The European Police Course is a shooting contest that started in the eighties of the previous century. In that time several police and other armed forces in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, England and Luxembourg dynamic shootingcontests.
These contests, called the "SASIA Course", was called after the French inspector Raymond Sasia who was the first policeofficer to enter the FBI shooting Academy in the sixties. In may 1962 he got the famous FBI certificatie out of the hands of J. Edgar Hoover, the famous director of the FBI. After this graduation, he took his knowledge to France and reformed the shootingeducation of the police. Other European countries folowed quickly.
The methof of Sasia was a course in witch the officer needed to shoot in diffrent distances en stances. Also the shooter needed to make use of barricades and shots must take quickly and effective. Policeofficers needed to learn to shoot in a situation witch could happen in the outside. The education was less static but more dynamic.
CONTESTS:
The matches were organised on the shootingranges of the police so civilian shooters were not allowed to participate. This was changes through the years. Another aspect of the matches was that civilians were not allowed to shoot on the manshaped target as shown left. The EPP course is therefore not recogized by the Dutch KNSA. In 2020 a new target was made so the manshape was no longer a issue (see left under).
These day's these contest are not organised by by the police or other armed forces. Also civilans are welcome to join. The European Police Course was renamed to European Practical Course. When a shooting club wants to organise a contest, must this club first need to have approval of the EPC Organisation.
HOW TO SHOOT THE EPC..??
You need to attend with a holstered gun, 2 magazines and 50 rounds at the 7 meter mark. You have 5 minutes and 30 seconds to finish the course in the following order:
1.) 7 meters, 2x 5 shots maximum 15 seconds
2.) 30 meters, 5 shots lying position
3.) 25 meters, 5 shots sitting
4.) 20 meters, 5 shots strong hand right side of a barricade followed by 5 shots weak head
5.) 15 meters, 5 shots kneeling
6.) 15 meters, 5 shots standing maximum 10 seconds (single action)
7.) 10 meters, 5 shots single hand and 5 shots double handed (single action)
Imported to know:
- Every participant has a individual timer who taks notice of the time and safety
- Malfunctions need to be solved safely by the shooter
- When not possible the participant will raise his hand and the time stops
- All shots are double action, besides the the last stage
- Time runs with the signal and ands when the weapon is in the holster
- A penalty of 5 points will given bij dropping munition
- A penalty of 5 points for shots outside the maximum time given
Weapons with a large caliber of minimum 9mm are allowed to attend. Policeofficers can use their service weapons.