Should the bodycam footage from the NZ shooting be used for training?

COL Thomas F. — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:52:47 -0400

After the New Zeland Mosque mass shootings last week, a friend sent me a copy of the body cam footage from the shooter. At the time, I was unaware of the shooting (being on leave) but I thought it was some paint ball thing until I saw what was happening. Needless to say, it was pretty disturbing.

Q: Do you think this (or any) shooter footage should be used as part of a Active Shooter training program to show the first person view of event?

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Mar 18 at 2019 2:43 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 14:43:46 -0400

For the right audience, the footage could be valuable for training purposes, however disturbing it is. I'd rather not have the video openly available to the world, out of respect for loved ones of the victims.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Mar 18 at 2019 4:36 PM

CSM Richard StCyr — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:36:27 -0400

If it's the unedited actual footage, I'd vote no.
If you pulled parts out that corresponded to some MOS critical task or active shooter training scenario then yes if the victims Id was obscured.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 18 at 2019 4:53 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:53:39 -0400

I think if it is used by law enforcement organizations or Homeland Security to train first responders or somehow make the public safer, it should be used. It should not be hung out n the World Wide Web for everyone to gawk at. This is extremist erotica, whether you are a white supremacist looking for encouragement or an Islamic extremist looking for justification for something insidious to justify the heinous thing you are about to do or a GP whack-a-doodle window shopping for their big moment in the sun.

I don't think this would be an effective tool for teaching an active suspect session. Specifically produced training videos balance the horror and the decency and should be paired with 1. Your organization's battle drill (beyond glib the run hide fight) and 2. The physical security measures in place.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2019 5:37 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 17:37:55 -0400

It should be used for first responders...as well as the AAR. the good bad and ugly...no PC reports. We defiantly know what not to due thanks to Scott Israel and his bunch of cowards so we need to look at it all to try to make sure it does not happen in our back yards.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 19 at 2019 8:28 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 08:28:18 -0400

If and only if, it has real applications to the trainee's battle drills - either pro (do this) or con (don't do that). Definitely not just as a "watch what happened and tell me what you think" exercise.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Mar 19 at 2019 11:29 AM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:29:55 -0400

Having been in a law enforcement position, no. Watching a video of how police and first responders reacted does not help new trainees. It is a perspective they have a hard time relating to because it is just an abstract movie to them. What works BETTER, is let (not force) the ones there to rewatch what happened. Have them think like a trainer to analyze their own reactions and what could have done better. Then stick the ones who learned the most in mentor ship or leadership roles of training.