POLICE have updated their firearms training after a policewoman accidentally shot herself in the leg last year.
The incident happened in a locker room at Strand Road PSNI Station while the officer was putting her gun into its holster in May 2015.
She suffered entry and exit wounds and was treated by officers who were in a nearby room and heard the shot, as no one was in the room with her.
The incident was investigated by the Police Ombudsman.
A spokesperson said: “When interviewed by Police Ombudsman investigators, the officer said she did not have her finger on the trigger at the time and believed it might instead have caught on the lanyard used to attach the weapon to her gun belt.
“The weapon was submitted to Forensic Science Northern Ireland for tests, and these showed that the gun could not be inserted into theholster with a finger on the trigger without causing pain.
“Neither was there anything on the holster which would have caused the discharge.”
Meanwhile it was found that the clip on the lanyard was able to cause the gun to fire when caught within the trigger guard when the weapon was holstered.
And further evidence suggested the weapon had been fired while in the holster.
The spokesperson went on: “Enquiries by Police Ombudsman investigators established that PSNI weapons training focused on the active use of weapons, and that officers were taught not to look at the holster while removing or replacing their guns.
“It was also found that police were not taught to check that the holster was clear before holstering in a safe environment.
“The Police Ombudsman concluded that there was no evidence the gun had been fired deliberately or as a result of negligence, and made no misconduct recommendations against the officer involved, who has since received firearm retraining.
“However, he recommended that PSNI firearms training be amended to advise officers, when holstering their weapons in a safe environment, to check that holsters are clear of obstructions, in particular lanyards.
“He also recommended that the training should reinforce that lanyards must also be attached to weapons before they are placed in holsters.
“The PSNI has updated its training accordingly.”