Shooting enough to qualify once a year, really?

[nickatnite]

So, after reading this thread:

http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?75801-WTS-Sig-P220

I just want to hang my head and shake it in shame? I really wanted to ask him in that thread is he was for real....

Really? You are a full time police officer and only shoot once a year and that is all?

 

[3fifty7]

Its very suprising just how many have that mentality

 

[JR1572]

Many people believe that to be acceptable...

JR1572

 

[SpeedRacer]

I would bet a lot of cops wouldn't even carry a gun if they were given the choice.

Is it really that crazy considering there are also NOPD officers on street duty that choose not to wear vests?

 

[Leadfoot]

I understand the mentality.

Look at it this way. You start out as a rookie cop. At first you're gung-ho. You hit the range often. You become a good shot.

As time goes on, the job begins to wear on you. You lose interest in going to the range so much. You pass yearly qualification easily. You become complacent.

As long as you feel like you can pass the qualification, you justify in your mind that you're good enough.

Face it, not all cops are gun people. I believe it's true that many see carrying a gun as burden a lot of the time. And in low crime places, it usually is. Most police officers will go through their whole career without ever having to fire a shot outside the range. Some aren't so lucky.

I think it all depends on the area and the thought of the likelihood of having to use the gun. Obviously officers in a high crime area like New Orleans probably think about being a better shot and honing those skills. In backwoods USA, probably not so much.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Obviously officers in a high crime area like New Orleans probably think about being a better shot and honing those skills.

You'd be surprised.

I agree with the rest of your post though!

 

[Guate_shooter]

It will also depend on you SOP's and Agency Budget, as an example I know of the one in my area spent $325k not long ago to upgrade weapons, belts, holsters BUT they never took into consideration the cost of ammo in budget and as of right not the "thight" budget only allows once a year qual. for guys that ride, twice a year for office, academy rookies and a LIMITED amount of ammo a month for SERT.

I understand this should NOT be an excuse, and they could invest some of their own hard earned money to at least fire 50 rounds a month ($25) BUT how many actually have that mentality

"I wish I could afford it" is heard a lot more now a days and not everybody has a job that pays 75K+ a year ............

 

[RyanW]

Maybe any job that requires marksmanship to be a reqiured skill should do quals more often. I personally think it should be quarterly. I couldn;t stand it in the Corps that when we wanted to go "train" that we rarely got the chance to hit the rifle range. We basically have free run of the urban combat course, shotgun, and pistol range, but rifle range was damn near impossible to get on due to it always being booked up just to make sure everyone got their yearly qual. Then there's the great budget constraints, it's just "too expensive" to insure qualified shooters are toting guns around to defend their lives and the lives of others.

 

[Guate_shooter]

OTOH, many of the smaller agencies actually require that their people buy their own gear and ammunition. Do any of you really think that a deputy sheriff who is barely getting by on two grand a month is going to spend money on extras like practice ammunition???
.

Thats what a lot of people simple DO NOT SEE, 24k a year after taxes is NOTHING. THey actually get by thanks to a few details here and there for extra income, otherwise between house payment, car payment, insurance and kids I would be looking for a third job just to buy food ...........

 

[Leadfoot]

Thats what a lot of people simple DO NOT SEE, 24k a year after taxes is NOTHING. THey actually get by thanks to a few details here and there for extra income, otherwise between house payment, car payment, insurance and kids I would be looking for a third job just to buy food ...........

Nobody becomes a cop or a teacher to become wealthy.

 

[RyanW]

I find it absolutely disgraceful how poorly we pay those that are supposed to be there to protect us. The core of our society, police, fire protection, teachers, all at the very bottom of the pay scales. People wonder why this country is going to hell so damn fast, this is why.

 

[nickatnite]

Guys,

My comments are two-fold and as usual, Steve is also spot on, on his analogy. The last I worked in any capacity for a LE agency was over 12 years ago. I've worked for the local and state level and what he said rings true. Back in the middle 90's, I've seen one S.O. Utilize the skills of the highway patrols firearms instructor to help do yearly qualifications for the road deputies. It was pretty easy since the Sheriff was a retired State Trooper too. Even then, the deputies carried Model 19's with 158 gr 357 ammo. Qualifying ammo, precision delta 38 spl wad cutters..

The other thing, that I'm clearly making the wrong assumption on is Law Enforcement in a post 9-11 world. At first, all you heard about was how agencies now train, funding supplemented by homeland security grants. I know a lot has been spent on the communications system (LWIN) to achieve the long standing dream of all agencies able to talk with each other, but what about grant monies that were set aside for weapons and such?

I'm also aware of a busy ass schedule, having to go to court on your days off, blah blah blah. It sucks. But I guess it's a "me" mentality. If it were me in today's society, with the mulitple situations that present itself daily, I would make it a personal goal to shoot at least one box of ammo a month, if nothing else.

Hell, I don't get to go to all of the training schools available now as a civilian; however, I do make it a point now to hit the range at least once or twice a month (even in Houston), if I can't make a pistol match some where. To me, it's a mentality thing....

 

[Barry J]

If you wanted to know, why didn't you ask instead of coming on here and questioning if I am for real. Do you think I only own one gun?

 

[king4456]

If I carry a gun every day, that is the gun I would shoot for practice above all others like my life depended on it.

 

[ltranger14]

"If you wanted to know, why didn't you ask instead of coming on here and questioning if I am for real. Do you think I only own one gun?"

AMEN, some people just wanna bitch having no idea about anything

 

[nickatnite]

If you wanted to know, why didn't you ask instead of coming on here and questioning if I am for real. Do you think I only own one gun?

The reason why I started this was to have an actual discussion regarding shooting ones daily carry weapon more than once a year. I did not question how many guns you own, nor could I give a rats ass... If you would prefer, I have no issue going over the for sale ad and asking all of that and more and **** on your for sale ad (which has been the norm lately)...

I chose to ask it here...

 

[nickatnite]

"If you wanted to know, why didn't you ask instead of coming on here and questioning if I am for real. Do you think I only own one gun?"

AMEN, some people just wanna bitch having no idea about anything

Apparently you haven't read all of this thread. I DO have an idea....

 

[Barry J]

Then why didn't you ask a general question about shooting a carry gun instead of bringing my name and for sale ad into it??

 

[Law1911]

Within the section I work in (5 guys) I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who shooters regularly. Most of them complain about having to go to in service once a year. I wish we went every month.... Paying my salary for the day and giving me ammo to shoot is like a dream come true for me. I can really only afford to shoot about once, maybe twice, a month but I'd shoot weekly if I had a place to do it and could pay for the ammo.

 

[troy_mclure]

i have a buddy that is a dispatcher in the ohsp. he is required to wear a pistol and qualify yearly. he is big into black powder rifles and shotguns, but couldnt care less about handguns or any centerfire firearm.

in the 10 years he has worked there he may have shot 500rds thru his gun. the only reason it is cleaned at all is the daily inspections.