Because it's hard to hit the arm or leg and failure to do so will result in missed shots that could stray into homes and hit random bystanders although I have seen clips where cops empty an entire clip and still only get 2-3 shots into the suspect so I dunno... I swear some cops have really shitty aim even though they're aiming at the largest part on the body.
shareBecause of something called "background".
Police officers are taught to be aware of background.
Background is very important, because bullets tend to pass through things. You don't want to shoot if there is a crowd behind the target, something solid is a preferred background.
Center mass is taught because it is the largest part of the target. Bullets can richochet off the ground or easily miss a leg and hit a kill a innocent bystander.
The only exception is close contact shooting, which some departments teach two body, one head.
I always laugh when regular people are telling police how to shoot criminals. Joy Behar says the cops should shoot people in the buttocks and Joe Biden says to shoot offenders in the leg. Some people are even suggesting that cops should shoot the gun out of their hands like they do in the movies. I don't carry a gun and my call of duty experience doesn't make me a gun expert. I might want to get a gun since the cops may not be showing up if there is ever a neighborhood riot.
shareThese shows are making a mint in ratings demonizing the police. Actually having a expert instructor to explain the nuances of police work is not in the producers plan.
shareBecause it improves the chances of a hit. People aren't robots, no matter how much they train with a firearm (although there are some rare individuals with crazy talent). The area of a hit gets bigger with even very short distances. Trying to hit anything but center mass at even over 20 feet is very difficult (i.e. shooting at their legs would almost guarantee a miss, especially if they're moving, which they most likely will be--trying to hit smaller, moving targets is a fool's errand). The best way to drastically increase the chances of a hit, which is the only reason a cop should ever shoot (although they're only human, so sometimes jump the gun, so to speak) is to stop the target from attacking someone else or the cops themselves, and the only way to guarantee accomplishing that is to shoot center mass.
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Never believe. Always question. Belief, a.k.a. bias, a.k.a. groupthink, a.k.a. ideology is the bane of skeptical, logical reason
" I swear some cops have really shitty aim even though they're aiming at the largest part on the body. "
Or maybe it's just really hard to hit a moving target and/or one that's trying to punch, kick, stab, or is wrestling with you? All the most reason to aim for the biggest target.
The one's I have seen are near point blank yet they still miss a lot of the shots with only 5 feet or less. If I see it again I will link it. There was more than one occasion where the only barrier was the vehicle itself or some wall.
share