Abstract
Firearm training across global police/law enforcement organisations has been
dominated historically by a traditional marksmanship orientated model, which has
been continuously criticised as failing to prepare police recruits for decision making and firearm operation in critical incidents. An ongoing doctoral study
outlined in this paper examines what is problematic with current training
approaches and evaluates an innovative reality-based firearm training program to
compare its effectiveness with the traditional model. The study, with a focus on
adapting the human threat response to stressful incidents, uses a range of
established stress theories to inform and guide a mixed methods approach that
examines program participants’ progress. Early study results show promise in
adapting participants’ threat responses and improving operational performance.
dominated historically by a traditional marksmanship orientated model, which has
been continuously criticised as failing to prepare police recruits for decision making and firearm operation in critical incidents. An ongoing doctoral study
outlined in this paper examines what is problematic with current training
approaches and evaluates an innovative reality-based firearm training program to
compare its effectiveness with the traditional model. The study, with a focus on
adapting the human threat response to stressful incidents, uses a range of
established stress theories to inform and guide a mixed methods approach that
examines program participants’ progress. Early study results show promise in
adapting participants’ threat responses and improving operational performance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-26 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Salus Journal |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2024 |