“Modern” Police Handgun Training

1. Robert M. Bragg, Jr. Force and Fitness Program Manager Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission . “Modern” Police Handgun Training

2. Overview • Operating the Gun: an overview • Aiming the gun: Kinesthetic Aiming, Peripheral Vision Aiming, Full Sight Picture Aiming • Movement Control: How does one control movement in rapid or accurate shooting and why does it matter? • Fire Control: grip, trigger manipulation, recoil management • Malfunction and Ammunition Management: what are the subskills and what is emphasized in training? • Training methods: the science of psychomotor skill instruction • Testing (“Qualification”) procedures: what does your test tell you about performance versus what do you think you’re testing and is it consistent with JTA?

3. Handgun Training • FBI Statistics (Shootings 10 feet and last less than 2.5 seconds) • Force Science Institute Research • Task Dissection and Cue Recognition

4. 3 Areas of Skill for Training • Area 1 is precision shooting and weapon handling (this is where many programs spend the majority of their time and the basis for most “qualification” courses). • Area 2 contains the principles and tactics of high-stress/speed gun fighting with an emphasis on contextual purposeful movement and rapid gun operation. • Area 3 is the integration of both areas in an open-skill realistic context that requires the application of strategy and non-gun solutions to the presented problems.

5. Operating the Gun • Trigger Control • Aiming • Closed – skill • Open – skill • Urgency (time)

6. Kinesthetic Aiming • “Point Shooting” – Body-index shooting • Advantages: • Quick • Stable Platform • Disadvantages: • Accuracy Diminished • Limits range encounters

7. Vision and Aiming the Gun • Visual Systems • Central (focal, ventral) vision • Peripheral (ambient, dorsal) vision

8. Peripheral Vision Aiming • Peripheral Vision Aiming (PVA) – Point – shooting • Advantages – Already have a lot of practice, Quick, More accurate than the above KA • Disadvantages – Less accurate than Full Sight, Slower, Specific Range requirements

9. Full Sight Picture Aiming • Referred to as Precision Shooting (FSPA) • Requires Central/Focal Vision • Most accurate compared to the other aiming methods

10. Movement Control • Body’s neuromuscular System Interact with Controlling the handgun before, during and after “the bang” • Closed Loop Movement – allows for feedback (slow movement) • Open Loop Movement – action is too fast to allow for feedback (preset / programmed set of movements)

11. Inverted – U Theory • Yerkes-Dodson • Optimal Zone of Psychological Arousal • Complex Fine Motor Control / High Cognitive Demand Tasks require much lower level of arousal

12. Fire Control • Maintenance of the Aimed Position of the Handgun • Trigger Manipulation • Grip • Recoil Management (Time & Ability to return to target) • Grip Control with 1-handed or 2-handed firing

13. Malfunction and Ammunition Management • Reload Protocols – Discrete Skills • Recognition or Cognitive Component required to decide which Motor Program to call up • Sensitivity to the weight change

14. Training Methods • Based on Applicable and Available Science • Drawn on the Disciplines of Motor Learning, Motor Control and Human Factors • Incorporate the Wide Range of Training Paraphernalia (SIRT, resettable, simunitions, etc..)

15. Currently at CJTC • Training Methods – • Backwards Chaining • Error Amplification • Specific Movement Isolation • Contiguous Conditioning • Random and Blocked Practice • Delayed and Bandwidth feedback • Attentional Focus Training • Blind Practice,

16. Testing • Training and testing that best replicates the actual test • Stress-performance • Transfer of Learning • CJTC – Utilizes the open and closed environment, skill training

17. Summary • Known “Gun Fighting” Facts • Examination of Job Tasks • Utilization of Science for Training • Incorporate Wide Range of Training Tools • Strive to continue to evaluate the methods based on logical and scientific reasoning

19. On the silhouette - outside the scored area No Penalty

20. INSTRUCTIONS: Officers will need duty belt, assigned duty weapon, at least three magazines, ballistic vest, ear protection, eye protection and baseball style cap. Scoring of this course is based on the IPSC C or similar type target with shirt placed over target. Minimum passing score is 70% of the 50 rounds fired. Each round has a point value of two if it is anywhere on the target. Headshots must be in the designated head area to count as two. Headshots in body count as one (eight headshots.) Attendees are given one opportunity to pass the course. Rounds not fired are minus the point value for each shot. Scoring will be done at each stage so extra rounds fired at any stage will not be counted. Stage course of fire will be initiated by turning of the target or instructor audible signal. Shooters should have one lane between each for practical and safety purposes.

22. Course Set-up Stage 1: Shooter must step using the forward (female) triangle while firing twice to the head. From the holster. Sequence is done twice. Mark and score the hits. 2 pts for head and 1 pt. for body. Stage 2: Shooter should be reminded that the compressed ready position is not extended but locked into the chest or the number three step of the draw. The headshots should be made after a retreating or rearward angle step. Can be one or two hands. Stage 3: Inert OC spray should be given to each shooter. Shooters are instructed to spray when told to and then on turning of the target indicating lethal force, they should retract spray to their center while drawing and shooting three to the body, stepping off line and two to the head. Body and headshots should be marked and scored immediately after the stage is shot. This concludes the headshots so the other stages can be marked and scored as after they are completed

23. Continued . Stage 4: This stage starts the shooter at the 7-yard line and angle steps back to the ten. Cones or barricades simulating cover can be set up at the 10-yard line for a visible destination point. In the picture he is moving from the blue cone to barricade

24. Continued Stage 5: Take the shooter back a few yards beyond the 25-yard line. Instruct them that this will be prone shooting from behind cover. They are to draw and holster from the standing position and communicate and scan before standing. The cover should simulate low cover that they have to shoot under.

25. Continued Stage 6 and 7 should be run together. This requires coordination with the instructor turning the targets. The shooters start at the ready position at about the 20-yard line. An instructor tells them to move. As they move forward, together the targets turn and they engage using their cover appropriately. Once they complete the shooting stage and TAC load they stay at the ready and communicate with each other. When they are ready, they or the instructor say “move” and they start forward around their cover and towards the 10-yard line. The 10-yard line should be marked with a cone or visible object with instruction to not move past it. When the target turns, they are to engage while moving

27. Continued Stage 8: Shooter should start in the SUL position on the 10-yard line at a marker or barricade one lane to the right or left of his target. Students will be instructed to move laterally to their other barricade/marker and when the target turns, engage while moving. Repeat the stage moving back the other direction. Shooters in SUL when not engaging threat.