officers to train, I doubt there are many openings in the schedule. I don't believe NYC has much to offer for private or public ranges.

That is sad! I know a couple guys in Deleware county that get to go a couple days a week, and don't have to pay for the range ammo either.

 

[churchmouse]

NYPD officers get 13 days on the range as a recruit then they requalify once or twice a year. That is not enough.

When that same program is implemented here we will all get to enjoy similar results.

I see a need for officers to get out and use their side arm on personal time. I agree it should be compensated time but a lot of us are required to stay currant with our advancing technology as job related on our own time. No knock on the LEO but on the system and budgets.
That said, get out and stay familiar with the one thing that is there to protect you from the bad guys. I know it is expensive but we are at the range no less than 3 times a month and in the woods with the AR's and other center fires whenever possible. If I were LEO it would probably be more.

 

[phylodog]

I see a need for officers to get out and use their side arm on personal time. I agree it should be compensated time but a lot of us are required to stay currant with our advancing technology as job related on our own time. No knock on the LEO but on the system and budgets.
That said, get out and stay familiar with the one thing that is there to protect you from the bad guys. I know it is expensive but we are at the range no less than 3 times a month and in the woods with the AR's and other center fires whenever possible. If I were LEO it would probably be more.

How difficult do you suppose it is to go to the range if you live in NYC? Add to that the likelihood of a police officer being involved in a shooting. Plus the fact that 85% of police officers don't care to shoot to begin with and you see the odds of the average NYPD officer heading to the range on their own time and dime. I doubt if they have open range space on the dept ranges. They train 4000 recruits a year and get another 37,000 officers through quals every year.