Chapter 3: Criminal Justice Firearms

PrimaryHand

hand used to shoot the firearm

SupportHand

hand that assists the primary hand

FiringLine

position on the range where officers fire toward targets

CeaseFire

command meaning stop firing immediately

DeadlyForce

force likely to cause death or great bodily harm

GreatBodilyHarm

serious physical injury

FleeingFelon

felon escaping or running from justice

DeadlyForceEncounter

situation where deadly force is legally justified

Chapter776FS

Florida statute chapter that governs use of force

Section776.05FS

statute explaining when officer use of force is justified

Section776.06FS

statute defining deadly force

Caliber

measurement used to identify cartridge and projectile size

Gauge

shotgun bore measurement based on bore-sized lead balls per pound

Headstamp

markings on ammunition showing caliber or gauge and manufacturer

Propellant

powder that creates gas when ignited

Reloads

reassembled ammunition not recommended for duty use

Scrape

scratched or torn area on the ammunition case

Dent

dimple or depression in the ammunition case

Corrosion

oxidation or foreign material on the ammunition case

Puncture

opening in the ammunition case body

HalfPrimer

primer that is not seated correctly

ServiceAmmunition

duty ammunition used for official carry

FunctionCheck

check done to make sure the firearm works properly

Fieldstrip

taking the firearm apart for cleaning or inspection

CycleOfOperation

steps a semiautomatic pistol goes through when firing and loading

FeedingChambering

moving a round from the magazine into the chamber

Locking

securing firearm parts before firing

Unlocking

releasing locked parts after firing

Extraction

removing the spent casing from the chamber

Ejecting

throwing the spent casing out of the firearm

Cocking

preparing the firing mechanism for the next shot

Workspace

area in front of the body where the officer can see and work on the firearm

MovingOffTheX

moving out of the threat’s direct line of attack

LateralSlideStep

sideways movement without crossing the feet

EmptyGunReload

reload done when the firearm is empty and the slide locks back

Malfunction

anything that prevents the firearm from operating properly

SquibLoad

weak round that may leave the bullet stuck in the barrel

FailureToFire

trigger is pressed but the round does not fire

Misfire

round fails to fire after being struck

DeadRound

round that does not fire

FailureToFeed

cartridge does not enter the chamber

FailureToEject

fired casing does not fully eject from the firearm

Stovepipe

casing sticks out of the ejection port

DoubleFeed

old round or casing stays while a new round tries to feed

FailureToExtract

spent casing stays in the chamber

PhaseIClearance

immediate action used for common malfunctions

ImmediateActionDrill

quick steps to fix a malfunction and return to action

TapRackReadyFire

method used during Phase I clearance

PhaseIIClearance

clearance method used for a double feed or when Phase I fails

Marksmanship

skill of accurately firing a firearm

Stance

body position used while firing

OffensiveReadyStance

balanced fighting stance used when preparing to shoot

KneelingStance

shooting stance using one or both knees on the ground

CompressedReadyPosition

firearm held close to the body for control in close areas

TwoHandHighPointPosition

arms extended with sights on the target

HipShootingPosition

close-range position used when the threat is within arm’s reach

SightAlignment

relationship of the front sight, rear sight, and shooter’s eye

SightPicture

relationship between the eye, front sight, rear sight, and target

EqualLight

equal space on both sides of the front sight inside the rear sight

DominantEye

eye used to align the sights

PointShooting

shooting technique used when sights cannot be used or there is no time

TriggerControl

steady pressure straight back on the trigger

FollowThrough

maintaining stance, grip, sight alignment, and sight picture before, during, and after firing

WatchmanGrip

flashlight grip where light projects from the thumb side

LawEnforcementGrip

flashlight grip where light projects from the little finger side

TacticalGrip

another name for law enforcement flashlight grip

AyoobTechnique

flashlight technique using the watchman grip with hands pressed together

HarriesTechnique

flashlight technique using braced hands for more handgun control

NeckIndexTechnique

flashlight technique where light is held near the side of the neck

FBITechnique

flashlight technique where light is held away from the body or above the head

LowLightConditions

reduced-light situation where identifying threats is harder

Cover

object that may stop or deflect bullets

Concealment

object that hides you but may not stop bullets

TacticalAdvantage

position or action giving better safety or control

Ricochet

projectile that bounces off a surface

BarricadePosition

shooting position from behind cover

CrowdingCover

getting too close to cover and reducing mobility

TacticalReload

reload done during a pause so the firearm is ready before continuing

SupportHandOnly

using only the support hand because the primary hand is injured or unavailable

ActiveThreatIncident

incident where one or more people use deadly force against others

ActiveShooterIncident

active threat incident involving a person shooting or attempting to kill people

SurvivalStress

body and mind reaction during a deadly force or high-stress event

TunnelVision

narrowed vision during stress

SelectiveHearing

reduced or focused hearing during stress

TimeDistortion

feeling that time is moving faster or slower

LossOfSpatialAwareness

losing awareness of surroundings or position

LossOfFineMotorSkills

losing ability to perform small precise movements under stress

OODALoop

decision cycle of Observe Orient Decide Act

Observe

take in information using the senses

Orient

sort through what is observed and focus on what matters

Decide

choose what action to take

Act

take action based on the decision

MentalPreparation

mentally rehearsing possible threats and responses

ImmediateResponse

responding right away with what is available

ViolenceOfAction

using speed strength surprise and aggression to stop the threat

DirectToThreatClearing

moving directly toward the known threat location

NoiseDiscipline

moving quietly to maintain surprise

PositiveTargetIdentification

confirming the threat before engaging

Pass

person with non-threatening posture and no visible weapon

HoldAssess

possible threat who does not surrender or appear non-threatening