NYPD, ATF offer an inside look at use-of-force training
NEW YORK – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New York City Police Department gave CBS News New York a glimpse into law enforcement's use-of-force training.
Agents discussed legal standards in addition to giving reporter Jennifer Bisram an inside look at their virtual simulation training to show how fast a person can pull the trigger on an officer, leaving little time to react.
Bisram was tasked to investigate a suspicious vehicle. A pre-recorded video shows a driver standing outside a car when suddenly a passenger gets out of the vehicle and pulls out a gun. In a split-second decision, Bisram had to decide whether or not to shoot.
"You didn't recognize the danger signals that the behavior suspects were showing. When they were hiding their hands, when they were reaching under seats," said Paul Massock, deputy chief of the ATF's special operations division.
All law enforcement recruits go through similar real-life scenario simulator trainings.
Debate continues over police use of force
The debate about use of force continues to be controversial.
"When people at home look at a video and they see a police-involved shooting, usually one of the first questions that come to mind is, why was deadly force used?" Bisram asked.
"We shoot to stop the threat," NYPD Officer Matthew Lavella said. "We train to shoot center mass ... Shooting a firearm out of suspect's hand, shooting an ankle, shooting a leg during a dynamic situation like that is extremely challenging, even for our trained officers."
"Officers obviously would prefer that there be no force used ever, but the number one predictor of whether or not an officer uses force and if so how much is used is the behavior of the individual that they're interacting with," Massock said.
Number of NYPD officers shot on the job increasing compared to last year
It comes after an increase in police officers being shot in New York City. So far this year, seven members of the NYPD have been shot, compared to four all of last year.
Police-involved shootings continue to be a concern for New Yorkers as well. In 2023, according to the NYPD's annual use of force/firearms discharge report, there were 45 incidents. So far this year, the NYPD says there have been 20 intentional discharges.