Stress Combat Course for Firearms Proficiency

Stress Combat Courses

• The courses are designed to familiarize trainees with factors that affect or influence firearms performance under high-stress conditions.
• The courses aim to build awareness, skills, confidence, and proper habits among trainees to avoid firearms accidents.

Objectives

• Identify and explain officer survival, stress-related concepts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of concepts and proficiency in shooting stress combat courses.
• Explain the relationship between realistic firearms encounter training and officer reactions.

Patterns of Encounter

• 85% of all officers killed are less than seven yards from their assailant.
• 2 of 3 fatal officer shootings occur during the hours of darkness or where light is very dim.
• Confrontations are usually over in 2 to 3 seconds.
• A total of 3 shots are exchanged between officer and assailant.
• The assault is 2 1/2 times more likely to occur outdoors.
• 4 of 10 shootings involve more than one assailant.
• In 7 out of 10 shootings, a handgun of the same caliber or smaller than the one the officer carries is used.

Survival Tactics and Techniques

• Handgun readiness: when approaching a situation where someone has a deadly weapon, or during high-risk activities.
• Shotgun readiness: when dealing with a felony in progress, hazardous vehicle stops, wanted felons, or high-risk situations.
• Cover and concealment: understanding the difference between obstacles that can stop bullets (cover) and hiding from view (concealment).
• The "ostrich effect": observing danger but not recognizing it, leading to poor preparation and reaction.
• Survival loading techniques: conditioning oneself to reload quickly and efficiently in high-stress situations.
• The officer survival triangle: tactics, shooting skills, and mental/physical conditioning.
• The "fatal funnel effect": being aware of doorway approaches and the potential for fatal encounters.

Shooting Tactics and Techniques

• Center mass shooting: aiming for the center of the body to cause maximum interference with the assailant's life support structure.
• The effects of stress on firearms performance: adrenaline surge, increased oxygen use, diminished ability to distinguish time, colors, and distance, and thought distraction.
• Tactical use of the 12-gauge shotgun: knowing when to use different types of ammunition (e.g., .00 Buck, rifled slug, #4 Buck Shot).
• Armed multiple adversary encounters: prioritizing targets based on proximity and danger.
• Shooting tactics and techniques in close/distance, rapid-time frame encounters: using movement to immobilize or befuddle the suspect, and getting out of the line of fire quickly.

Accidental Discharges and Malfunctions

• Accidental discharges and malfunctions are often caused by human error or neglect, not mechanical failure.
• Lack of control, poor handling techniques, or poor maintenance can lead to accidents.

Unintentional Hits

• Unintentional hits usually involve negligent judgment, such as shooting without considering the bullet's trajectory.
• Warning shots, shooting at moving vehicles, and firing from a moving vehicle can lead to unintentional hits.

Verbal Challenge Procedures

• Announcing oneself as an officer and issuing a clear, concise command can buy time and establish the suspect's identity and intentions.
• Issuing a verbal challenge from behind cover can increase safety.

Application - Shotgun and Handgun

• Shotgun and handgun courses involve simulated high-stress situations, requiring shooters to move through multiple shooting stations, using cover and concealment, and reloading as necessary.
• Shooters are required to identify and engage multiple targets, using different types of ammunition and techniques.