The The Designated Marksman applied to law enforcement

Abstract

The evolution of crime requires the search for new tools that promote operational advantage in the face of adversities inherent in the dynamics of the theater of operations. Analyzing alternatives, planning actions, and improving procedures to respond to a critical incident is the initial phase of successful police actions. For the specific case, criminal actions, in which the great military power of the offenders is a complicating factor, whether to contain criminals or to approach the police, in cases of evident risk to the lives of others, require a quick, safe and efficient response. To that end, specializing and training a police officer to operate an assault rifle competently, within the urban environment, has already become imperative. Thus, some troops in São Paulo have been introducing training, based on what is seen, around the world, called a designated marksman. Originally a function of the Armed Forces, the research sought to discover the core of the doctrine and bring it to the police reality, with all its peculiarities and needs, having, finally, the following objective: to identify the viability of the police of a specialized unit, with adequate ballistics training, carrying a common assault rifle, with common ammunition, and with a suitable optical device, make accurate and controlled shots at medium distances. Finally, a field test was carried out to find out the operational limitations imposed by the available equipment and, from there, to draw a direction for the types of possible weapon systems (weapon, ammunition, and aiming device).