An accidental discharge is just that, accidental. Their incidence will rise along with a rise in the number of firearms being carried, regardless of training, and such a coincident increase is statistically moot. Foolish conduct, however, is a separate phenomenon, and there’s little reason to conclude there’s more of it among the ranks of civilians than among law enforcement. For every anecdotal story about a civilian involved in stupid firearms incidents, there are five or ten of LE involvement in events at least as stupid.
Decades of familiarity with LE and military have persuaded me that overconfidence in LE firearms training is unjustified. One’s intellect and aptitude are determinative of how safely a firearm will be carried or how wisely a firearm will be used. LE’s typical personality profile and history provide scant reason to expect more responsible conduct from its officers than from the average concealed carry permit holder.
You stated in your article that carrying a firearm has made you more vigilant, more polite, in general more aware of your responsibilities. This is as it should be, and as it is for most people. Whether that will change over time is more a function of who you are than any training you may or may not have received. Accidents happen both to civilians and LE. Stupid incidents happen more frequently to LE than to civilians on a per capita basis. Civilians, however, are far less able or motivated to cover them up as is LE. LE would be among the last population cohorts I’d use in justifying a need of more training for firearms permit holders.
You are responsible for your own conduct. Attempting to bring holster manufacturers, training or certifying authorities, firearms manufacturers, or any other party into culpability is misguided. “Sorting it out” on our own is how nature works. If you’ve got enough on the ball, you do it better and faster than someone who doesn’t. If you don’t, you don’t, and pointing fingers elsewhere changes nothing about that.
