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January 12, 2007
Kelly Calls in Outside Firm
Review NYPD Gun Training
By REUVEN BLAU
In response to the police shooting in Queens that killed Sean
Bell and injured two of his friends six weeks ago, Police Commissioner
Raymond W. Kelly Jan. 4 announced that the department had hired
an independent firm with expertise in police practices to review
the NYPD's firearms training and tactics.
"Questions have arisen as to the quality and effectiveness
of our training," Mr. Kelly told reporters at a press conference. "We
thought it would be appropriate to bring in a recognized world-renowned
nongovernment organization to take a look at all of our firearms
training."
He emphasized, however, that the six-month independent review
will not investigate the Nov. 25 shooting, which occurred as a
group of unarmed men attending a bachelor party for Mr. Bell exited
the Kalua Cabaret in Jamaica.
Jury Assembled
Mr. Kelly's announcement came two days after a grand jury was
empaneled in Queens Supreme Court to examine the incident. It will
determine if the five officers involved in the shooting broke any
laws when they fired a barrage of 50 bullets at Mr. Bell after
he allegedly struck an undercover officer with his car. It will
likely take several weeks to hear testimony and look at evidence,
insiders said.
As for the firearms review, the assessment by the RAND Corporation
will focus on five areas: initial firearms training provided to
new recruits; in-service firearms instruction, including the annual
qualification training for every officer; tactical firearms training
and specialized courses; Firearms Discharge Review Board functions
and processes; and the occurrence of reflexive shooting, which
apparently happened in the Queens shooting. RAND will consult with
experts in the field to identify best practices, Mr. Kelly said. "They
will also look at the latest technology to improve officer responses
in highly stressful situations to reduce the incidents of reflexive,
or so-called contagious shooting," he added.
Studied L.A.P.D.
K. Jack Riley, the acting director of the RAND Center on Quality
Policing, noted that the company has worked to examine the instruction
in the Los Angeles Police Department, reviewed racial profiling
among Oakland police officers, and evaluated ways to help recruitment
and retentions among cops in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
For the NYPD, RAND's study team will collect information about
similar firearms training in law-enforcement agencies across the
country. The firm will then seek to identify best training, including
the latest advances in computer simulation technology designed
to help improve officer responses in highly stressful situations
and reduce the incidences of reflexive shooting.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association welcomed the review, but
once again stressed that the city needed to improve staffing levels
and officer pay as well.
"While we believe New York City police officers are among
the most restrained in the world in the use of deadly physical
force, we always welcome additional or improved training," said
PBA President Patrick J. Lynch in a statement. "We would encourage
a similar review of both precinct staffing levels, which have fallen
dangerously low, and police pay levels which have caused a serious
recruiting and retention problem."
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