Pistol proficiency is achieved one way, by mastering the fundamentals. Whether it's patrol, SRT or any other special unit, those fundamentals never change. The adoption of red dot pistol optics has changed the way we approach pistol training, but it hasn't changed the foundation, just the physiology.

Traditionally, uniformed patrol has operated on a "minimum requirement" standard for in service pistol training, in a lot of departments a single 40 round annual qualification is all that's required to maintain that minimum standard, and yet, these are the men and women that confront critical incidents first, not the special units that get ten times the amount of pistol training but rarely ever utilize those skills during in progress critical incidents.

So our primary pistol instruction does not start out basic for patrol then go advanced for special units, it sets a bedrock foundation of the fundamentals then adds layers, elements that test that foundation, speed, stress, cover, obstacles, movement, terrain, vehicles and structures.

It's also time we started tapping into the enormous contribution world class competitive pistol shooters can bring to law enforcement pistol training, they are the pinnacle of pistolcraft, in order to win on the national stage against the best pistol shooters in the world you have to have mastered those fundamentals to not only an elite level, but you have to execute and problem solve completely subconsciously in milliseconds, exactly the goal we are chasing in our primary police pistol training.

Once we lay that fundamental foundation, it doesn't matter what situation we find ourselves in, what environment, what set of problems or barriers or dynamics are involved, performance will always be ensured.

Carbine has a more basic fundamental skill set than pistol because the mechanics of the system combined with modern optics and ergonomic accessories give us greater leeway to use more of our gross motor skills in operation and less fine motor skills which deteriorate much faster as stress level and heart rate increase.

This is why the carbine/SBR has become our primary defensive weapon in law enforcement when we have the ability to choose. But even though it is an easier system to master than pistol it still demands the same amalgamation of the fundamentals to maximize its considerable potential. We will work those baselines until they are ingrained then add the layers: malfunction clearances, barriers and obstacles, stress, unconventional use of cover, geometry, movement and positions, ambi operation etc.

The art of the zero is another skill in itself that if we get wrong can compromise the effectiveness of the entire system. Correct use of optics and accessories and weapon set up are also critical pieces of the puzzle, distance to target and how it dictates what we do is proofed by each individual so they gain the confidence in themselves and their equipment to overcome any situation that could arise in any environment regardless of variables present.

Again we are laying a foundation that will carry the day no matter how complex or chaotic the circumstances.

The shoothouse with catwalks gives us the luxury to evaluate performance from multiple perspectives that we cant see from the ground, room to room CQB and structural CQB are a hybrid of the science of geometry and vision with knowledge of ballistic performance as a check.

Weapon proficiency and safety is expected to already be good in these courses as we will focus heavily on mechanics, reactions and movement instead of fundamental operation. Breeching and dynamic entry, use of night vision optics and laser aiming and illumination are all individual elements that must be addressed individually before they can be intermeshed into a fluid and synchronized team design and game plan.

Force on force with non lethal munitions is a great bellwether that either reinforces or invalidates what we do, but it must be used correctly to avoid the formation of bad habits based on natural instinctive physiological reactions. It's not just experience that makes us better here, it's analyzing the data, video footage and ballistic performance that provides a blueprint and forms the foundation of our methods. But it must be ever evolving and ever improving as technology and human performance advance.

For teams already trained and held to a high standard, this takes you to the next level, but also plants the seeds for continued growth and advancement as a unit.

Though our industry partners who are pioneering this technology going forward we are still in the prototypical phase of what we believe will grow to be the next leap in scenario based training, the potential to design is limitless as one's imagination.

The truth as we see it and the greatest value of the technology when you wipe away all the window dressing is that it can never replace actual experience gained from critical incidents, but exactly as we train combat pilots in a simulator long before we send them up for their first flight, so can we train recruits in realistic scenarios before we put them on the street.

VR is of equal value to seasoned veterans as well so they can reinforce the neuro pathways and instinctive reactions they've built over their careers and in training.

More details coming soon.

I know what your thinking, we have done plenty of these courses all the way back to the academy and throughout service, so have we. But this is not another EVOC course.

This is reserved for those low percentage incidents where you have exhausted other options and have a clearly defined objective. There is one group in the US that trains for this to a level above anyone else, they also deploy it to a level and frequency unmatched by anyone else. Our training is based on this group and its operational experience.

Most importantly, the solution must be safe to employ, or it's no better than the problem. This training requires a baseline budget for proper equipment and venue and may take some time to plan and organize, but once you start looking at the data nationwide on the cost of these pursuits it starts to make a whole lot more sense.

Here's a question for the Chiefs and Sheriffs across the country to ponder; how many officer involved shootings could we prevent from ever reaching that point with officers that had a solid foundation in unarmed combatives that gave them real confidence in themselves to survive and even prevail in violent encounters with suspects?

That is the ultimate question that law enforcement has failed to answer up to this point in time. Very few of us are natural born fighters, but all of us are born with an immense self preservation instinct, just as we are all born with adrenaline, fight or flight and involuntary pituitary and neuro responses. There is so much more to this than drilling punches or hitting pads or sparring or grappling, it's reshaping the entire mind and body connection.

To do that you need very special instruction from very special instructors. Not some pre-cooked "system" pedaled by theorists who wrote a book, studied under this guy or that guy and filmed some flashy demonstration videos. No this has to be forged from a lifetime of training, supporting a lifetime of competing in combat sports at the highest level, these are the only people that can give the student the mental and physical tools to engage violent individuals successfully before things escalate to a lethal level of force.

Right now you may be saying, sure but fighting in competition has rules and the street doesn't, well just imagine what elite fighters could do if there were no rules constraining them. We don't need to stress the importance of this in this day and age but it is a flaw in the very fabric of law enforcement that until acknowledged and truly embraced, will continue to contribute to loss of life and erosion of public trust.