New guns a danger, too
The Police Association has received reports that brand new Smith and Wesson revolvers issued to operational members have discharged shrapnel. Earlier reports suggested that the shrapnel-discharge problem had come about because of the age of, and wear and tear on, older revolvers.
So, now that the brand new revolvers have emerged with the discharge problem, it would seem the cause is not only that of age and wear and tear.
As we continue to hear assurances that the risk of shrapnel injury is being minimized, reports of such incidents continue to flow into PASA head office.
For those unfamiliar with the current dilemma: operational SAPOL members are issued with Smith and Wesson revolvers.
When they are fired, small shards of metal sometimes shear off of the bullet casings. These shards become high-velocity projectiles as they are expelled from, and at right angles to, the revolvers.
And, during firearms training, a number of members have suffered injuries from the flying shards. Shrapnel has, in some cases, embedded itself in members’ necks, cheeks, noses, hands, arms and ankles.
Training and competency implications
Before firearms training, members receive a warning to take precautions against firearms shrapnel – to wear safety glasses, earmuffs and long-sleeve shirts. Even in the face of these precautions, however, shrapnel has reportedly penetrated members’ clothing and still embedded itself in their skin.
Another difficulty to emerge from the shrapnel dilemma is that of anxiety, caused to members as they undergo the qualification test. Their ability to concentrate and hold their weapons – after being told of the reported incidents – naturally suffers adverse effects.
In almost every incident, the circumstances were such that each member who suffered the injury had been positioned next to another member whose firearm expelled the shrapnel.
This further compounds the anxiety issue. How, after all, could a member take a relaxed approach into a firearms competency assessment if that member knew he or she might injure a colleague?
Channel Nine News broadcast a report on the shrapnel issue in mid-February. SAPOL, in its contribution to the item, conceded that it was indeed possible for members to be struck by shrapnel from the revolvers during training.
It seems extraordinary that, in light of this concession, SAPOL does not – in order to protect its employees – pursue the most logical course of action: the supply of more appropriate firearms.
SAPOL also asserted that, in operational situations, shrapnel injuries would be highly unlikely to occur. This assertion would come as cold comfort to the police or civilian victim of a shrapnel injury, should one occur.
And, on the day after the Channel Nine news item, another member wound up with shrapnel embedded in his right forearm after a further incident.
The most recent incident, reported on March 16, emerged as possibly the most disturbing. A member undertaking outdoor firearms training at Fort Largs sustained a 5mm cut from flying shrapnel, which embedded itself in his upper left forearm.
A firearms instructor applied a bandaid to his wound, which had begun to bleed profusely. However, blood continued to flow through the bandaid, prompting the instructor and a colleague to apply a bandage.
Later, in the Fort Largs reception area, the member received further fist aid and fresh bandaging.
Once the blood flow had stopped – 25 minutes later – the member felt stinging around the wound and sought hospital treatment. An x-ray revealed shrapnel inside the wound.
Medical advice was that it (the shrapnel) might work its own way out through the member’s skin.
PASA wrote to SAPOL on February 2 with a request for the number of reports, and details, of shrapnel incidents that have occurred. No response has yet come from SAPOL.
Some hold the concern that the true number of shrapnel incidents might be significantly higher than that so far reported to the Police Association.
Members should, in a timely manner, advise the Police Association of all shrapnel-discharge incidents – even those that do not result in injury. It is vitally important that the association has all appropriate information to hand so as to scrutinize the level of safety afforded its members.
