Peacemaker
Well-Known Member
Although the following experience was at Honey Island (at least 4 years ago if not more), my particular range officer gripe applies across the board, wherever one might go:
I went to Honey Island with another police officer, and they allow marked units to pull up and park in view near the check in table (One of our officers had all four tires slashed when parked out of sight in the general parking area, they have graciously extended a courtesy to prevent this in the future), so we pulled up in a marked Crown Vic and began unloading what we brought, to include duty belts which we carried up slung over our shoulders. No one questioned this at the table or mentioned any issues related to drawing from a holster, there was barely anyone there on the pistol line, but upon arriving to the line and beginning to set up, the range officer approaches and tells us that we can't do any shooting drawing from a holster, following with: "We know y'all know what you're doing and all, but we can't just let everybody draw from a holster. Some of these idiots that come out here'd be blowin' their toes off."
Here's my beef with that: You're a range officer. Your job is to watch for safety issues and address them. If I draw from a holster and appropriately address my target and safely re-holster, yay for me. If I muzzle-sweep everyone or start some 'Doc Holiday' twirlin' with my iron, call me on it and disperse me from the range if need be. If you legitimately 'know I know what I'm doing' then step out of the way and let me do it. If you see an idiot, take action.
Why not go to a sheriff's office range if you want to practice from the draw?