This article from Officer.com talks about the benefits and downsides to using IPSC and IDPA competition as training for Police Officers. I think a person who competes in IPSC and IDPA is going to do better in a gunfight than someone who does not. I think his points in regards to the downsides seem reasonable, but you can’t really practice real gunfighting. Competing in practical shooting sports isn’t perfect, but it helps. Ultimately, I agree with the conclusion:
Are you afraid that your shooting isn’t up to snuff? Well, you’re probably right – the average competitive shooter is a better shooter than the average cop. But you know something? They already know that! A friendlier, more supportive bunch of people you’ll never find. So swallow your pride and get to it!
That advice goes for people with concealed carry licenses too.
We have a bunch of LEO’s in Northern Idaho that compete (train) in these kind of matches. Let me tell you, they are exquisitely efficient with their firearms.
IDPA /IPSC is practice that induces stress on the shooter. Stress is the thing that is the magical key for helping shooters. Rarely are shooters pushed at the range. It is important that they are put in situations push their limits. Practical shooting does this in spades and why it is the best thing for pushing LEO’s in reference to their job.
I will say that IDPA I believe is the better of the two for helping ingrain proper habits (Shooting from cover, reloading from cover, Tactical reloads, shooting on the move, etc…). IPSC is the pure sport of the two (There is nothing wrong with this), but I think IDPA does a better job of ingraining good habits.
The first time I tried IPSC, my hearing completely went out, I got tunnel vision, and time accelerated in my mind to breakneck speed, and I couldn’t remember having done anything after hearing the buzzer.
Now, it’s no big deal to shoot-n-move. If you set aside the competition aspect, that’s the benefit to police officers: acclimation to stress.