Un-freaking-real.
So the individual officers are to blame but is that the standard police procedure? To "look away" two seconds then check it again then dry fire it?
I want to know what kind of mickey mouse games are going on at APD.
The officers lose a day of pay? So they lose a couple hunded bucks. Wow. Thats it?
"while it might look like an accident trainers say the officers followed procedure" REALLY except they failed to see a chambered round TWICE.
TXI is right (see it does happen). The individuals are failing but their supervisors, administration, trainers and policies/procedures or training/doctrine are failing the officers as well.
Are the officers sergeants and lieutenants held responsible for the actions of their men and women?
Perhaps they need to be issued clearing rods to run down the barrel to visually confirm for realsies that the chamber is empty? Wonder if their batons would fit?
Come on now. Don't paint all the officers as unprofessional because they have a handful that have done some stupid shit. We all do stupid shit sometimes. How many officers are there in the APD and how many have had NDs? If you took a poll of people on this board, most have had an ND. And not all of us handle our weapons every day. Not saying these folks aren't being dumbasses when they do this, but we all play the part of dumbass sometimes.
I would get rid of the procedure to discharge the firearm to verify it empty. I'm assuming these are happening at the end of shift. If so, perhaps they could empty the firearm, take it into a safe area like TXI mentioned to perform the trigger press.
These are the instances that make the news. How many do not get reported?
Sgt. Duane Peed leads the Austin's Police Academy's firearm training unit where cadets first learn to check their shotguns each day.
"The officer is instructed to check the chamber, check the magazine tube, then look away for two seconds and then they check it again," Peed said. "It's a double check and then they dry fire it."
and how the training will be paid for.
they're not accidental, they're neglect. Every accident is preventable or so the safety mantra goes. it floored me how many times the word "accident" was used, especially after the range officer explained the double check of the shotgun before pulling the trigger. That's not accidental, it's negligence especially considering they receive monthly training.
I posted this article on reddit.com/r/austin and made sure my title read negligent not accidental. I felt the same way about the story. Its like "whoopsie! Things happen!"
How about rack twice, or even three times before pulling the trigger?
The "check" I read in the article isn't clear if it is a visual check or finger check or if they're racking the slide at all.
CLEAR THE DAMN WEAPON. Cycle the bolt several times. Gives an opportunity for the extractor to eject a round in the chamber. After that, visual check then pull the trigger to drop the hammer.
My agency "sealed" our shotguns. A little thin zip tie like doodad they place through a hole drill through the forend and attached to the forearm cap. If you racked it to chamber a round a supervisor was supposed to witness you clear it, and then he would reseal it. There was also a report the officer had to file.
The result was when I picked up a shotgun I could check the tube, but not the chamber without breaking the seal.
Yep... This is what happens when you have someone who hates guns in charge.However as a leader, if the people under you keep screwing up the same way. Then YOU are failing in your job as well.