SWAT officer attracts ridicule after he’s pictured with his rifle sight on backwards

PUBLISHED: 20:39 EST, 15 March 2013 | UPDATED: 20:39 EST, 15 March 2013

A SWAT team in upstate New York is being mocked as an example of the difference between military and police training after an officer was captured peering through a backwards sight on his combat rifle.

As users on the military Reddit were quick to point out when the image was posted, the reverse sight makes it effectively useless.

Users mocked the SWAT officers training and some went so far as to question the motives of some of the men serving in local law enforcement.

Oops: This image of a SWAT officer with his sight backwards has been widely ridiculed on the web

The officer is using a 'military style' assault weapon with a close quarters combat sight that costs roughly $500.

'It's disturbing to think that 1) none of his buddies corrected it, and 2) he's in a real-life situation with his optic on backwards, which means he's never fired that rifle with the optic on it, which means it isn't zeroed and he thought it was OK to show up to a gunfight with an unzeroed weapon,' wrote one Reddit user.

More...

Joked another: 'So much tomfoolery in this photo. You sure this isnt a screen shot from the next Three Stooges movie'

Right way: Unless the sight is on properly, as shown here, the sight is effectively useless

The image came from a report on WKTV about an overnight standoff between law enforcement and an alleged killer hiding in building in Herkimer, N.Y.

Despite the backwards sight, the standoff ended with the gunman killed and no reports of innocent bystanders being accidentally shot by SWAT.

24 hours of terror in Mohawk Valley ends with suspect's death

Add your comments

Comments (158)

The comments below have not been moderated.

View all

And Mr. Shotgun is going to be in for a surprise if he accidentally touches one off with his finger on the trigger (if it is appears to be so but hard to tell) and without any support on the front of the shotgun. His left hand should not be back on top of his right wrist or forearm. 12 gauges do recoil.

- chadbag , utah, 17/3/2013 05:38

Click to rate Rating (0)

@biker Besides having been trained on EO Tech sights, I am an authorized EO Tech dealer. You sir, no NOTHING about EO Tech sights. The police officer in the picture has it on backwards. No ifs, ands, or buts. Maybe if it was not on backwards, he could see the red ring and dot and wouldn't have to use his backup flip up rear sights. But if he wanted to use them, they work perfectly fine THROUGH the EO Tech glass when properly co-witnessed. And if the red ring annoys you when doing so, turn the darn thing off.

- chadbag , utah, 17/3/2013 05:33

Click to rate Rating 4

Your iron sights, or what is now trendy to call backup iron sights, are to co-witness with the red dot. Turn the Eotech off, you see through the clear glass. Switch the sight on, and the red dot should co-witness with the iron sights when they are lined up on target. However, the Eotech sight is on backwards. It looks stupid, and the police look incompetent.

- Ben Enjerry , New York, United States, 17/3/2013 03:47

Click to rate Rating 5

I've got a 14 year old apprentice gunsmith (Shade Tree Variety) that could have that sight remounted and sighted in for him in less than a half hour... Most of that time would be his using up every round available for "sighting in"

- Ted Hall , Bitterroot Valley, United States, 17/3/2013 00:56

Click to rate Rating 5

You people know nothing of Eotech sights, Yes it is on backwards but there is a reason. And no he is not looking through it. If you take another look you can see the rear sight is flip up so this must be the sight he is using. When using the rifle sight you turn around the Eotech sight so it's red dot does not interfere with your line of sight. Not having knowledge of a Eotech sight system and making comments about it makes you wantabee experts look ridicules. Trust me this cop knows what he is doing. - Biker, SooFoo, United States, 16/3/2013 8:37 Wow! And for all this time when I didn't want to see the reticle on my Eotech I just shut the darned thing off. Who knew I could dismount it and turn it around? Biker you're not just ignorant, you're woefully and ignorant on a grand and glorious scale. I could write everything you know about holographic sights on the inside of a matchbook with a crayon.

- Gordinho , Philadelphia, United States, 17/3/2013 00:53

Click to rate Rating 33

Iron sights are still usable with that optic on, it's not on a riser. "His back-up iron sight is also a low profile version, but the front sight tower is the usual height. This means that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to sight in (zero) this rifle with the iron sights. So add that to the list of things to ridicule." Front sight is not adjustable, so you are wrong. The back sight however is a half barrel rear sight. All the zeroing would be done with it, just like a standard carry handle back sight.

- Katharina Lietz , kennewick, United States, 17/3/2013 00:46

Click to rate Rating 1

Officer kneeling down way out of danger has helmet on Those standing with head exposed, in danger do not. What's that tell you.??

- Hayseed , Newark, 16/3/2013 23:42

Click to rate Rating 4

What's up with the multicam on the SWAT members? This isn't Afghanistan. Multicam is hardly suitable as an urban camouflage. The militarization of our (inept) police continues.

- AKSamurai , Provo, United States, 16/3/2013 23:05

Click to rate Rating 20

Nobody said you had to be smart to be a cop!

- Arrow88 , Klamath Falls OR., 16/3/2013 23:04

Click to rate Rating 22

Big error but give him a break. Its corrected now.

- HKmom , Bay Area, United States, 16/3/2013 22:24

Click to rate Rating 25

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.