Replies

I don’t know about NYPD but a lot of police departments have cut back on their officer’s gun range training and qualification skills.

Police Training During Down Economic Times

By Richard Q Johnson

Whenever the economy goes south, police departments are expected to tighten their belts and reduce the budget size. Some programs can be scaled back with little impact on the community. However, one of the first hit tends to be the police training unit.

The training unit in any law enforcement agency frequently has the largest and most long term impact on a community. Trainers ensure that officers are current with all of their qualifications, but also make sure that officers are kept up-to-date with changes in the law and updates in department policy.

When a department starts to scale back the training unit, officers will be less trained and less able to assist the people they are employed to serve. Instead of well-qualified officers hitting the street, the public gets cops trained to meet the “minimum standard.” Is this a good idea in anyone’s book?

Bad economic times can require that departments trim costs, but the analysis needs to look beyond the short term gains and at the long term impacts of decisions. Training is a continuous process that when curbed can take years to get back on track.

The potential costs of less training includes wrongful arrests, officers using too much force, officers not using enough force, the use of improper investigative techniques and unethical behavior. One incident of any of these problems could result in a lawsuit that will dwarf any potential savings from cutting the training budget.

Administrators should look at areas outside of training to cut before taking the axe to education. For example, upgrades to existing equipment might be delayed until the next fiscal year. Likewise, selling surplus equipment can make up the budget shortfalls. I know my own agency sold several Harley Davidson motorcycles the motor unit no longer used to help cover our own deficit recently.

If a police training unit is hit with a shrinking budget, those officers can look at alternative means of delivering the training. Alternative means may not be as effective, but it is still better than going without any training.

Electronic delivery of information may be a cost-effective way of educating officers on topics that do not have a “hands on” component. Case law updates, for example, might be a good thing to deliver via e-mail, saving precious classroom time for defensive tactics.

Expenditure of ammunition on the firing range is also a costly line item in the training budget. Firearms instructors can work with officers on dry firing techniques to supplement range time. Dry firing isn’t the same as being on the range, but it is still a proven technique for improving accuracy and trigger control. Plus it doesn’t cost a dime.

Lets face it: budget cuts stink. Reduced budgets frequently prevent officers from getting cost of living increases and more often than not cost officers money in the form of higher insurance premiums and increased contributions into pensions. But the highest potential of concern is reduced training.

Training is important as it can keep up alive when the world explodes around us. If we cut our training, it can result in a more dangerous job.

Check out BlueSheepdog.com for more information on police training and officer safety. We offer articles, videos, podcasts, reviews and more for the law enforcement professional.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Q_Johnson