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Can the ‘Accidental Discharge Of A Firearm’ Be Prevented?
Law enforcement officers, train to carry your handgun on your non-dominant side!
“For informational purposes, we train with our handguns on our dominant side and our taser on our weak side…
…This is done purposefully and is trained”.
These comments were part of the statement made by Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon during a news conference that was held in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright. See Police Chief’s statement here.
Hold on! Wait a minute… I have a question.
Why are officers trained carry their handguns on their dominant side? Perhaps to escape culpability in situations such as this?
Okay, that’s being a bit harsh. I’m sure the reasoning is so that if they need to use their weapon, it will be handy and allow for the officer to be better prepared to protect themselves and others quickly.
The thing is, if lethal means are supposed to be used as a last resort to gain control of a situation, why are law enforcement officers trained to carry those lethal means in the most accessible location on their person, on the side they will instinctively reach for first?
Think of it this way: When organizing, what is the prevailing thought about…