Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Detroit Reporter takes Police "Shoot/Don't Shoot" test

In Detroit recently, a Detroit News reporter spent a day going through some of the same "Shoot/Don't Shoot" training that police officers get courtesy of a MILO simulator that puts the trainee in the middle of countless realistic scenarios where deadly force might--or might not--be necessary, often giving him or her just seconds to make a life-or-death decision based upon when he or she is seeing. It turned out to be a real eye-opener for the reporter.

. Read the rest of the story here: Shoot or don't shoot: Police reporter takes test. I've been through this sort of training, and it's realistic, stressful and educational. Not only do the scenarios happen fast, but the computers know which weapons you have in your hand and the scenerios instantly change based on how effectively you use tham. Many people come out of the room with their voices hoarse from shouting at the people on the screen, and even those who are crack shots on a static pistol range find out that their accuracy goes right out the window when the adrenaline is flowing and the "target" is a moving, talking and sometimes rapidly attacking person. "How did you miss four times?" "Did you even see that weapon in her hands?" "When did you see the second person with the weapon off to the side...the one that killed you?" This training is dynamic and realistic, and it shows you what it's like to have to make split-second decisions in cases where it's often not even clear what's going on. In short, it's just like real life, only no one actually dies for real. I'm glad that this reporter got to try this. I just wish that more people, particularly those vocal critics of the police, could have a go at it. It might just give them a new appreciation for the people that they spend so much time criticizing. If you recall my earlier post on this subject, this guy went through it, and it gave him a new outlook on policing. It's a pity that we don't have more chances to run people through these machines. Personally, I'm thinking that most every legislator and lawyer should have to do it, but that's just me.

8 comments:

  1. That type of training is decent but nowhere nearly as good as is training with live people as opponents while using Simunition. Not only is it better because you can use guns that are virtually the same size and weight as your service or carry firearm (Simunition requires use of real but modified guns) but you carry out your training in close to real life scenarios such as in a house, or in a backyard, or in the street during a car stop (all of course at the training facility). You also have the big plus that your opponent is a live person, also armed with a gun firing Simunition, who can fire back at you. It certainly is much more intense and realistic training than are things like MILO or FATS. If use of deadly force is not required, you can resort to other force to continue the scenario. Stuff like that is impossible with simulators like MILO, PSATS and FATS. Of course, if you lack the area to do it in and lack the other people to assist you, then these simulator based training systems are a good way to go.

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  2. GREAT IDEA! (having policy folks go through it)
    Of course, they'd undoubtedly cross each other...

    gfa

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  3. The ones who criticize the police seldom understand what it's like in real life. Like the guy who empties the entire magazine at a perp and keeps on pulling the trigger long after the slide locks back or the hammer is falling on empty cylinders. Adrenaline makes you do funny things.

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  4. To put it mildly, they are 'educational'... And yeah, your whole SA blows up, along with accuracy!!!

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  5. Having taken a course 12 or so years ago, I am very sympathetic to the cops who use force when they maybe shouldn't have but did based upon split second decisions.

    It is very educational.


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  6. Anonymous10:11 AM

    Lawmakers should go through this trainer as well as the press

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  7. Our local range offers a course like Glenn describes, and calls it "Force on Force".

    We use Airsoft guns, and get properly dressed so that WHEN you get hit, it doesn't sting as much.

    It's amazing how fast things can turn to sh1t when the "bad guys" decide to act, and how unexpected it all is when you're doing it.

    And yep, your "crack shot 10-ring experts" are usually the first to find out how bad they shoot when the pressure is on!

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  8. Someone needs to show him how to properly hold the gun before he ends up with a nasty case of slide-bite.

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