Police will keep practice with loaded weapons – Sunnmørsposten

The current procedures where the weapon is loaded and unsecured was prepared for the situation before the temporary armament, where police armed only in particularly threatening situations.

– We hope that we will return to a normal situation where armament not longer needed. In the interim situation we are in, we have so far found it prudent to stick to this practice, says section chief Steffen Ousdal at the department for police emergency response and crisis management in the Police Directorate (POD).

Justice Department would not comment why police practice has not changed after the temporary Armament took effect.

– Specific questions about how Armament be practiced within weapons instruction, naturally falls under the Police Directorate of responsibility, says communication Tonje Thu Gard said.

Two shooting accidents

Police Directorate points out that the practice of going with sharp loaded, shoot clear weapon in the holster is not changed because the procedures, approval program and training assumes that the weapon is loaded.

– To change a rehearsed and partly automated action pattern, which is associated with the risk without proper training and education. This requires time – and is not something we do overnight, says Ousdal.

It has been asked many questions about the police’s armament after a 24-year-old man managed to fire a shot from a gun a police officer had Holstering at police headquarters in Stavanger.

In April it went off accidentally shot in the police station in Kristiansund. This is being investigated by Norwegian Bureau for the Investigation of Police Affairs.

– When we’ve got the facts in these cases, the Police Directorate consider whether there is a need to change the procedure for examining weapons in police, says Ousdal.

Back Holden

POD has long been restrictive to comment police weapons practice, and do not want to go into detail on procedures for weapons use. This sake of responders’ safety and efforts capability.

– When information first is out, we still believe it is right to comment on why we, like other countries, carrying weapons in the chamber, says Ousdal .

The temporary arming of the police started on November 25 last year. It has subsequently been extended several times, and the current permit is valid until 20 August.

Since then it has become shoots three times, two of which were right against the person who has given minor injuries and one warning shot.

POD has during the period of temporary armament received reports 30 cases where police have threatened with a weapon. On a year is usually at 42 to 75 times a year.