I've got a couple buddies who are cops. I can't remember the exact time at the range but it was minimal and to minimal standards. The 8 months was made up of the difficult parts of the job like legalities and procedures.
time at the academy in Ga. is 10wks...not 8 months.
time at the range is about 1wk and is NOT nearly as intense as you'd like to think it would be. (I have many cop buddies and spend a great deal of time at their range with their training officers).
The "average joe" that decides to carry full time, spends hours more time on a range and seeks out training in combat/situational shooting than even above average officers (various reasons).
Of course there is a small percentage that do not train, prepare or take the right seriously (just like the pilots you see the day before and day of looking at flash cards and brushing the dust off of their manuals and putting in 20 updates before a checkride....rather than putting down the USA Today and reading through those manuals periodically).
You'd be supprised at the number of "professional" officers that have great difficulty with re-qual because they do not take the time to train...even though nearly all agencies provide ranges, weapons, ammo and range officers....ala pilots who don't prepare for checkrides (or for the real event for that matter).
This debate is as bad as abortion, politics or religion....nobody on either side is going to "convince" the other they are right and you are wrong.
I know I don't have to tell the vast majority of CCW holders this but, if you feel it prudent to carry ANYWHERE, prepare it (and yourself mentally), conceal it so people with "gun fright" can continue to feel safe that there are no guns around to jump out and shoot everyone in the room (because we all know that guns just jump up off the floor and start going off by themselves) and STFU about it.
If the worst imaginable situation does catch you in the middle, take care of you and yours and once thats taken care of, take care of those who either choose not prepare or don't believe there is ever a need for "avg joe" to prepare. It is your civic duty to step in on behalf of those who are not able to defend themselves (of course this is my opinion).
end discussion.....
