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Question
Hey I'm 11 and i want to be a swat sniper when i grow up but due to my age i have a hard time training because there are know ranges to practice on and i have airsoft sniper but it doesn't meet my needs. I want to be a good sniper but i have bad vision i know this might effect my profile to be sniper but i don't want it holding me back just because of that. Please help. Thank You.
Well its nice to see a young man looking ahead for a career. Good for you!
You see being a police sniper difficult at best.
In order to be a police sniper you must first become a police officer and then put some time “on the road”. Most departments require that you spend at least a year on the department before you can apply for the SWAT team. Then if you get on the SWAT team you can apply for the sniper position.
As for SWAT. Many people are under the impression that being a SWAT team member is a full time position. In 99% of departments its not, it is what we call a secondary position. That means that you are a patrolman or detective or whatever position you are serving in and a SWAT member second. You carry all the SWAT gear in your assigned vehicle or its carried in the SWAT response vehicle, and when you are needed for a SWAT call out, they notify you and you respond to the location and become a SWAT team member.
That’s how secondary positions work. Other secondary positions in most places are teams like Dive team, Search and Rescue and others like these that are not needed all the time. SWAT teams require a lot of physical and mental discipline.
In order to be a police officer you of course should keep a clean record, stay away from drugs and have a good driving record.
Here are some of the requirements I have seen departments use:
Must be in excellent physical condition.
• Must have a corrected vision of 20/20.
• Must not have a record of disciplinary action.
• Normal color vision
• Must pass psychological evaluation conducted under the direction of a qualified psychologist.
A lot of people have the misconception that to be a good sniper, you have to be a good shooter. Shooting is only 20 percent of the course at the Army Sniper School. It takes a patient person, a disciplined person, a person who is used to working alone. In addition to marksmanship skills, the school instructs on detecting and stalking a target, and estimating the range of a target. The course also covers concealment and camouflage, as well as observation exercises.
I hope this answers your questions. If you have any more feel free to ask. Good luck on your choice whatever it might be.
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Answers by Expert:
Chris Wagoner
Expertise
I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!
Experience
I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.
Publications
I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..
Education/Credentials
I have 2 degrees, in Criminal Justice.
Awards and Honors
Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.
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