Police use laser guns to practice shooting

Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 13, 2003

Target shooting became a lot more interesting for members of the Selma police force this week.

Lt. John Brock, head of the drug unit and a training officer, introduced the force to a computer program called LaserShot Simulation. The program is basically a beefed up video game, with officers shooting targets on a large screen with a specially equipped laser gun.

The game also uses video role playing, with actors posing as bad guys and requires

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officers to figure out when to pull the trigger.

The Selma Police also ordered a digital camera so they can film their own role playing scenes, possibly making the scenarios more difficult, and adding them to the program.

Brock said the program will allow everyone on the force to practice their shooting during winter and summer months. In the spring and fall, officers will go to an outdoor shooting range.

After each shooting practice is complete, the officers are scored.

The money for the LaserShot came in the form of a federal grant.

The Selma Police received the equipment for the program last month, but this is the first time everyone will get a chance to try it out.

The equipment for the game is also portable, so the locations for the target practices can be moved if necessary.

For all those officers who thought playing Nintendo games would not be helpful in life, they were quickly proven wrong with this computer program.