Are police officers trained to not go for head shots unless forced to?

Question

If someone is shooting at an officer with a gun, why do officers shoot only at the body?

Answer 1

You can throw the training out the window, when in a gunfight, you dont have time to aim, you draw and fire, we are talking seconds here

Answer 2

You never go for a head shot, you all way's for the center of mass, I.E the Torso, plus there's more chance of hitting something important in the Torso then in the head.

Answer 3

Intentional head shots under stress are very rare; most street cops will barely be able to hit a man-sized target at 7 yards when the p**p hits the fan.  When a cop's instincts tell him it's showtime his motor skills seem to go in slow motion, he gets tunnel vision and loud sounds all but disappear.  Actually taking the time to aim at the head is something very few people can do in a shootout; it is truly one of the strangest experiences possible.

Answer 4

I've been told that if  a police officer fires his gun it should be only with the intent to kill. Common sense tells you a police officer shouldn't fire his gun unless it was used as a means of self-defense and he/she felt that their life was in danger.

Answer 5

They shoot for "center mass" torso area because it's the most effective way to stop someone and has the largest target area. Head shots are effective however a small target that is often missed by the shooter.

Answer 6

The latest training technique is called the failure drill-2 to center body mass and one to the head.This is because of the prevalence of bullet resistant vests. The body is easier to hit , and can't be moved out of the way so easily.

Answer 7

Officers are trained to shoot at center mass (ie, chest area) - that's the largest body area, contains vital organs and also contains the spinal column. Even if the perp isn't hit in there, you've got a better chance of slowing him down. Also, the torso isn't moving as much as the head.

The failure drill consists of 2 to the body and 2 to the head; this works better when dealing with someone on PCP/crack.

Calif Deputy

  

Answer 8

Law Enforcement officers are trained to shoot "center mass" in order to stop the threat. Most cops never fire their gun in the line of duty. Years of stats and studies have shown that fine motor skills are seriously degreaded under stress. Making a head shot on a moving target takes a lot of skill and is not practical under duress where your body defaults to the level of it's training. Muscle memory takes over and if you shoot for the "middle" your odds of a hit are better.  In addition, I've also seen the argument that shooting for the largest part of the body as it doesn't wildly move as the arms legs and head tend to.  While head shots make for great TV and movie action, it's not realistic.