Problematic Police Performance in Critical Shooting Incidents: Evaluating an Innovative Reality-Based Firearm Training Approach to Develop Stress Adaption

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.

Keywords

• reality-based training
• police firearm training
• stress theories
• human threat response