10-03-2011, 05:11 AM
My whole mindset on what a sniper is revolves around the definition being a specially-selected and highly-trained soldier, who provides fire support for friendly forces, targeting enemy personnel and equipment with extreme prejudice and a high probability of 1st-round interdiction, while controlling indirect and close air-support assets, and providing battlefield intelligence to commanders in support of combat operations. Most of the sniper missions I participated in or witnessed during training and real-world deployments were in support of the units we were attached to, versus the Hollywood type stuff that is often portrayed.
There are a broad range of operational and organizational structures in the LE community when it comes to designated marksmen, with some really great teams, and others still working out their roles, techniques, tactics, equipment, and procedures. There are quite a few real-world shoot incidents involving police marksmen with one shooter, and a few where the teams ran through their engagement sequence more like a military 2-man team. The huge difference is the environment, ROE, and mission duration. Most sniper missions overseas in both urban and rural regions have been measured in days or weeks, whereas the LE marksman goes home usually once every 24 hrs. Granted, it's just to get some rest often, with little interaction with family, but the contrast in being overseas in a military setting and hours from home is black and white.
I want to be clear that the term "sniper" is indicative of a military environment, and is not a good idea for LE agencies to use anyway, due to the public misperception and legal terminology for post-incident documentation and natural legal course. In no way should the terminology knock the fine work that LE shooters often do, saving many innocent lives over the years. My hat's off to those who do it well and uphold the higher standards of decision-making and precision marksmanship discipline required to resolve a high-risk scenario when appropriate. I'll address the nature of high-level narco-traffickers via PM.
There are a broad range of operational and organizational structures in the LE community when it comes to designated marksmen, with some really great teams, and others still working out their roles, techniques, tactics, equipment, and procedures. There are quite a few real-world shoot incidents involving police marksmen with one shooter, and a few where the teams ran through their engagement sequence more like a military 2-man team. The huge difference is the environment, ROE, and mission duration. Most sniper missions overseas in both urban and rural regions have been measured in days or weeks, whereas the LE marksman goes home usually once every 24 hrs. Granted, it's just to get some rest often, with little interaction with family, but the contrast in being overseas in a military setting and hours from home is black and white.
I want to be clear that the term "sniper" is indicative of a military environment, and is not a good idea for LE agencies to use anyway, due to the public misperception and legal terminology for post-incident documentation and natural legal course. In no way should the terminology knock the fine work that LE shooters often do, saving many innocent lives over the years. My hat's off to those who do it well and uphold the higher standards of decision-making and precision marksmanship discipline required to resolve a high-risk scenario when appropriate. I'll address the nature of high-level narco-traffickers via PM.