An approach to the implementation of measures to reduce incidents when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition

Arkhipov Sergei Nikolaevich Master of Sports of Russia in shooting from combat hand-held small arms, Associate Professor, Department of Fire Training, Tyumen Institute for Advanced Training of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation 625049, Russia, Tyumen region, Tyumen, Amurskaya str., 75 as.master13@mail.ru Other publications by this author

It is rightly noted in the literature that "employees in their line of service, in order to perform tasks for the protection of public order and public safety, in duty stations throughout the country, receive and hand over weapons and ammunition on a daily basis. And the issue of reducing the likelihood of an accidental shot and, as a result, injury and mutilation remains very relevant, as evidenced by the statistics of incidents related to accidental shots during the receipt and delivery of weapons are registered annually" ^{[1, p.159]}.

The causes of such emergencies with firearms are often non-compliance with safety measures ^{[2, p.159]} and a low level of professional training of employees.

In his speech at an expanded meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Vladimir Putin said that the tasks set are being solved in modern conditions primarily by "increasing the level of your professionalism." (Extended meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (03/22/2023). President Of Russia: website. URL: http://www.kremlin.ru (date of application: April 27, 2023)).

Considering the issue of personal safety when receiving and handing over weapons, S.A. Gorelov, O.A. Kochenogov, V.A. Leonov, S.I. Konovalova, A.A. Zhailov, I.N. Fatkulin, G.V. Akimova, L.I. Gross, draw attention to the fact that "... security measures are a set of measures, knowledge, skills and skills that allow avoiding tragic consequences aimed at safe handling of weapons and guaranteeing the safety not only of the employee himself, but also of the citizens around him, and proper handling of him is the key to safety" ^{[3, p. 49]}, which in the context of measures to reduce incidents in duty stations will be one of the criteria.

Svetlichny E.G., Panova O. S., Donchenko V. E. considering the issues of improving the personal safety skills of cadets and students of educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia when handling firearms in their work, they note that "... actions with weapons must be performed clearly and confidently, a police officer should not think about how to perform them of course, in his "arsenal" there should be worked-out and automated algorithms of actions in a particular situation of official activity" ^{[4, p. 395]}.

Studying the issues of the legality of the use of weapons and comparing the level of professionalism of employees, Yu.F. Podlipnyak, Gedugoshev R. R. in their works note that "... the unlawful use of weapons and injury occurs as a result:

- non-compliance with the requirements of safety measures;

- inept and careless handling of weapons;

- lack of solid skills in handling weapons and, first of all, when discharging them;

- insufficient knowledge of the material part of the weapon" ^{[5, p.380]};

According to the author and researchers in the field of fire training of employees, it is necessary to conduct an extensive and detailed analysis of specific cases of inept (negligent) handling of weapons in law enforcement practice in order to solve the problem of unprofessional actions in the performance of official duties when handling weapons and excluding cases of accidental firing when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition in the duty stations of internal affairs bodies ^{[6, p.5]}. This will allow us to more accurately identify the causes and factors contributing to the occurrence of such situations. Such an analysis may include a study of the level of formation of professional skills of employees in the safe handling of weapons, as well as an analysis of incidents related to negligent handling of weapons. It is important to identify weaknesses and take measures to develop instructions aimed at creating safe conditions for loading and unloading weapons in the CWC, since loading and unloading weapons should be carried out in the weapon cleaning room ^{[7, p.443]}.

Having studied and analyzed statistical data and reviews, we see that despite the measures taken to control the process of receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition, it is not possible to significantly reduce the risk of inept handling of weapons when loading and unloading weapons in the CWC and the facts of accidental firing when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition take place.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, in the reporting period from 2020 to the first half of 2021, when performing tasks to protect public order, firearms were used by employees of internal affairs agencies 1,685 times. (Review of the practice of using physical force, special means and firearms by employees of internal affairs bodies when performing tasks to protect public order: inf. letter of the DGSK of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated December 14, 2021 No. 21/8/20548. 26 c).

Of this number, weapons were used illegally 34 times. As stated in previous publications, "out of the total number of cases involving the misuse of weapons and injury in 73%, this occurred as a result of inept (negligent) handling of weapons when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition in the duty stations of the territorial internal affairs bodies. And 2022 was no exception to this example, 4 (+33.3%) cases were recorded in the duty stations of the territorial internal affairs bodies, and 3 cases in the same period of 2021 that caused injuries and injuries to employees" ^{[8, p. 132]}.

Based on the analysis of the materials of official inspections, it can be concluded that the reasons that may entail risks associated with the unregulated use of weapons in duty stations are:

- the lack of a single algorithm and sequence in the actions of employees when loading and unloading weapons;

- non-compliance with the requirements of safety measures;

- fatigue and stress, and as a result, making mistakes when handling weapons.

In order to identify specific causes and circumstances that lead to risks associated with the misuse of weapons when receiving and handing over weapons and which cause accidents and lead to injuries and injuries to employees, from 2021-2023, S.N. Arkhipov conducted a research project at the Tyumen Institute for Advanced Training of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. a pedagogical experiment. On the basis of which it is possible to develop rules that improve the system of training and control over the process of receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition, which will significantly reduce the risk of inept handling of weapons.

The object of the pedagogical experiment was the actions of employees when receiving and handing over weapons from the storage room, and the subject was the rules that improve the training and control system.

The goal is to develop a unified algorithm and scheme for receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition in the duty station.

The experiment was attended by students who are trained in basic educational vocational training programs, ordinary, junior, middle and senior commanders who were first recruited to the internal affairs bodies, as a "Policeman" employee, advanced training students as an indicator group (GI) of typical actions of employees in duty stations of territorial bodies. The first EG was 77 people, the second EG was 73 people, experimental groups (EG) of the same composition and duration of training, the indicator group (GI) 154 people.

Fig. 1. Comparative schedule of the task of loading weapons and preparing them for duty in the experimental groups (EG1, EG2).

During the experiment, all EG students were asked to complete two tasks:

- in the first task, the students demonstrated actions in the duty station when receiving weapons and preparing them for duty;

- in the second task, the actions were performed when handing over weapons after the end of service.

When performing the first and second tasks, EG1 was guided by the knowledge, skills and abilities that they received in the process of professional training when studying the topics of the section "Fire training", and EG2 additionally used the developed scheme to the algorithm of actions of the employee when receiving weapons and preparing them for service and when handing over weapons after the end of service, which is placed at the place of loading and unloading weapons in the duty station (Fig.4).

Fig. 2. A comparative schedule for completing the task of performing an action when handing over weapons after the end of service in experimental groups (EG1, EG2).

The obtained results of the pedagogical experiment indicate the absence of any sequence in actions with weapons in EG1, which manifested themselves in the inconsistent execution of actions (Fig. 1), and we see a diametrically opposite picture in EG2, which used the developed scheme to the algorithm, where the exact sequence of actions performed is traced.

As a result of the conducted research, initial data on the level of skill formation were obtained from trainees of advanced training (see Table 1), who acted as an indicator group (GI).

Table 1

The obtained initial data allowed us to establish that the employees who acted as GI and EG1 trainees have similarities in the absence of a unified approach and sequence of typical actions when performing tasks. It should be noted that in the absence of an exact sequence, the probability of an accidental shot is high, since each subsequent action performed in violation of security measures or in violation of the sequence only multiplies errors and approximates the probability of an accidental shot.

Thus, it can be argued that the lack of a unified approach, in the order of actions performed by EG1 listeners and GI listeners, increases the likelihood of risks associated with the unintentional use of weapons.

All the identified causes collectively contribute to the emergence of risks, and increase the likelihood of an event related to the unintentional use of weapons in duty stations upon receipt and delivery.

Based on the results of the analysis of incidents related to inept (negligent) handling of weapons, the data obtained from the pedagogical experiment, as a set of additional measures to improve the level of professional training of employees and reduce cases of injury, the author has developed a unified algorithm for employee actions.

The algorithm is designed in such a way that each subsequent action reduces the probability of an accidental shot.

The algorithm of an employee's actions when loading a service firearm before joining the service

1. Inspect two stores, compare the numbers on the store case, if any, with the number on the frame and make sure that they are in good working order (no cracks, dents on the case).

2. Check the availability of all received ammunition (by quantity), their identity of the series, manufacturer, year of manufacture.

3. Check if there is a cartridge in the chamber.

In order to make sure that there is no cartridge in the chamber, it is necessary:

- take a pistol in your hand, point the weapon at the bullet trap, make sure there is no magazine at the base of the handle;

- turn off the fuse (lower the flag down), move the shutter to the rear position with your left hand, put it on the shutter delay ^{[9, p. 125]};

- visually inspect the chamber and make sure that there is no cartridge ^{[10, p. 89]};

- remove the shutter from the shutter delay and turn on the fuse (raise the flag up), while the trigger will be removed from the combat platoon (Makarov pistol (PM), PMM).

(pull the trigger (in pistols, in the design features of which this is provided) to remove the trigger from the combat platoon after checking the weapon (Yarygin pistol) or deactivate the firing pin (Lebedev pistol (PLC), Glock pistol).

- inspect the pistol assembled, check the correspondence of the number on the frame and the bolt, make sure there is no rust, cracks, nicks on the sighting devices.

4. Fasten the carbine of the pistol strap to the front, and put the pistol in the holster.

5. Equip magazines with cartridges and load weapons:

- equip one magazine with cartridges and put it in a pocket for a spare magazine holster;

- equip the second magazine with cartridges and place it in the base of the pistol grip.

6. Hand over the empty pad to the attendant through the window for issuing weapons, while calling the number of the cabinet (safe) of the weapon storage place.

In order to quickly remember the procedure for loading or unloading weapons, which is prescribed in the algorithm, it can be represented in the form of an algorithm diagram (Fig.3). The scheme of the algorithm is a graphical representation of the algorithm, each point of which is displayed on the diagram by a geometric figure—block supplemented with elements of a verbal record of the corresponding action, to display the sequence of completing the task of loading and unloading weapons, which will be located at the place of loading or unloading weapons in the duty units of the internal affairs bodies (Fig.4)" ^{[1, p. 163]}.

Fig. 3. The structure of the graphical scheme of the unified algorithm

In this scheme: two – the number of loaded magazines laid out on the table available for a certain type of weapon;

sixteen – the number of cartridges in the block from discharged magazines (example: Makarov pistol – 16 rounds);

checking the weapon for non–loading - inspection of magazines and the chamber for the absence of cartridges;

surrender of weapons – the transfer of weapons by an employee to the operational duty officer of the Department of Internal Affairs, institutions, divisions ^{[11, p. 27]}.

Fig. 4. The scheme and algorithm of actions of employees when receiving weapons, placed in a place for loading and unloading weapons in the duty stations of the internal affairs bodies

The recommended scheme for the algorithm of actions is designed in such a way that, when performing actions when loading a weapon before entering service and discharging it upon delivery, the sequence of actions performed is preserved until the fourth action, which reduces the likelihood of taking a step that can lead to an accidental shot.

For example: after serving, when discharging a weapon, an employee must check it for non-charging, and fulfill one of the points of safety measures in handling weapons:

- take the weapon and check if it's loaded. But by completing this point as the first step in the algorithm of actions (without disconnecting the magazine and making sure that all the cartridges for the weapon are available), the employee increases the likelihood of an accidental shot exposing himself and others to danger.

But if, under the same conditions, this action is performed by the third in the proposed sequence, after inspecting the magazines and checking the presence of all ammunition in the block (see Figure 4), then the shot can be avoided, even if the employee further admits any inaccuracy in handling the weapon (for example: pulls the trigger in a Makarov pistol). This example clearly demonstrates the relevance of using the sequence in question in the scheme to comply with the algorithm of employee actions.

At the same time, it is proposed to place the scheme and algorithm in a place for loading and unloading weapons in the duty stations of the internal affairs bodies (Fig.4) ^{[12, p. 37]}, which will compensate for gaps in knowledge and practical skills, and will save the employee from mistakes when using weapons in daily activities in duty stations, thereby reducing minimize the chance of an accidental shot.

Conclusions.

The conducted pedagogical experiment showed that the cause of incidents related to negligent (inept) handling of weapons is not only a gross violation of security measures, but also the lack of an accurate sequence of actions with weapons, expressed in the chaotic execution of actions when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition in the duty stations of the internal affairs bodies, which causes serious incidents related to with careless (inept) handling of weapons.

The introduction of schemes and a single algorithm of actions into the educational process and professional activities of police officers in the classroom in the system of professional service and physical training will contribute to:

- improving the level of professional training of employees ^{[13, p. 105]};

- development of employees' skills in safe handling of weapons, and increasing the psychological readiness of employees in the performance of official duties with weapons.

The use of the same scheme and a single algorithm of actions placed in the duty stations of the bodies and organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the place for loading and unloading weapons before entering service and discharging weapons upon delivery (Fig.4) will minimize the likelihood of an accidental shot, since the algorithm scheme will resemble:

- to the employee about the procedure for his actions when loading and unloading firearms upon receipt or delivery of them;

- the responsible person (from the senior staff, the commander of the unit, etc.) who monitors and controls the actions of police officers who load and discharge firearms upon receipt or delivery in the duty stations of the territorial internal affairs bodies ^{[14, p.52]}, thanks to this visual information, he will be able to respond more quickly to actions that violate a secure algorithm.