Future law enforcement officers spend hours training with firearms at police academy

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Future law enforcement officers spent hours this week training with firearms. It is one of the many areas cadets will cover during their 12 weeks at the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center.

Everyday this week, cadets in Class B63 have been on the firearms range, training with their handguns.

Firearms instructor Derek Nelson said cadets are taught numerous ways to deescalate a situation, before using deadly force.

“Try to talk people down, the verbal judos, trying to get them to cooperate where we don’t have to go hands, on, we train defensive tactics, if we have to go hands on, and of course firearms, but firearms is the last thing we want to have to do,” Nelson said.

This class began with 27 cadets, and 14 remain.

Michael Coxey will work for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department when he graduates. He will be the third member of his family in law enforcement.

Coxey said the extensive firearms training is tough, but important.

“Holding a firearm on your side at all times, it’s learned me how to make sure I can pull it out accurately and focus in on what I’m aiming at, and not just pull it up and just fire it and just shoot at something still but also something that is moving that is a threat to our lives,” Coxey said.

Throughout their career, many law officers will never fire their weapon while on duty, but they will continue this type of training to be ready for the unexpected

“This is one of the skills you have to make a priority, because you will lose it if you don’t use it, so coming out here, even if you don’t even have the ammunition, you can sit at home, make sure your weapon is clear, do dry firing drills, drawing drills, knowing how to get from holster to on target as safely as possible, and continually getting better,” Nelson said.

All cadets in this class have met and exceeded their firearms requirements. They have about six more weeks of training, preparing them for a career where there is no such thing as a routine day.

Cadets live at the academy Sunday through Friday. They will graduate at the end of October.