Number of Armed Officers Drops 10pc

Bananaman

Article in Indo this morniong in essence saying the Gardai don't have a range anymore.

Sorry for the crap scan - you'll get the idea.

Rew

They bought land for a range down in Templemore but have yet to devlop it.

If they wanted to go in to a public private partner ship im sure there are clubs out there that would jump at the chance.

Bananaman

I agree, however, it would have to be very sensitive to their needs i.e.

You don't want a Detective coming to the range to practice - only to find Jimmy the Scobe there with his mates on a stag party.

Privacy, etc would be a major concern - not to say that it could not be addressed.

B'Man

Rovi

I've been wondering about this too.
Is it ever possible that they can't/won't officially use a commercial/club range as the whole 'approved range' thing appears to still be pretty woolly, and they don't want to be setting any precedents.

It is somewhat daft that they don't have their own ranges anyway.

Sparks

I thought they already were using private ranges?

sidneyreilly

Sparks wrote: »

I thought they already were using private ranges?

AFAIK only as individuals and not officialy

Bananaman

Sparks wrote: »

I thought they already were using private ranges?

I haven't heard of them doing it in an official capacity.

I've met a few on the range on occasion but they were not on the clock.

B'Man

Rew

They use Army ranges but they don't get exclusive use of them and wanted the Army to give them some of their ranges, they were swiftly told to sod off.

Privacy isn't that big a deal they dont need to do any uber secret tactics just regular shooting practice. The range in Templemore will be a full urban tactical range for them to do that and other things.

What may be an issue is the standard of marksmenship in the Gardai might become more public if they share ranges with the public... Also they may not want to be seen to endorse target shooting in Ireland as Rovi said.

In the US it works well and they fund ranges by letting the public in, they run courses to educate the general public and shooters. This means that law enforcement has a good relationship with the shooting community.

Firearms knowledge and skill outside of the ERU seems to be an "issue".

alan123

Rew wrote: »

Privacy isn't that big a deal they dont need to do any uber secret tactics just regular shooting practice.

Firearms knowledge and skill outside of the ERU seems to be an "issue".

On the contrary, its not the tactics but the identity of these individuals that is important.

Rew

alan123 wrote: »

On the contrary, its not the tactics but the identity of these individuals that is important.

Good point, more applicable to the ERU guys though.

shakin

they are supposed to be building a full urbam assault course like what the fbi have
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/td/academy/academy.htm

Bananaman

"full urban assault courses" are all good and well but will NEVER even be seen by the vast majority of armed Gardai - never mind me or you.

What they need is a standard fixed target pistol range.

I've always been a bit surprised not to find more of them in competition - as Gardai as opposed to civilians - but the lack of a range sort of answers that one. I've always beleived that a sense of competition will lead you to refine what you already know or thought you knew.

I know a few who do compete but as themselves.

There is quite a lot of interest among those guys in Practical Pistol as well as Static. I suppose we would expect, in due course, to see the Gardai and Army entering teams in Practical shoots like they would in most countries. The main benefit, for the competitors in the provision of training time and ammo.
You can only imagine the degree of competition having the Gardai and Army competing against each other as teams would be.

Imagine beating them!!!

B'Man

Sparks

Bananaman wrote: »

Imagine beating them!!!

Don't have to
The army team's been shooting 50m and 300m olympic rifle for ages and they're shooting .22 olympic pistol as well now.

alan123

Keep in mind that the average detective is trained to shoot at a human silouette about ten meters away as would be required on the job. I dont reckon they would be any good at competition at your levels, maybe ERU at practical pistol but thats it.

alan123

Sparks wrote: »

Don't have to
The army team's been shooting 50m and 300m olympic rifle for ages and they're shooting .22 olympic pistol as well now.

Very few Guards trained in rifle. They probably do have a club though?

Sparks

They do have a shotgun team alan, and they do quite well I understand, but I've never seen an official garda rifle team (seen plenty of off-duty or retired gardai who shoot, mind).

Bananaman

ERU wouldn't have any major advantage in Practical Pistol - they would have to "un train" themselves from a lot of what they learned for work - applying "combat" techniques will get you disqualified so fast your head would spin.

Sure these guys get a lot of range time so their accuracy and speed with their chosen firearm would be exemplary - I suppose they would be quite good at visualising a stage so they don't forget any targets - their fear of disqualification will slow them down a good bit - at least at the start. .

Still I would like to see a point where the Gardai were entering teams in these sports - would go a long way towards helping the powers that be understand what is involved.

Garda Clay Team was on Front of Digest a few months back after a big win.
I'm talking newer disciplines.

B'Man

alan123

Saw it, the World Fire and Police Games, DTL I think.

Rew

The Army compete internally and externally all the time. We have done extreamly well in sniper, Special Combat Team (AKA Special Forces) and military rifle events in recent years. Internally their is a competitions at battalion, brigade and all Army for the reserves and the regualrs. As Sparks says their competing in cival events more and more now as well.

CLADA

there is a tremendous difference between shooting methods that work well when you're simply trying to put holes in the target and those that work well when the target is trying to put holes in you!

bunny shooter

CLADA wrote: »

there is a tremendous difference between shooting methods that work well when you're simply trying to put holes in the target and those that work well when the target is trying to put holes in you!

true

arybvtcw0eolkf

Bananaman wrote: »

Article in Indo this morniong in essence saying the Gardai don't have a range anymore.

The (the garda) have the use of the army no#2 range out in Kilbride, Co.Wicklow.

yayamark

kilworth and kilornan as well

bunny shooter

yayamark wrote: »

kilworth and kilornan as well

Not sure they use kilworth, do use kilcoran for pistol and uzi

cavan shooter

A chap I know is a detective and he goes to Gormanston to re qualify for his side arm and uzi. Rumour mill running around at home last year that flynns in courtlough was being looked at by the gardai in relation to turning the back end into a pistol range etc etc?????????/

Ditto for Conlons in Lough Bo

Sparks

Interesting (and somewhat related) article on engadget this morning:

Pistol camera captures gunslinging action, seeks role in next Faces of Death
Posted Oct 30th 2007 6:31PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets



Barrel-mounted cameras aren't exactly revolutionary, but it's not everyday that you see the boys in blue sporting one on their sidearm. Nevertheless, Orange County's sheriff's emergency service team and the Newburgh Police Department will reportedly "be the first groups to test the pistol cam," which would record audio and video whenever the weapon was removed from its holster. According to Chief Eric Paolilli, it'll be implemented if trials prove that there are no safety / functionality issues associated with it. As it stands, the state has set aside $35,000 in order for the device to be adequately tested, and if everything goes smoothly, Newburgh officers could soon be rocking the camera (and creating footage for COPS) as part of their standard equipment.

Via The Raw Feed

Bananaman

Look at the size of that thing - Assume it's made for a Glock Rail it'll weigh as much as the firarm making it front heavy - you'd need some weight (brass plug wont do it) - just to counter the weight of it.

Might be interesting in Practical (maybe) - one of the lads made a cap with a camera/xmitter built in and had a reciever hooked up to a small TFT (no recorder on the day) - it was surprisngly good - shooters eye view.

Wouldn't be too hot on someone turning up with one on a range - they'd be inclined to break the safety angles to see what they recorded.

Rail mounted stuff tends to fall into the "spooky" category - I for one am never happy to see someone attempting to mount a torch or laser pointer - I'd be inclined to stop em and use the "no militaria allowed" rule

A guy had a bore sight on the range one day - I was firing away - next thing I see a red dot going up the divider to my right - I nearly $hat myself.

B'Man

Sparks

Looks heavy allright bman, but those lipstick cameras are surprisingly light, especially when you've got fixed lens and the like, and LED torches can weigh next to nothing. And most of that assembly could be just plastic. Your biggest weight will be the batteries.

But if you wanted to record a practical stage for fun, you'd be better off with a head-mounted camera.

alan123

Bananaman wrote: »

Look at the size of that thing - Assume it's made for a Glock Rail it'll weigh as much as the firarm making it front heavy - you'd need some weight (brass plug wont do it) - just to counter the weight of it.



B'Man

Nonsense! Nothing a bag of sugar hanging from your elbow wouldnt cure!

yayamark

bunny shooter wrote: »

Not sure they use kilworth, do use kilcoran for pistol and uzi

they did last year