The police are law enforcement officials and they undergo far more training then a typical civilian.
That is a myth. You'd think that was true, but it's not. Ammunition is expensive and law enforcement agencies are cash strapped. Most police only qualify with their duty firearms once a year.
By the time an average police recruit completes typical academy
firearms training, how much more skilled in shooting is he than a person who has never shot or even held a handgun before? Not much, according to a first-of-its-kind study by the Force Science Institute that is set for publication in an international law enforcement journal . . .
“[T]his study’s results indicate an alarming need for improved
firearms training for officers,” writes lead researcher Dr. Bill Lewinski, FSI’s executive director. After finishing academy instruction and practice, new officers “were a mere 13%” more accurate than novices in shooting at distances where a high proportion of officer-involved shootings occur.
“What these statistics appear to imply,” Lewinski states, “is that officer
firearms training is not extensive enough and occurs too sparsely for officers to gain, and maintain, the expert level of accuracy with their service weapons that is expected of them.” This training deficiency “may result in injury, death, or other severe consequences.”
Study: Why Police Firearms Training Sucks - The Truth About Guns
Plus, they usually aren't around when a shooting is taking place.