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You are only 99% correct. A competent HRT must train around live flesh to truly be ready to shoot around live flesh during an actual event. I speculate that no one in this thread, including myself, qualifies for this need.
There are people qualified to to do this. It is not inherently idiotic - the cost/benefit ratio needs to be analyzed. That is why taxpayer dollars are directed to fund HRTs.
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Agree... not stupid or reckless when done in an appropriate environment with a clearly defined objective.
With that said, my first taste of this type shooting was six or seven years ago at a Patrol Rifle Instructor's Course... that's right, a legitimate Academy-sponsored/approved class for LEO's.
It came on a Friday when we were about done. The instructors walked down to our targets and stood next to them,
not crowding them like you see in the video. The distance was about 10 yards. We were then told to load and make ready... and we were all looking at each other like
.
We then took turns, one at a time, shooting the target next to the instructor doing "Up-downs". When finished, we were given a speech on how to expand (not push) the limits of safety but still be safe based on student capability. The point was exactly what is posted above... you must train and be exposed to certain things within reason before actually having to experience it in a real life encounter. Manipulation drills in and around others is a prime example. Another point was to get away from the static flat-range training mentality and do more than just punch paper.
Have I done it since? No. Will I? Probably not.
As a SWAT Commander of a 21-man team though, I am doing things to expose our guys to the realities of CQB (within reason and our capabilities) and working in and around others with firearms. While we are tasked with the mission of a Tier 1 team, which includes HRT, we've not yet got this far (mixing live people with targets in our shoot house) into our HRT training.
Just my take on the topic...