At least at this one, reporters tried to get something other than standard copaganda out of the trainers. Here's one use-of-force seminar the ATF threw for Arizona journalists in May of this year. This, of course, glosses over the part where officers are supposed to be better at this sort of thing than non-cops - you know, the 'training and expertise' they cite so often when seeking warrants or defending against allegations of rights violations. By showing them how difficult it can be to make split-second decisions in potentially deadly situations, the ATF is hoping to head off questioning of officers' actions during shootings by police officers. It's a calculated play for deference from journalists. This tradition appears to date back to late spring of this year. In apparent response to this public reckoning, the ATF has been inviting members of the press to try out its VR shoot-a-thon in hopes of convincing them (and the public reading these reports) that most killings are justified. The murder of George Floyd by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin prompted nationwide protests targeting police violence. This time the charm seems a bit more forced, as citizens and governments all over the nation are aggressively questioning force use by law enforcement officers. The ATF (the accepted not-actually-an-acronym for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) is back on its periodic charm offensive.

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