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Questions on weapons training
I write regarding Clive Howard's letter (Issue 671) concerning the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, and the reply from the Commandant of the Police Training School.
I must admit that I was a little surprised to see young persons receiving weapons and tactics training at PTS. In his reply, C PTS states that "..only four sessions are allocated for 'Weapon Introduction' and 'FX Shooting Exercise' (from my time at PTS, I will be as bold as to assume this is a 'half-day' of training). That is four sessions more than I have received in the last year. Apart from Police Tactical Unit and Emergency Unit officers, there cannot be many front-line officers who have received 'FX' training in the last few years.
While I appreciate what the Force is doing by participating in the Pre-employment Training Programme, it may appear that some priorities are wrong. Money is spent on giving young persons 'FX' training, while front-line officers do not seem to receive such training.
The Force was recently queried by a senior judge, who asked what changes in (tactical) training had been implemented after an 'open fire' case where an innocent pedestrian was killed after officers had shot at a vehicle. Recruits may be receiving better training but are front-line officers receiving sufficient training (please don't tell me Sub-unit training days are enough)?
Range and mini-range courses may be enough for our weapon training needs, but how about more tactical training? A lack of training, and a lack of re-enforcement in what we have already been taught, is a major contributing factor in deaths and injuries. Training should be an on-going process, with continual changes and improvements.
I respectably suggest consideration be given to introducing regular tactical training to front-line officers. When they receive proper training then we may consider running youth schemes or other programmes. 'Service Quality'has internal customers too, 'customers' who are sometimes seen to be ignored.
N.A. Pearson
Senior Inspector, Traffic Hong Kong Island
(Enforcement and Control)
Mr Pearson raises a number of concerns and I shall deal with these in turn. While Mr Pearson is correct to say that the four sessions allocated to "Weapon Introduction" and "FX Shooting Exercise" amount to half a day of training, the bulk of this is in a classroom context. In these sessions, the emphasis is not on the tactical issues relating to firearms, but rather the safety aspects that include the dangers of misusing firearms, the reasons for Hong Kong's strict stance on weapon availability, necessary safety precautions and offences associated with the misuse of airguns.
As can be seen, the sessions are intended to inoculate the participants with an understanding of the dangers inherent with weapons and to make them more mindful of their responsibilities within society. Attendees are certainly not taught shooting techniques nor indeed the tactical aspects of weapon handling. During the entire two week course, participants fire no more than six FX rounds. This is in an entirely non-tactical context. Regarding the training given to officers, the following may help allay Mr Pearson's fears:
The force's participation in the Youth Pre-Employment Training Programme represents a minimal commitment of resources and has no major impact on the tactical training front line officers receive;
Recruits at PTS now receive more than 50 hours tactics training and a new custom-built facility, the Tactical Training Complex, will be completed in April, 2001. This will further enhance the training given to recruits; Members of EUs, Regional Crime Units and the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau receive tactical training (three days) at the Close Quarter Battle Range at Nim Wan;
Four days tactics training, at the NT Depot, is given to officers from Districts who have never received training of this type (1,824 officers trained to date); and
A second facility, the Urban Tactical Training Complex, is currently in the planning stage. If constructed, it will provide a major boost to the training given to front line officers.
Mr Pearson raised a number of valid concerns in his letter. I believe the above will help clarify some of the issues touched upon and demonstrate the Force's continuing commitment to giving officers the best possible tactical training available, both now and in the future.
D.M. Gunton
for the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Training)