This evening, I was watching Rookie Blue on ABC. (Don’t bother. It’s a truly awful show about rookie police officers. IMHO, this unnamed city needs to reexamine its training program. This show is no Hill Street Blues.)
Anyway, early in tonight’s episode, the officers are suiting up in the locker room. One of the things the officers do is pull the slide back on their sidearms and dry fire it into a red bucket that looks sort of like the sharps container at your favorite doctor’s office. Of course, one of the dipstick rookies does this and a live round is fired into the bucket.
First of all, why do this? I’ve been around real police officers and never seen them do this. Second, if a live round were fired into this device, wouldn’t someone get hurt? What is keeping the bullet from shattering and hurting people? Finally, when the live round is fired, everyone covers their ears. Wouldn’t everyone in this small, hard room have ringing in their ears for hours, if not days or forever? I’ve not been around a fired weapon, but it seems to me that firing it indoors in a confined space would be awfully loud.
Sounds like you are talking about an unlaoding station. They come in all different sizes, colors, and shapes.
Are you sure they were going on duty? This is usually done when one is going off duty and unloading his/her firearms. Pulling the slide back is how the round in the chamber is removed.If the weapon is a Glock the dry fire is to decock the pistol from it’s “safe action” cocked position (Glocks are neither single nor double action, but something unique that’s sort of in-between). Although it is not necessary to do this once the round is out of the chamber and the magazine removed.
This is indeed done if one wishes to unload their weapon, and if a round is fired inside the container nobody will be hurt. That’s what it’s for.
Yes ones ears will ring for a bit after a round is fired indoors. But if it’s only 1 round the ringing will go away after a little bit.
Yes, an unloading station sounds about right. The one on TV appeared to be plastic and was mounted on the wall. However, the officers were definitely coming on shift, not leaving. It wouldn’t surprise me if this show got it wrong. It is truly awful in nearly every way.
I’m pretty sure this thing is filmed in Toronto, as I recognize the street signs, addresses, the buildings and the street cars in the background from the parts of the pilot I watched before going onto less insipid things.
I’m not one to defend some of the stupid things they do on cop shows, but other than the accidental discharge, what are you so worked up about? If one has an accidental discharge, it’s best to do it while at the unloading station so the round doesn’t hurt anyone. That’s what it’s there for (although an A.D. is still unacceptable).
As for the dry fire, are you certain they weren’t pulling the trigger but were instead using a decocking lever? They make the same click noise as the trigger and safely drop the hammer down from a cocked weapon.Some pistols are cocked when a round is jacked into the chamber and need to be decocked.
Is this episode on line anywhere? I like to see it.
Happens all the time now days. There are even vest shells that are made to be worn outside the uniform. It’s more comfortable than wearing it underneath.
I checked ABC.com. They don’t have the episode you saw, but I scanned through the pilot. Looks like they’ve got Glocks (something similar). So no decocking needed after loading.
A rookie asks a supervisor if he can take his weapon home. He gets grilled as to why he wants to, then gets dirty looks and is told to fill out a take home form.
Canadians and their phobia against guns extends to cops, too?:rolleyes:
The day I’d have to ask if I could take my equipment home is the day I extend my semi-retiredness into full time retired. (But I carry my own gun, so I’d be really pissed if they told me I couldn’t take it home. But still…)
The way they’re wearing their vest is something a lot of officers are doing now. As long as the patches are showing most departments allow it.
When the episode you saw comes on I’ll check and see what you saw as far as the discharge.
I have not seen the show, but just because it’s shot in Toronto does not necessarily mean it’s about a Canadian city. Lots of shows are made in Canada because of lower production costs. Many of them are nominally set in some US city, even though Vancouver (lots of them are made there too) does not resemble, for example, Kansas City very much.
The accidental discharge takes place 2:40 into the episode. Definitely while coming on duty and definitely as part of the process of loading the gun (they put in a clip, pull the slide, and then fire into the tank). Beyond that I don’t know a damn thing about guns so can’t comment.
**ETA: **Oh, and according to the Wikipedia page for the show it is actually a joint Canadian/ABC production and is set in Toronto and not just filmed there.
This method should produce a lot of ADs. I thought one removed the clip, pull the slide and fire into the tank. This was required of MPs in the army everytime they came off duty, (it was outside though) don’t understand why they are doing it going on duty.
I’ve been around (but not directly involved, thank God) an accidental discharge of an M-16, at an unloading station, indoors, with the gun’s barrel carelessly (well, carelessly x2) NOT pointing into the receptacle. Hilarity ensued.
Clearing stations are used to clear weapons, typically. I can see where one might also be used when loading a weapon, but then the operator would apply the safety (if any) after inserting the magazine and racking the slide. I haven’t watched the show but there are a couple explanations for the discharge.
The character is being shown as inept because he forgot the difference in procedures between loading a weapon and clearing same.
The makers of the show know fuck all about gun handling.
Going with #2. Before going on duty, two characters in a row prior to the negligent discharge (ND), both load mags into what look like Glocks, with the slide held back. They then release the slide, place the pistol into the clearing station, and pull the trigger. This would seem like a textbook way to have an ND. I mean, that’s how you load a semi-auto pistol, for cryin’ out loud.
I strongly suspect they filmed it that way because of supposed Rule of Cool. Look, if you want to look like you went to the Michael Mann School of Cinematic Gunplay, just have your character do a “press-check.” (Oh, and the clip is from Heat, so there’s foul language. May not be SFW, depending on your employer.) A better way to do a press-check is to pull back the rear of the slide. Don’t push the front of the slide. Fingers don’t grow back.
Alright, I watched the bit. Here is what’s happening:
*The slides are locked back.
*Officer puts a loaded magazine into the well and uses the slide release to close the action and chamber a fresh round.
*I don’t see any dry firing. The OP is incorrect about that unless I missed it. All I see is the slide closing, no pull of the trigger. (except for the officer that has the A.D.)
*The offending officer had his finger on the trigger when he closed his slide, causing the discharge.
*While the slide release lever is ok to close the slide, it’s better to pull the slide back manually and let it snap forward. This puts less stress on the slide lever and extractor.
*What I don’t see are officers topping off their magazines after they’ve loaded. This cheats them out of an extra round.
I know of no police departments that do this on a regular basis. Normally officers take their weapons home and either keep them loaded or load/unload at home.
The only time I’ve ever had to use the unloading station to reload was at training sessions. After we get finished using range ammo we reload out duty ammo and use the station to reload. We then holster the weapon, take the magazine out of the holstered weapon, and top of the magazine and replace it.
Loading/unloading weapons every day like this is just asking for an A.D…
I keep watching this and I don’t see anyone pull the trigger (except Mr. A.D.). They’re holding the pistol and closing the slide using the slide release lever on the left side of the pistol.
O.K. after looking at this like the Zapruder film (and having Hulu’s viewer crash my computer) I have a hard time telling whether the first guy pulled his trigger or not. I’ll agree with you and say no. Though it looks like Missy Peregrym’s character may have her finger on the trigger—thought I saw the tip surrounded by the trigger guard—all that happens is the slide goes forward. Again, you’re right pkbites, and she doesn’t pull the trigger.
Weird, when I watched it the first time, I’d have sworn they both pulled the trigger. Funny what you observe when you’re told ahead of time that something is there. Hey, any excuse to watch Missy Peregrym (the best part of Reaper) is a good one.
As you pointed out, it seems like a silly procedure for them to do. Wonder if their technical advisor/armorer used to work for DHS?
Badges mean squat in Canada. Police have them, but it’s only the warrant card that means anything, and that’s what police show when they are identifying themselves. Canadian police do not wear badges on their shirts in any official uniform.
Yeah, it’s gonna be loud. Nothing you can do about that. The bullet will bury itself in the sand and not go anywhere. Dirt is a wonderful bullet stopper.
:rolleyes: