PNP’s gun simulator system to help cops shoot better... sans bullets

The Philippine National Police has acquired a firearm simulator system which can help the law enforcers improve their marksmanship without the use of bullets.

According to Jun Veneracion's report on "24 Oras", the PNP aims to improve the shooting proficiency of police personnel as 20% fail their marksmanship training.

With the simulator system, shooters use real guns but not bullets. The barrel is instead replaced by a laser system while the magazine contains CO2.

Targets are on a high-definition screen.

“Itong magazine is ang laman nito ay CO2 para bawat kalabit mo meron syang recoil para syang tunay na baril ang effect nya,” contact point INC Ruel De Luna said.

(This magazine is filled with CO2 so every time you pull the trigger, it has a recoil like it's a real gun.)

“Malamang po makukuha nyo na sa aktwal maganda pong start ito,” certified range safety officer P/LT. Mary Cris Acosta said.

(You will probably get it off to a good start.)

The PNP can provide only limited ammunition for the mandatory marksmanship training of 228,000 police officers.

The PNP spends more than half a billion pesos on ammunition every year for training.

This is compared to the simulator which costs at least P6 million.

“With this simulator mapapataas pa natin ang proficiency nila kasi nga one to sawa sila mga PNP kami so dapat 100% proficient kami,” Police Colonel Radel Ramos, PNP training service acting director, said.

(With this simulator we can increase their proficiency even more because they can use it unlimited so the PNP must be 100% proficient.)

The police officers will also benefit from the simulator because the bullets cost P26 to P28 for extra training.

“Kahit anong oras pwede kami mag practice na walang nilalabas na pera sir,” Police Trainee Joseller Joseph Col said.

(We can practice at any time without spending any money.)

The simulator system is currently only in Camp Crame. However, the PNP training service is planning to extend it per region. —Richa Noriega/NB, GMA Integrated News