"Trigger Pulled While Holding Breath!"... New Police Officer Shooting Training Site

Controversy Over Repeated On-Site Response Failures
Seoul Police Agency Conducts Live Ammunition Training for New Officers
Physical Force Training Including Taser Guns Also Held

On the 1st, new police officers are receiving shooting training at the shooting practice range of the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul. Photo by Jeong Dong-hoon

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] "You have to inhale for 3 seconds, exhale one-third at a time, and fire the gun while holding your breath."

On the morning of the 1st, at the shooting range on the third basement floor of Gangnam Police Station in Seoul, five rookie police officers took their shooting stance in sync with the commands of a 'Shooting Master' (a police officer trained as a shooting instructor). The new officers appeared somewhat nervous but had very serious expressions. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is conducting special training to strengthen field response capabilities for rookie officers. Each officer, holding 70 live rounds, stood at the shooting lane and fired for nearly 30 minutes without losing concentration.

Jang Young-kwang, a lieutenant in charge of safety education at the 2nd Mobile Unit of the Seoul Police Agency, said, "Accidents happen when someone suddenly breathes or raises the gun while their finger is on the trigger." He also emphasized safety guidelines such as, "The gun's muzzle should always point downward when not loaded. Since the trigger requires only 1.4 kg of pressure to fire, fingers must be removed from the trigger before loading." Jo Jin-su, head of the Seoul Police Agency's Education Operations Team, said, "We will strive to enhance field response capabilities through shooting training as well as physical force training such as Taser and expandable baton use, and lectures on police spirit."

Jang Young-kwang, Lieutenant of the 2nd Mobile Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, is demonstrating shooting posture to new police officers during a shooting training held at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the 1st.

Amid recent controversies over police officers' inadequate field responses, the police have made strengthening field response capabilities their top priority. On the afternoon of the 15th of last month, two police officers who responded to a stabbing rampage at a villa in Namdong-gu, Incheon, left the scene, sparking criticism over poor response. Three members of the victim's family were stabbed and injured, with one reportedly in a coma. The officers involved were dismissed the day before.

Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong also observed rookie police special lectures and Taser training at the Central Police Academy in Chungju, Chungbuk, the day before. Commissioner Kim urged, "Recognize the unpredictability and dangers of the job and establish a police spirit that fulfills responsibility under any circumstances." Since the 29th of last month, the police have been conducting field response training for a total of 10,620 rookie officers with 1 to 2 years of service. Training includes handcuff and expandable baton use, Taser training, and pistol shooting practice.

Some critics argue that the police sometimes overreact excessively to certain incidents. Among the rookie officers undergoing training, there are complaints. A second-year officer, A, said, "While it is important to develop field response skills, the root cause lies in the organizational culture. There is a prevalent top-down culture where officers find it difficult to make judgments on their own, and a perception that field issues are the individual officer's responsibility."