Simply because you can – doesn’t mean you should. The advent of CCW (Carrying a Concealed Weapon) permits should give one pause upon reflection. First and foremost is a comprehension of deadly force application laws. When, and when one should not, apply deadly force is of paramount importance. As we are both Federal and State Superior Court qualified deadly force experts for over 26 years, we are more than qualified to address this matter.
Certain parameters must be in place and facts known personally to the individual applying deadly force must also be in place prior to such application. Facts discovered post-shooting cannot be used to justify an otherwise unjustifiable application of deadly force.
Manipulation is additionally of paramount importance. We recently became involved in a case where an individual shot themselves removing a pistol from a concealed position. As I have said many times, it is of little benefit to do to oneself what the bad guys have been trying to do all along. Firearms safety also falls directly along this line. The record of safety among firearms enthusiasts/CCW carriers is abhorrent. The subject of training or lack thereof is more than abundantly apparent. One or two simple low-level classes of instruction by individuals of dubious backgrounds will ill-prepare you for the realities of a lethal force encounter.
The selection of weapons to be utilized is oftentimes conducted with little or no real knowledge of all that deadly force encounters entail. The prevailing current thought process seems to be that concealed carry, denotes sub-compact pistols of nominal caliber. Nothing could be further from the truth. Can the sub-compact be fired effectively, accurately or manipulated with any degree of certainty? Sub-compact pistols are utilized by law enforcement as back-ups… not primary weapons platforms.
In short, a CCW permit neither denotes expertise nor proficiency, nor a thorough, comprehension of the law. One needs far more training and a deeper understanding of the law than what is required to obtain a CCW. All of these factors must be in place well before one may find themselves in a deadly force encounter. A CCW can be a recipe for disaster unless approached both professionally and effectively.
Scotty was not only one of the best officers I ever worked with on the LAPD, but tactically and shooting wise he had no equals.
Thanks for this, Uncle Scotty – you’ve managed to concisely sum up my concerns about the continual push to expand CCW programs. I’m a CCW holder and was *shocked* at the level of training and testing that was required….we did more during the morning of your Defensive Handgun 1 class than we did in 16 hours of this CCW “qualification” class. And my renewal class was so bad from a range safety point of view that I walked out.
Glad to have you guys around – time for me to come out and take another class or two. Especially since you’ve finally converted me to the church of the 1911!