NY Police Shooting Stats

Via The War On Guns…

NYPD SOP 9 – ANALYSIS OF POLICE COMBAT

The whole thing is worth reading, but the most interesting part to me was:

Hit Potential In Gun Fights

The police officer’s potential for hitting his adversary during armed
confrontation has increased over the years and stands at slightly over 25% of the rounds fired. An assailant’s skill was 11% in 1979.

In 1990 the overall police hit potential was 19%. Where distances could be determined, the hit percentages at distances under 15 yards were:

Less than 3 yards ….. 38%
3 yards to 7 yards .. 11.5%
7 yards to 15 yards .. 9.4%

In 1992 the overall police hit potential was 17%. Where distances could be determined, the hit percentages at distances under 15 yards were:

Less than 3 yards ….. 28%
3 yards to 7 yards …. 11%
7 yards to 15 yards . 4.2%

The Disconnect Between Range Marksmanship & Combat Hitsmanship

It has been assumed that if a man can hit a target at 50 yards he can certainly do the same at three feet. That assumption is not borne out by the reports.

That agrees with my experience when I started shooting IDPA. I always considered myself to be a good shot with a pistol. At the target range I can always achieve tight groups and when I’m out plinking, I always hit the can or bottle, or whatever.

Then I started IDPA and discovered that the skills don’t translate. When target shooting you have plenty of time for a proper sight picture, you can squeeze off the shot and you can maintain the same position for all the shots. Even in timed events you have a second or two for each shot, which is a long time, to line up the sights. In IDPA none of that applies. You rarely have time to get a good sight picture (at least I don’t) and virtually all shots are from a different position to different targets.

Skill at target shooting doesn’t equal skill at “real world” shooting. I’m not saying target shooting isn’t necessary, in fact it’s vital for training. And if you can’t hit the paper target at the range you’re not going to be any good at combat pistol sports either.

I’m pretty new to combat pistol, but on my worst day my hit ratio was well over 95%. I’m not bragging, because that’s pretty sucky. But it’s a lot better than 17%.

Based on these stats, I don’t see how the “Only Ones” can get away with calling themselves “The Only Ones Trained Enough”. Because they’re not. And with hit ratios like that, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near them when the bullets start flying.