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The shotgun is probably the most versatile tool available to law enforcement patrol and tactical operations. No other weapon used in law enforcement commands the respect from suspects or bystanders like the shotgun. This weapon can be used to deliver lethal or less-lethal munitions, depending on the situation; chemical agents into crime scenes from both inside and outside.
Recently, distraction munitions have been developed for the shotgun. Under certain circumstances, the shotgun is the ideal method of tactical breaching during critical incident resolution.
As with all other methods of entry shotgun breaching has its pros an( cons. It is critical that officers per forming this skill are properly trained with weapon functioning, munitions performance and tactical techniques.
Evaluation of an agency's weapons policies may determine that guidance policies are needed for using the shotgun as a breaching method. As an example, it may not be idea[ as a primary breaching method during a warrant service of a known violent suspect.
in the past, agencies used shotguns as the primary entry method, resulting with suspects taking the team under fire. The suspects' defense was they didn't know it was the police department. They heard shots and were defending their homes.
Some agencies regard this employment of a shotgun as an officer involved shooting requiring the forma shooting board investigation. If this i, the case, this policy may require modi fication for ballistic breaching per formance.
Although the shotgun can be used as a primary external breaching method, it usually is used internally. Generally, this method is quicker and safer than using manual tools or explosives. The weapon can also be used to introduce chemical agents into rooms as the tactical team flows through the objective. Depending on the brand of frangible round being used, the tactical officer still has a lethal round if required, while maintaining the capability to breach through doors without sending lethal projectiles inside the room.
Historical Prospective
As with explosive methods of entry, shotgun breaching methods and technologies were developed by the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) community. Handmade shotgun rounds were used to open various packages containing improvised explosive devices ([ED). In the mid1970s, many law enforcement and military bomb technicians were also part of tactical breaching development. These officers transferred the...