I have nothing against law enforcement. They serve an important function in today's society. Theirs is a job that requires skill, patience, determination, and again, patience. I know a few cops. Some are in the job for right reason; to help people. A couple of them have big egos and a power trip,but most are good, down to earth people. Most of them have something in common, though: Very limited shooting experience.
Many cops will never pull a firearm in the line of duty during their careers. Most police departments only require firearms certifications once or twice a year. Now, obviously, specialty departments may have more training, but here in Arizona, the basic" beat" cop only qualifies once or twice per year. I have been at the range with my friends and seen them shoot...It isn't pretty.
I was at my local indoor range about ten days ago. A pair of Border Patrol agents was at the range just before me and took the last open firring position. I knew they were Border Patrol since they were wearing their uniforms and had their badges on their waists. I watched them through the viewing glass. The lady agent was a decent shot with her handgun...from 7 feet from the edge of the counter. Yes...I watched her do a series of 5 drills or so from 7 feet away from the end of her weapon. At that range, she made a nice 4 inch pattern. Yes, I watched her make a 4 inch pattern from 7 feet on a human silhouette target. Extrapolate that out about 21 feet and this will turn out to be a 12 inch pattern....that's the difference between hitting or missing a target.
My cop friend who I shoot with is a bit better. Now, I will not embarrass him with posting what i have seen him shoot, but it's mildly better then the Border patrol agent.
People need to understand, the law enforcement agencies do not have the manpower or funds to provide training beyond what they already do. Training involves taking the officer off of regular duty. Someone has to cover this guys job while he is training and it usually falls to paying overtime, or just leaving that slot unfilled for the day. Bullets cost more money then ever these days. Most cops also are not big fans of practice and qualification days. They involve a lot of standing around and wasting time before your turn is up or sitting around and listening to a trainer, then eventually being able to shoot a few dozen rounds to qualify.
Another thing to remember: Law Enforcement are civilians. They are not military or even paramilitary. Don't expect them to be knowledgeable about weapons. They training is on the law, not weapons. The cops I know could not tell you the difference between an SKS or an AK, or an M4 vs an AR15 or a Mossberg 500 and a Winchester 1200. They have a tough job and these days get little respect for that tough job.
