Page 9 - Top Cover Issue 4

TOP COVER +557'

trigger conscious and unconscious neural activation and the time He hit his head on the roof of the car. It was like a reflex movement,
compression or urgency – the ‘need to react’, then determines the like he had sat on a pin.” E7 fired his shots at a cadence of around
quality of judgements. 0.2 seconds; therefore it seems very likely that the position of
T e time differential between the two visual streams has a Rodney’s head would have moved between shots. As E7 registered
direct bearing on the Firearms Officers’ capacity to process and Rodney’s movements, time moved forward, it is wrong to suggest
make some sense of visual information that is rapidly moving that the entry wound corresponds with the body position at the
and changing. T e dorsal stream is subconsciously warning the time of decision-making since there maybe no correlation at all.
brain of where a threat is, ahead of any specific conscious visual A full forensic review of evidence is incomplete if visual
confirmation. Frequently it requires a large visual change in processing, speed and biomechanical interaction are not
movements or shape, to alert the firer that the subject’s behaviour considered in relation to bullet entry positions. A completely
has now changed. unrealistic picture may develop if people are ignorant of action
In close proximity to a perceived deadly threat, the knowledge and movement variables.
of ‘where’ the danger sits will be prioritised within the brain at In his summary of evidence Sir Christopher demonstrates a
a faster speed and ahead of the detailed or complete picture for very limited understanding of the human cognitive processes,
exactly ‘what’ is happening. Simply stated, an ‘awareness’ of the those essential for determining and surviving an imminent
target area of central mass is cognitively more important when threat. He demonstrates limited understanding for the visual
attempting to neutralise a threat, than is the precise positioning of demands placed upon a covering Officer and limited knowledge
the subject’s hand or arm elevation or facial expression. To divert of human performance for initiating action and stopping action.
your attention elsewhere takes time and potentially allows the His awareness of the human visual system and the time taken for
subject more time to discharge a potential weapon. rational decision making is flawed by scientific knowledge – yet,
As highlighted in the spring edition of TOP COVER, when he is the Judge!
Police discharge a weapon at a human target it is likely that the It would seem therefore that ‘shooting and assessing’ is not
‘target’ has subsequently moved within the intervening time quite as straightforward as many firearms instructors envisaged
period of decision-making – that is, the bullet is flying towards and many people may subsequently question just why any Police
a visually historic image. In the case of Rodney, as the first shot Officer volunteers to place themselves within circumstances such
hit his arm a witness describes seeing Rodney thus: “the rear as these! ■
occupant made an unusual and unnatural movement at this point.

“It’s not the critic who counts. It’s not the man who

points out how the strong man stumbled. Credit belongs

to the man who really was in the arena, his face marred

by dust, sweat, and blood, who strives valiantly, who

errs to come short and short again, because there is no

effort without error and shortcoming. It is the man who

actually strives to do the deeds, who knows the great

enthusiasm and knows the great devotion, who spends

himself on a worthy cause, who at best, knows in the end

the triumph of great achievement. And, who at worst,

if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his

place shall never be with those cold and cruel souls who

know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt