Posted on 05/22/2009 4:48:29 PM PDT by smokingfrog
Should a situation arise at the Weston schools that requires an armed response, local police are ready to answer the call. Last week, officers in the Weston Police Department, including Chief John Troxell, participated in high-tension rifle training exercises to prepare them for emergency shooter situations. The exercises were held over the course of three days at the rifle range on Valley Forge Road and were led by School Violence Solutions, an active shooter training program. The instructor of the program was Allan Garcia, a police sergeant with the Middletown Police Department in Rhode Island. “Since Columbine, local police officers need to be trained to handle emergencies at schools. This is the world in which we live today. Local police are the first line of defense,” Chief Troxell said. Under standard rifle training, officers stand a certain distance from targets and shoot at them. Sgt. Garcia led the department through a series of special exercises that were different from the standard. “These exercises helped our officers think outside the box,” said Chief Troxell. The exercises were set up to simulate high-stress situations. In one exercise, red plates were placed next to blue plates at a distance. Some of the plates represented friends, others foes. “We had to focus carefully how to shoot the foe without hurting an innocent person,” Chief Troxell said. Through other simulated exercises, officers focused on trigger control, accuracy at different distances, and teamwork. “In one exercise, it was almost like a choreographed dance. Everyone followed a series of commands, as we moved together from place to place. We had to be aware of where our guns were pointed. There was a lot of advanced tactical training involved,” Chief Troxell said.
(Excerpt) Read more at acorn-online.com ...
Also, what do you think about officers replacing their shotguns with AR's? Wouldn't the shotgun be better in most situations? This seems to be a growing trend.
Won’t work in heavy traffic.
I’d prefer one round of 5.56 over buckshot spraying if I was a hostage.
I see that CT is about 10 years behind the times. They treat this like something important. There is a need for both shotguns and urban rifles. There is also a need for high power sniper weapons. 5.56 simply won’t penetrate some windows as the FB1 found out several years ago. Police need a level playing field, particularly if the Boy Wonder is going to release terrorists among us.
The more difficult it is to fight the law, the easier it is to establish a tyranny. Maybe I'm a libertarian at heart.
In Weston of all places...
I went to elementary and middle school there, and really the biggest concern at the schools is whether or not Dad’s connections at Princeton or Columbia can pull a few strings for junior. :) It’s probably one of the few places I actually wouldn’t have a problem sending my kids to public school (if I had any).
Having participated in response to active shooter training, I’ve got to say that when you need a long gun there is absolutely no substitute. My sidearm is wishful thinking for distances like a high school hallway.
A carbine is always better than a pistol, except when you don’t have a carbine.
I can hit a man without problems with my Sig 9mm at 150’. The problem with most policemen is that they simply don’t practice enough.
How will this training help when they all, to a man cower behind there cruisers waiting for the gunfire to stop, ala columbine?
More ninja wannabies....
I am curious...why are their EBRs ‘Tacticool’, but ours are ‘Assault?’
Their guns only shoot bad guys. We’re not really sure we can trust YOU.
It’s kind of like John Wayne talking to Ron Howard in “The Shootist”, where he says that it’s easy to shoot when no one is shooting back at you.
Its a hell of a lot harder if you've never given it any thought. That said shooting skills don't suddenly become better when the pressure is on.
Every situation is different even when its the same situation for the same person. So far I've been lucky in life that my thinking and abilities sharpen at critical moments. The wobbly knees come after the fact.
I’m with you, particularly about the knees! Training under stress is key. That’s why I love Krav Maga.
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