New target system in place at North MS Law Enforcement Training Center
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – As Director of the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center, Dan McKinney wants to be sure cadets and officers who take classes at the academy have the most realistic training possible.
For years, the firearms range had static targets, but now, the targets can turn and rotate up to 360 degrees. McKinney said the movable targets enhance decision making, response time, and accuracy.
“We teach that an action is always faster than a reaction. You want to train, in case someone pulls that weapon on you, you can be quicker than they are and have accurate shooting, it helps a lot,” Director McKinney said.
The movable targets were installed by Theissen Training Systems in time for the most recent police academy.
“We did our qualification using the turning targets, everybody did well,” McKinney said.
McKinney is also a firearms instructor and said the turning target system introduces unpredictability into firearms training, just like the real world. Instructors program how fast a target faces the officer, before turning away.
“It is all about getting your weapon out of your holster, pointed downrange, as fast as you can. this takes the human element, but also makes the shooter understand they have to get it out faster. Under pressure, you will do things faster, get them used to that,” he said.
Director McKinney let me test my skills with the turning target system.
McKinney said they are looking forward to using the turning targets with the next basic academy, which starts next month.
The turning target system is one of several new additions to the academy.
Construction is also underway on a “shoot house,’ a building with movable walls to train officers how to enter, clear or breach a building.
