Norwegian Police Officers Experiences from Armed Confrontations

Even though Norwegian police officers' have legal rights to use force, also in armed confrontations, they seldom make use of their firearms. The use of firearms lies at the extreme edge of police work, also in Norway. However, police officers need to prepare also for armed confrontations to maintain safety for themselves during confrontations, but also to ensure the safety of ordinary citizens. Armed confrontations may often be the most challenging, dynamic and stressful incidents police officers face in line of duty. This study undertakes to discuss the relevance of police training in armed confrontations as experienced by police officers that have been in armed confrontations and decided not to shoot the subject. Data stems from 30 semi-structured interviews with Norwegian police emergency response officers who have experienced an armed confrontation with a subject where the police officers perceived to be within the regulations and weapon laws to discharge their firearms against the subject, but for some reason chose not to make use of their firearms. Findings indicate that Norwegian police officers mostly receive their experience in armed confrontations through their training, and not through practical street level experience from armed confrontations. Thus, both the relevance of armed response training and using experiences from armed confrontations as learning opportunities are of the utmost importance for police officers' capacities for handling armed confrontation.

Keywords: Armed confrontation, Experience, Training.