Learning is Good, Especially when someone else pays for it.

I love schools. Mind you, I wasn't all that crazy about them when I was IN school. It wasn't after I graduated college that I started to appreciate opportunities when they presented themselves. I've been to a lot of schools since getting into law enforcement. Police Departments, and the city counsels that give them money, LOVE to send their officers to schools. The reason is obvious. Laws constantly change, procedures constantly evolve, it would make since to not have your patrolman intellectually stagnant. It doesn't do well for a dumb-ass to be writing reports that will be read by lawyers and judges.

My favorite schools have been in the last few years. Mostly having to do with firearms and instruction. Apparently, they figured that I was getting smart enough to start teaching.

The secret reason so much money is spent on educating officers is LIABILITY. That word scares the shit out of administrators. The biggest liability that cops have with them everyday is their firearms. So, it would stand to reason that you would want your guys as well trained as possible in their use. At least, you would hope. Thankfully, since I have shown an affinity and proficiency with firearms, I was a good choice to send to schools about firearms. I've been to some good schools.

The Glock factory armorers school was very well organized, very informative. The Armolite school was perhaps the best school because of the depth of the information and the "dirty little tricks" provided by two men who have been working on the M16/Ar platform rifles since their adoption into military service.

The most recent school was starting to concern me. The hosts, Minot PD was also getting worried. It didn't seem that it was very well organized and the last minute way that the information was being delivered was not making things easy. But, all the worrying was put to bed when the class started. The course instructor, Josh Cutlip, was knowledgeable and professional. The course was thorough. I have no problem completely tearing down an 870 and diagnosing whatever is screwed up about it. It also reinforced my experience that an 870 is an extremely simple and reliable weapon.

Now, I have the chore of inspecting the Departments entire inventory of 870s. Isn't education wonderful?