On April 5th and 6th, John Meyer conducted a Dynamic Use of Target Systems sponsored by Action Target at Jefferson Township Police Department in Jefferson, NJ for members of four different agencies.  This training provided a series of dynamic training exercises that helped improve live fire-training programs for several departments.  We incorporate a variety of target options that provide a pathway to improve the skills of students each participant will teach in the future.  Realistic training is crucial to giving students the experience necessary to prevail in stressful situations.  This course offered some of our ideas on the use of a variety of targets in creating a building block approach to realistic training during live fire exercises.

Portable Running Man Target

We use the Portable Running Man Target from @ActionTarget.  A balloon is used to hold the target in place.  When the officer hits the rapidly moving target center mass, in a zone that would be a critical shot, the balloon pops and the target falls to the ground.  This dynamic target system provides real-time feedback officers need to see the importance of properly using space and time in deadly force confrontations.

Combining Tactics, Techniques, and Technology.

Although this was a Dynamic Use of Targets Program, which is part of the Action Target Academy we take every advantage of opportunities to show off technology and equipment from our wide variety of partners.  During this course we had the opportunity to incorporate ballistic shields into the training program.   Many of our participants in this course train tactical teams that use ballistic shields.  So we ran them troughs some drills that incorporated the Phalanx Shield from our friends at Point Blank into dynamic use of steel targets.  The Phalanx offers the widest range of options when it comes to ballistic shields.  It’s perfect for all types of tactical operations.