City's 'Finest' Being Drilled for Expert Marksmen and Sharpshooters

By Edmond Brill

Here's an unfriendly warning to the criminal element--particularly those who are quick on the trigger and consider a "copper" a big, untrained watchman who makes an excellent target when he stands between them and escape:

"Keep away from Richmond if you want to stay healthy!"

For today there are men on the local police force who can pick up a machine gun and write the names of Mais and Legenza in letters a foot high on a wall 25 yards away.

The change did not come overnight.

When Colonel John A. Cutchins assumed the office of Director of Public Safety, he announced that a program of training would be rigidly pursued--that he considered the Richmond police department a peace-time army that must be ready at all times to meet any emergency.

In line with this policy, officers have for weeks been using their spare time to learn more about the use of revolvers, submachine guns, riot guns and gas guns at First Precinct Station, Seventeenth and Broad Streets.

Their instructors are the best the State affords--Detective Sergeant C. E. Fox, who was an expert pistol shot in the Twenty-ninth Division during the World War, and Lieutenant T. J. B. Lohr, U. S. A., one of Virginia's outstanding marksmen, who trains the State policemen, the penitentiary guards, the National Guardsmen and the citizens' rifle teams.

And although the daily school virtually is founded upon individual ambition to become a better policeman, not one of the men is more enthusiastic than Sergeant Fox.

"We've done nothing but practice thus far," he said, "but records are being kept of the scores and some of them are unbelievably good. Qualifying rounds will be held after January 1, and Lieutenant Lohr and I expect to have 100 marksmen, 50 sharpshooters and 15 experts on the force.

Major Robert B. Jordan, chief of police, often wishes he could find time to join his men on the range for a little target practice.

"It's the greatest thing ever started in the department," he said. "A policeman with a gun who does not know how to handle it might as well have a stick. As a matter of fact, a billy would be a more formidable weapon, and even more protection under those circumstances. "

But it won't be long before most members of the department will be crack shots."

Medals to be Worn on Uniforms

"Medals will be given those who qualify, and they will be worn on uniforms. An additional reward will be three days' leave for experts, two for sharpshooters and one for marksmen.

"Thus far, only two or three men have been found who cannot shoot well, and I believe even these will improve with more practice. Should they fail to develop, however, they will be stationed where it won't be necessary to use a revolver.

"Once good shots are developed in the department they are going to stay that way, because arrangements have been made to have every man visit the range for practice at least once a month. With 10 to 15 men firing daily, it takes 30 days to have all the policemen on the range."

Sergeant Fox said the detectives are receiving training in submachine guns of the latest type that fire 600 shots per minute. They've peppered man-size, moving targets so often that the rear wall of the range was shot away and recently had to be replaced.

The submachine guns are kept at Police Headquarters for the use of the plainclothesmen.

Riot guns, regular equipment at precinct stations and on all automobiles, are handled by the entire department.

"That's a really dangerous and remarkable weapon," said the instructor. "It shoots No. 4 buckshot and drills a hole in a circle that, at 25 yards, is two feet in diameter."

General training also is being given in gas guns that are used in quelling riots. Every police car is now equipped with one of these guns.

But if emphasis is being placed on any one phase of practice, it's on that piece of equipment which every officer carries--a 38 calibre Colt.

"Learn to shoot it and you'll feel better in a tight place." has become almost a slogan as the men chalk up bulls-eye after bulls-eye at 25 yards.

Training Begins in "Dry Shooting" Class

The officers did not begin their pistol practice by taking pot shots at the target, however, because Sergeant Fox is firm in his belief that "many a good shot has been made without firing a revolver."

When the policemen first reported for instruction, they were placed in preliminary training classes for "dry shooting." First they were taught to look through the sighting bar, which shows how to line up the two sights. Then they pointed revolvers at mirrors to observe and correct wavering. Following were tedious hours practicing taking position and the trigger squeeze.

Later, three-pound bags were attached to the ends of the pistols, and the men had to hold them on targets. Instructors explained that this helps steady the hand and develop arm muscles.

"The men are taught to always keep their eyes on the objects at which they are aiming, and not on the revolvers," Sergeant Fox said. "This and the trigger squeeze are two of the most important lessons to be learned."

Satisfactory completion of the "dry shooting" class is necessary before the policemen go on the range. The officers who have finished the preliminary course are now engaged in target practice, using first the pistol and then the larger guns.

Naturally, I'm expecting even better scores when the qualifying rounds are held," Sergeant Fox said, "but even if the men don't improve their practice marks the Richmond police department will have 15 experts, 50 sharpshooters and 100 marksmen early next year.

"And that's a pretty good average, because experts have to score 85 per cent, sharpshooters, 78 per cent and marksmen, 60 per cent."

Colonel Cutchins himself is intensely interested in the progress being made on the range by members of his department, and is a frequent visitor to the second floor of First Police Station where revolvers crack hour after hour.

Program Seen as Real Crime Preventive

The safety director views the whole shooting game as a crime preventive measure, pointing out "it's much better to forestall trouble than to get to work after it has started."

Pistols will be used by the Richmond police only in an emergency to prevent further loss of life or to bring down an escaping criminal," he said.

"From the standpoint of society, the criminal element must be curbed, and people are entitled to protection against this element as well as against a policeman who does not know how to shoot. If he aims at an escaping criminal, fails to hit him and strikes a bystander, not only has the criminal escaped, but an innocent person has been killed or injured.

"Then there is the morale factor. A man necessarily is a better policeman and is willing to take risks if he feels that he knows he can protect himself by the accurate use of his weapon.

"A third factor is that no better ad could be given the criminal element and racketeers than that the Richmond policemen are marksmen and sharpshooters.

"The Canadian mounted police and the Texas Rangers rarely have to use force because their training is such that the underworld realizes that one or two members of those organizations are equal to a dozen or more ordinarily trained people.

"We want our force to be the last word in efficient police work."