… doesn’t mean they have a clue.

From John Farnam:

“A local, uniformed, patrol officer came in to my office last week, complaining of headaches and lower-back pain. She stated that pain was occurring while she was on duty, and mentioned that her duty-belt was uncomfortable.

I began by asking about her duty-pistol. She stated that it was a SIG. When I asked what model, she paused and answered, ‘Why, it’s a Sig/Sauer. Is there another kind?’

I let out a breath and then asked if the weapon’s magazines were single or double-stack, what caliber, how many spare magazines she carried, and where she carried them. I got back a confused look, and then she asked me what ‘double-stack’ meant. In addition, she had no idea what caliber her pistol was, but we determined that both spare magazines were routinely carried on the same side as her pistol.

I asked if she practiced reloading her pistol with magazines carried thus. She indicated that she ‘… couldn’t remember,’ adding ‘I don’t know; I just carry them there.'”

This isn’t to say all police officers are clueless — the above is closer to exception than rule. Consider how many times you’ve encountered professionals that had no clue, be it a mechanic, or a repairman in your home. We’ve all had experiences where someone’s job lead you to believe they were competent, but alas they were not. Why would the profession of police officer be any different? On the same token, I’m sure you’ve encountered people who weren’t professionals at something but performed work far better than any pro you ever met.

When people say “only police and military should have guns”, remember the above quip. Training (education) is important for success in any endeavor in life.