Podcast

FRANKLIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FIREARMS TRAINING SECTION

The Franklin Police Department Training Section is responsible for the ongoing training of all Franklin Police Officers in the areas of weapons, officer survival and tactical operations. The Firearms Instructors are Sgt. Kanadanian, Officer Gratto and Officer Kenney. All instructors are certified by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council and they each hold other instructor certifications in various specialties.

The Instructors prepare lesson plans and range training exercises to help Officers keep proficient in firearms skills, patrol procedures, officer survival, tactical operations and critical incident training. All Officers of the Franklin Police Department must qualify with their .40 caliber firearms every 6 months, and are also proficient in the use of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, 12-guage shotguns and less-lethal munitions. Officers undergo judgment-training exercises by the use of a training simulator on an annual basis. This simulator places the Officers in real life scenarios and the Officer is evaluated on their response to various situations. 

Officers practice with their duty issued Smith and Wesson SW99. .40 semi automatic handguns. 

Sgt. Kanadanian gives instruction on how to use the shield while still covering the target with a duty weapon. Officer McEniry practices shooting at a target from behind the shield.

While sill watching his target, Officer McEniry chambers a new round into his weapon by racking the slide against his boot. This allows him to change his magazines and still watch the threat.

Officer Palladini sights in on a target from 60 yards out. He is using a AR15 Patrol Rifle. 

Several officers practice with patrol rifles while Sgt. Kanadanian observes. 

Officer Cusson takes aim at a target while laying on the ground. Officers must get used to having to shoot in "less than ideal" situations.

Officer McEniry qualifies with the shotgun. This year the Department has added "less-lethal" weapons to our arsenal. Commonly known as "bean bag rounds", we can fire these rounds from a shotgun to knock down a suspect and gain compliance without having to use live ammunition. Also pictured is a  "bean bag round" after being fired from a shotgun. The bag part contains metal pellets to give the round some knock down power, but not to penetrate the body of the suspect. The tail of the round helps give it stability in the air and keep it on target.

For more information on the Franklin Police Department's firearms training program, contact Sgt. Kanadanian.

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