NCJ Number
85322
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 49 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1982) Pages: 44-59
Date Published
1982
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A series of articles on officer survival and defensive tactics are presented. One relates police officer weapons and survival training to the findings of empirical studies of shooting incidents. Another describes a way to reduce the likelihood of an officer being attacked with his/her own gun. A final article discusses use of neck restraints.
Abstract
Empirical studies of police shooting incidents suggest that basic training should be given in night shooting, officer perceptual distortions under stress, target discrimination under adverse conditions, and controlling a situation from a distance. Reports indicate that a significant number of officer deaths occurred from the killer's use of the officer's own handgun. A study related to this circumstance found that an officer armed with a semiautomatic weapon would have an average of 16.2 seconds to take action after losing control of his/her firearm, compared to 1.77 seconds if he/she were equipped with a revolver. This is due to a civilian's general lack of knowledge and skill in operating a semiautomatic weapon. A significant step in reducing violence from firearms, both accidental and intentional, is the development of a comprehensive police firearms training program. The police chief has the responsibility of seeing that the firearms training is effective and relevant to policing situations. In the area of nonlethal defensive tactics, the neck restraint can be effective when the proper technique is selected and officers are well trained in its use. The proper uses of neck restraint techniques are described and illustrated with photographs, and guidelines for its safe use are provided.