One of my jobs is setting up the training environment for LE/Mil, and providing support and basic 1:1 coaching while the main instructors run the course. Most LE/Mil are always short of training funds, and training time, and are much less competent than you expect them to be.
— Drew (@AmmoMfg) December 7, 2021
They regularly show up to training with weapons that are so dirty they malfunction, the batteries in the optics are dead, they brought the wrong ammunition, etc. This isn’t to bash cops, but to point out, you are the number 1 first responder for yourself and your family.
— Drew (@AmmoMfg) December 7, 2021
The media conflates guys who carry guns with gun guys.
There are many, many police and military who are not gun guys. They do not like guns, they do not train any more than absolutely mandatory with their guns, they don’t maintain their guns.
There is a good chance that the cop who replies to your 911 call hasn’t put more than 50 rounds through his service weapon in the last year (or more) and has no idea if his weapon is in serviceable condition. He may have no ability to put lead on target under stressful conditions.
There may be a good chance that the cop who responds decides the best approach is to set up a perimeter and hide behind a tree.
This is why maintaining your awareness and preparedness is so important. You are your own last line of defense.
All too true. While I’ve known some cops who were gun guys, and some of those were REALLY good, most are not. One, who was a range master for for a major city PD, told me of the time when he checked an officers revolver after qualifications and found it filthy. Before returning it he wrote a note saying “clean me” and stuck it in a chamber out of sight of the officer. He then instructed him to maintain his weapon. Guess what was still in that chamber the next time qualifications rolled around?
Well…at least it was a revolver.
This is a good point. The military and law enforcement can somehow make a range day of training and shooting and maybe explosions if you’re good and ate your veggies somehow something to be dreaded instead of skipped to with glee.
I remember being refused training ammo because I was using too much and being investigated incase I was taking it home or selling it.
I knew where much of our budget and line items were back then but I would positively LOVE to see where it is going now. “No Officer so and so we dont have the funds for that grappling course beause the chief wants a new car again this year and we’ve got to pay for the micro-aggressions speaker and she aint cheap.”
I ain’t an expert by any stretch, but I think “you are your last line of defense” is incorrect. YOU are your FIRST line of defense. As the old saw says, “when seconds count, the cops are minutes away.” And the minutes are stretching into hours or maybe never, depending on the time/place/situation.
After 15 years as a LE firearms instructor, I can say this is absolutely right. You have a cor group of really squared away guys that keep a department running. You often have several times that number in dead weight.
And, we know that LE have no _legal_ duty to protect the individual.
I learned this long ago at a bowling pin match.
The range I used to frequent had these once a month or so. Line up 4 old pins, fastest shooter wins the prize.
Best shooters – a couple dudes with .22 autos and aimpoints. Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang – 4 shots, 4 down pins. They ended up banning scopes.
Worst? Cops. By far.
I watched on lady cop empty her revolver, hitting I think was one pin, and after taking forever to reload, only hit maybe one more. There was a male cop that did nearly as bad.
It was an eye opener for me. FFS, at least concentrate enough to hit them all, they weren’t more than 20′ away if memory serves.
This is probably why you see them opening up on some perp, only hitting him once or twice. Although I’ve seen a few videos where the cop drops them like a stone with a single shot.