Cops get ballistic training

Six police officers from the Inter Agency Task Force, Guard and Emergency Branch and the Court and Process Unit have had training in topics relating to gunshot wounds and ballistics, complements of the Blue Line Law Enforcement Academy.

The one-day course which was co-ordinated by Paul Nahous, chief training officer at the academy, took place at Woodford Street, Port of Spain.

Officers were taught concepts relating to the movements of bullets and the types of wounds made by different calibres of bullets.

Modules offered for the course included trauma and incapacitating effects, calibre and kinetic energy, wound profiles for pistols, rifles and shotguns and combat considerations.

Newsday spoke to Nahous, who said the course was the first of its kind in TT.

He was optimistic that the topics covered would give the officers more competence in matters relating to ballistics, especially when presenting evidence in court.

“Equipped with this knowledge, tactical units will have a better understanding of what effects their weapons are capable of, from a physical-trauma perspective.

This would give them a better appreciation of their equipment and influence their weapon/equipment selection when responding to various threat levels.

He said police court prosecutors would also benefit from this, “as it allows them to explain to magistrates, in technical terms, the practical considerations of use of deadly force, in order to not only justify warranted police shootings, but in having a legal appreciation for the potential of any given firearm/calibre’s potential trauma.”

Nahous said he offered free vouchers to the police and the divisional commanders of the various units decided which officers would be sent for the training.

On completing the course, participants were awarded a certificate.