Becoming a police sniper......

[mohawk]

Hi,

This question is aimed at someone who has been through USMC S/S school, did their tours and then joined the police force. Although, anyone who has the knowledge, please be my guest.....My question is this, besides the scouting and being alone with your partner for days how is sniping for police different? Are most LE snipers former USMC S/S? Is it practical to join the LE with the intention of becoming a tactical shooter without former S/S training? Or do the former S/S get choosen over non USMC with the same markmanship scores? I hope you find all these questions painless....Rant on, your student is all ears.

[medicjim]

I'll take the easiest difference...

police snipers take shorter shots that require greater precision. Police are usually trying to make "lights out" shots on hostage takers, wheras a military sniper is trying to inflict a serious wound and "get away".

[mohawk]

Thanks, but can anyone be more specific about the other questions........ http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/rolleyes.gif

[mohawk]

Thanks, but can anyone be more specific about the other questions........ http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/rolleyes.gif

[jcollettusa]

You are comparing apples and oranges. Military snipers are also scouts, they are not there just to just to shoot at know combatants. They collect intel, sometimes shoot at things other than humans (ie. radios), conduct recon, and surveillance. Whereas, police snipers are going to be (1)Marksman Observers, (2) provide cover for the entry team, (3) eliminate Tangos when the situation dictates. I am not a police sniper, therefore, cannot answer your question about what they are looking for. However, I can make an educated guess that yes, having been through S/S school would be beneficial, but it would not be a necessary requirement.

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Semper Fi

[jcollettusa]

You are comparing apples and oranges. Military snipers are also scouts, they are not there just to just to shoot at know combatants. They collect intel, sometimes shoot at things other than humans (ie. radios), conduct recon, and surveillance. Whereas, police snipers are going to be (1)Marksman Observers, (2) provide cover for the entry team, (3) eliminate Tangos when the situation dictates. I am not a police sniper, therefore, cannot answer your question about what they are looking for. However, I can make an educated guess that yes, having been through S/S school would be beneficial, but it would not be a necessary requirement.

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Semper Fi

[Gunny Hicks]

I only have a simple comment "police snipers take shorter shots that require greater precision." Seems to be an inaccurate statement.

Although Marine Snipers aren't always aiming for the Medula Oblongata, precise accuracy is important. It is true that we fire at greater ranges (except in MOUT situations, GOPLAT take downs, IHR missions, etc) But the fegree os accuracy requiered form the Marine Snuiper is no less than that of a Police Sniper.

I have had several former Sniper of mine depart the Corps to join Police depts. All of them initially desired to get on the Police sniper tms. Initially the former military guys have to do about two to five years as a regular patrol officer before the opportuntiy to move into the special teams. This seems to hold true for every one, previous military or not. (previous sniper experiance doesn't equal police time patrolling the streets). As far as I know, none of my former guys ever became police Snipers...but then again, I haven't heard from any of them in a long time.

[Mike]

Gunny Hicks, if your former Snipers said they want to be on the SWAT or as police sniper during the initial interviews, they won't and will not get any positions. On the other hands, if they said "I want to be a police officer and see what happen in the future", maybe it will be a different story. Most police officers want to be on the SWAT teams so personnel know who to weed out those who have their sight on one thing and not the overall picture.

[Gunny Hicks]

Roger that. I'm not sure how the Marines I knew approached their initial interviews, but I know that most of them had voiced their desires, prior to getting off of active duty. I know a few of them did go on into Law Enforcement, but to date, none that I am aware of have become a Police Sniper or SWAT. Atleast one of them ended up as a criminal after becoming police man. (I don't know all of the details, but he did end up on the other side of the jail cell bars).
Another has done extremely well as a Pennsylvania State Trooper.

[medicjim]

Gunny Hicks.

Thank you for correcting me, I was unintentionally inaccurate. I will clarify my post.

LE snipers are required to make very high precision shots at short ranges with a very high degree of success certainty. Military snipers are required to make high precision shots at long ranges, often incorporating other factors such as "wind, ballistic performance due to temp, post shot concealment, E&E".

[Gunny Hicks]

medicjim:

No problem... most non-military snipers have a scewed perception of Military snipers, and Marine Scout/Snipers in particular.

I'm just glad that accuracy on hitting the correct keys on the computer key board, doesn't relate to accuray with the rifle....

I appologize for the horrid spelling....I studied typing in the Christopher Columbus school of typing. Find a key (any key) and land on it.

[Gunny Hicks]

medicjim:

No problem... most non-military snipers have a scewed perception of Military snipers, and Marine Scout/Snipers in particular.

I'm just glad that accuracy on hitting the correct keys on the computer key board, doesn't relate to accuray with the rifle....

I appologize for the horrid spelling....I studied typing in the Christopher Columbus school of typing. Find a key (any key) and land on it.

[HmtPD2]

If I may add my humble opinion...

I am not a sniper, but I am a civilian police Officer with a few years of SRT experience in the USMC.

Military sniper experience will definitely help out. Obviously if you were a trained Scout Sniper, you would do well against an applicant who has no experience. You will still have to attend an LE sniper school for liability, case law, policies of the dept, etc.

When you try out they will look at how good of a police officer you are FIRST. How often you are reprimanded. How "self-starting" you are as a cop. It does no good to have an officer that shoots a perfect score, but can't follow direction or handle a simple task without calling for back-up.

What you have to remember in LE is that SWAT positions are VERY hard to come by. The Officers on SWAT have years of experience, and the way to get on the team is to wait for an opening. This could take years. The majority of Teams I know of select snipers from CURRENT SWAT members. You are not going to come directly from the street and be the sniper. So basically you have to make the team, then wait for the sniper to retire or quit, or get sued and go to Federal Prison because his shot was off a couple of centimeters!!!! (Kidding)

Even if you make the tryout for SWAT, the team will usually "round table" all of the candidates and pick the one the team feels they can work with. You could be a great cop and be in excellant shape, but if your an asshole, nobody will want you around.

You also have to remember that SWAT officer are also REGULAR police officer 99% of the time. So if you become a police officer only to be a sniper, you will be disappointed. The job is part social worker, bouncer, complaint dept, and can be boring.

Being SWAT or a sniper is just the icing on a sometimes frustrating piece of cake.

Join because you want to be a police officer FIRST. If you are good at that, the rest will come.


R. Steht
Police Officer

Sgt/ USMC
0331/ 8152/ 8154

......Platoon....DISMISSED!!!!