According to the records, Coel was hired by the Miramar (Florida) Police Department in February 2012.The Miramar PD sent him to Florida Law Enforcement Basic Recruit Training Program — a five month entry-level course that teaches basic police skills.After he graduated and returned to his department, Coel was assigned to a Field Training Officer, or FTO.FTOs are seasoned officers whose job is to twofold. Not only are they supposed to teach the rookies how to police, they’re also given the responsibility to cull the bad ones from the herd.Coel was fired by Miramar in April 2013. The reason: “Failure to Satisfactorily Complete Agency Field Training.”

…He holds no instructor certifications, and is therefore not qualified to teach anything to anyone.

Source: Punta Gorda officer who killed librarian was barely trained, not a firearms instructor – The Gun Writer

Kevin C. of Misfires and Light Strikes gave me his opinion and I think it is very plausible:

Based on what I know about this stuff, PR work like this is never given to door kickers: It’s pretty much administrative punishment handed out to people who aren’t “real” cop.

If this is turns out to be true (and I think it might very well be) a general sacking of White Shirts is in order. From the Chief to the Public Relations and Information to the sergeant who assigned this officer to this duty. All of them showed a disregard for the welfare of the people they have sworn to protect on an event that should have been 100% under they control but was not because of reckless disregard for the proper safety protocols.

I expect Michael Bane to do either a blog post or a podcasts comment about this event. If you are in Facebook, find him and read his “rant” of August 10 where he explains the safety conditions that real Fire On Fire trainers set up before anybody pulls the trigger.

And in case it is not clear yet: WHEN IT COMES TO GUNS, DO NOT TAKE TRAINING OR LEGAL ADVICE FROM A POLICE OFFICER.

I know I am generalizing, but it is  very sparse the number of cops that cops are good instructors and know their stuff. It is your due diligence to make sure who are they. And no, your mother’s second cousin four times removed who works for the Gardens Of Dead Palmettos By The Beach Police Department and has a Glock 17 with rust in the trigger guard and the mag well is not one of the top Florida instructors.