"Sniper" trained BPD

[anthonyne]

On my way to work this morning I was listening to Michele Mcphee on WTKK. She had Commissioner Davis on the show and they were discussing the shooting in Nebraska and how Boston was as prepared as they could possibly be for an event like this one. Davis said that when he became commissioner he enacted a policy that mandated ALL boston police, from beat cops all the way up the line, have extensive firearms training for these exact types of situations so first responders can be as effective as an on call S.W.A.T. team. Mcphee then said, "So unlike most other deparments who have one sniper to take out the threat, all of your police officers are sniper trained to do so." Davis says, "Essentially. Yes." The worst part was once the interview was over Mcphee then says, "You heard it here first folks. Now you can feel safe while shopping at the Copley Square mall this season." WOW!
No matter how many police may be "sniper" trained, the email from Gabe Suarez, among many others, proves that no police, s.w.a.t., FBI, Secret Service or KGB can respond fast enough to prevent things like this from happening.

 

[Jose]

I bet my ass that most cops in the Boston Police Department, hell make that most cops in the United States, can't hit their own ass with a paddle let alone an active shooter running around with a rifle.

Police officers who are true marksmen with handgun and/or rifle and who seek out realistic training are a distinct minority.

The BPD chief is just doing what his masters are telling him to do. He is reassuring the sheeple so they go back to their mindless shopping and keep the mall owners happy.

 

[massnee]

Since Boston LEOs only shoot their guns 2 times a year and have, with such vigorous training, achieved the rank of sniper...that must make anyone who goes to the range 4 times a year a super duper sniper.

 

[Davidk]

I feel safer already.

 

[Admin]

I feel safer already.

+1 And the sheeple will eat is up too.

 

[G21forme]

ALL boston police, from beat cops all the way up the line, have extensive firearms training for these exact types of situations so first responders can be as effective as an on call S.W.A.T. team.

 

[dwarven1]

"You heard it here first folks. Now you can feel safe while shopping at the Copley Square mall this season." WOW!
No matter how many police may be "sniper" trained, the email from Gabe Suarez, among many others, proves that no police, s.w.a.t., FBI, Secret Service or KGB can respond fast enough to prevent things like this from happening.

+1 - it took ONE MINUTE for that asshat in Omaha to kill 8 people and then off himself. Hell, the cops didn't even get the CALL before it was all over.

 

[Garys]

Hmmmm, too bad no one thought to ask him about the long standing BPD policy that only Sgts and above can have shotguns in their cruisers. That's right folks, BPD does not allow patrol officers to carry shotguns. Never mind anything like an AR15 or other rifle.

A correction to my earlier comment. Up until 1992 BPD did allow patrol officers to have shotguns in the cruisers. My previous information was incorrect.

Gary

 

[doobie]

Awesome! I feel totally safe now! I guess I can sell all my firearms for scrap and hang my LTC in my office in a nice frame to remember of those bad times when we had to worry the police wouldn't be there to save the day.

 

[matt]

Mcphee is a nitwit.

 

[MetalgodZ]

Could training records be requested under some sort of FOIA-type proceeding/request?

The recent Fox article thread and recent threads on ranges being closed down even for police training got me thinking about the fact that there really IS data out there that shows that individuals who carry concealed legally are far more practiced than the average patrolman, and DEFINITELY more practiced than the rent-a-cops that patrol malls like the one in Omaha.

I'd love to see GOAL get some of this information, and I'd definitely volunteer my time to assist with running the numbers and writing an analysis.

 

[rscalzo]

Let's face it. The incident was over in less than sixty seconds. Unless you were right on top of him on the same level, no one was going to stop the event. If someone wants to commit these offenses, only dumb luck will stop them.

As far as individual training records, they are usually considered Personnel Files and rarely are released without a subpoena.

 

[z0mbi]

Let's face it. The incident was over in less than sixty seconds. Unless you were right on top of him on the same level, no one was going to stop the event. If someone wants to commit these offenses, only dumb luck will stop them.

If 50% of the adult men and women in America were armed, then the chances of someone being there with a gun right near him when it started would have been pretty good.

 

[rscalzo]

If 50% of the adult men and women in America were armed

I really think those stats aren't realistic. Even here in NH where a carry permit is easily obtained these isn't anywhere near those numbers out there at any one time. We can sit here and make up stats as unrealistic as the politicians but it isn't going to solve anything. If a nut can get past the best security in the world offered to the President, one can cause havoc in an open commercial area such as a mall. At best you can only hope to prevent violence to yourself and family.

 

[KMaurer]

It doesn't need to be anything even close to 50% carrying to be effective. Next time you go to the mall, look around you and count how many people are within relatively easy handgun range. Now realize that this works both ways: if there are 20 people within range of you, then you're within range of those 20 people. Now using that number of 20 people within range, if only 5% of the population are carrying at any time, then there's roughly a 2/3 chance one of those 20 people has a gun. Fifty people within range will get you about the same odds if only 2% are carrying.

Personally I think that hitting malls would be a pretty poor target selection choice for terrorists. Kill 5, 10 or even 20 adult shoppers and it'll be serious news for a week before everybody moves on to something more interesting and it becomes ancient history for most of the sheep. Send the same handful of tangos into a school and toss grenades into a couple of dozen classrooms, and the population would totally freak. Of course if they were to do something like that more than once, you'd have 95% of the populating demanding that the government turn every country ever associated with Islamic terrorism in any way into a huge glass-paved parking lot.

Ken

 

[Garys]

It doesn't need to be anything even close to 50% carrying to be effective. Next time you go to the mall, look around you and count how many people are within relatively easy handgun range. Now realize that this works both ways: if there are 20 people within range of you, then you're within range of those 20 people. Now using that number of 20 people within range, if only 5% of the population are carrying at any time, then there's roughly a 2/3 chance one of those 20 people has a gun. Fifty people within range will get you about the same odds if only 2% are carrying.

Ken

John Lott has some numbers regarding this, but I can't remember what they are. It's the uncertainty of not knowing who might be carrying that has the deterrent effect. A number of studies have shown that criminals fear armed citizens more than they do police officers. They KNOW who the police are and can plan to avoid or neutralize them. They don't know which citiizens are armed and might be willing to engage them.

Just remember; When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

Gary

 

[z0mbi]

I really think those stats aren't realistic. Even here in NH where a carry permit is easily obtained these isn't anywhere near those numbers out there at any one time.

I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't saying there WERE that many people carrying, I was saying IF there were that many carrying, there would have been a decent chance of someone on the scene being close enough to the shooter to take a shot before he was done with his killing, if said citizen decided to take action.

 

[In_God_We_Trust]

For the record, Mcphee is a twit: Every time there is a gun incident, she regurgitates all over the 2A.

So, great. I am so pleased that the Boston Police are trained with sniper rifles. Do they also have a Delorean that can go 88 MPH with a Flux Capacitor to go back in time, get into position, and when the Jackass arrives to the mall, blow his head off and save the day?

LOL: Thanks, but more rights in the hands of law abiding citizens are what we need here. I'll carry my protection for my family...

We really do not need this:

 

[vicpinto]

Just remember; When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

Gary

How true. Rep point added!

 

[Ripach]

I bet my ass that most cops in the Boston Police Department, hell make that most cops in the United States, can't hit their own ass with a paddle let alone an active shooter running around with a rifle.

Police officers who are true marksmen with handgun and/or rifle and who seek out realistic training are a distinct minority.

It's funny 'cause its true.

 

[1903Collector]

I was listening to that segment yesterday, next time I go to the mall I will feel safe knowing that somewhere, out of site and hidden is an LEO with a scoped 308 ready to take out a nut job if need be. I love how she was saying Davis was doing a bang-up job. And just a technical thing, but it bothers me, they keep Refering to LEO marksman as snipers.