16_Fatal Mistake

"Jimmy, I know you haven't been through police training, but you're very smart. You need to make yourself look more professional quickly. Pay attention to details. How different is your equipment from mine?" Jimmy scratched his head. Police gear is standardized during academy training, and he realized he had many shortcomings based on his previous observations. On his left chest pocket, there was a pen, a handcuff key, a small notepad, a radio microphone on his chest, a radio earpiece hanging on his collar not connected, an extra pepper spray and a flashlight on his duty belt, with only one pair of handcuffs. On his right leg, there was a leg holster with a gun. Noah nodded and then shook his head, "You missed one thing, the bulletproof vest." Noah opened his jacket to reveal a soft bulletproof vest. "Your biggest problem is not wearing a bulletproof vest. This is the United States, and we face various situations daily. The bulletproof vest is our most important protective gear. Go get one after you go back." "You've been doing AP for a few months now. I won't talk about law and first aid. You should already know that. What you need the most now is to brush up on firearms and driving skills. James already told me you'll be patrolling with me. Spend 2 hours at the shooting range every day, then add 1 extra hour of driving practice every week starting from next week. You need to buy a car." Noah opened the police car's trunk, revealing various standardized forms and equipment. "These are the tickets we need daily. As for the content, you'll learn about it later. First, look at this, a shotgun and an M16 rifle, choose one. Remember to grab it next time. I brought them for you today in advance. I suggest you use the shotgun." Noah introduced various equipment, including tire spikes, before closing the trunk and returning to the driver's seat. "I'll take you on patrol first, then in the afternoon, we'll go to the Bear Hunter Shooting Range." "Alright. Thanks, Noah." Noah started the police car, turned on the radio, connected to the police network, and began patrolling. "Jimmy, do you think all this gear is unnecessary? You may not know, but 3 years ago in Los Angeles, there was a bank robbery. 2 robbers faced over 300 cops, fought for over 40 minutes before being killed, 12 officers were injured, and countless police cars damaged. The robbers used automatic rifles and wore heavy bulletproof vests. Since then, we've been focusing on enhancing firepower and bulletproof vests. Against those wearing bulletproof vests, our handguns have no advantage. This is when we need rifles and shotguns, and bulletproof vests can significantly reduce casualties. Remember what I'm telling you, it could save your life." "Policing is a dangerous job. Dozens of officers die in gunfights in the US every year. No one can guarantee they won't be one of those unlucky ones. So, always make sure to wear a bulletproof vest before responding to calls. It's winter now, wear it underneath. In summer, it goes over. Once on duty, it can't come off, no matter how hot. These aren't rules, but they can save your life." Noah explained to Jimmy while patrolling and waiting for radio contact. "Adam47, robbery at the convenience store, 1106 Fairpark Avenue. Caller reports the robbers have fled." "Adam47, copy." Noah turned on the siren and rushed to the convenience store. Jimmy felt a sense of familiarity upon hearing the address; when they arrived, he realized it was the same store he visited on his first day. What bad luck for the owner? They both entered the store, with Noah interviewing about the robbery details and losses, while Jimmy attentively listened and learned how to inquire about a case. At the end, Jimmy casually asked, "Does any store nearby have a surveillance system installed?" "No, no one wants to spend that money," the store owner replied. Back in the police car, Jimmy pondered this question. The biggest difference coming from 20 years in the future was the civilian technology used in daily activities. In 2022, nearly every store had surveillance, some even using cloud monitoring, saving on server costs. In 2000, surveillance was mainly for large businesses and law enforcement, such as big hotels, banks, government buildings, and traffic cameras. Private small shop owners often saw it as unnecessary. They spent the morning handling simple tasks during patrol, no chases, no arrests, not even a fight. Noah felt it was peculiar, as if it was a deliberate case study opportunity for Jimmy. Fun fact: US urban crime rates rose from the 1960s, peaked in the 1980s, declined in the 1990s, hit the lowest point in 2019, and rose again during the COVID period, with no decrease yet. In the afternoon, Noah took Jimmy to the Bear Hunter Shooting Range, a cooperative range for county police to practice firearm use regularly. Despite news often showing US cops emptying magazines without hitting a criminal, they actually take firearm use seriously, knowing their shooting abilities and making time for practice. Additionally, they receive a certain amount of free bullets at the cooperative range, reimbursed by the department, and get discounts on extra ammo, making it cheaper than buying on their own. Of course, this isn't the practice everywhere; some police cooperative ranges offer minimal discounts. Noah let Jimmy try a few training guns, starting with the Beretta 92F, the same model issued by the department, allowing 15 rounds in a double-stack magazine, easy to use and with ample firepower. Noah instructed Jimmy on quick draw from the holster, one-handed and two-handed grip, safety position, reloading, and most importantly, avoiding trigger finger. Novices often make two dangerous mistakes: resting their finger on the trigger when not shooting (trigger finger) and failing to clear unspent rounds from the gun barrel. Jimmy fired two magazines, then moved on to the M1911, Springfield model, with a 7-round magazine. After emptying two magazines, Jimmy's hands were getting tired. For a first-time shooter, this amount of shooting was quite substantial.