In the wake of a tragic incident, the NYPD wanted to make sure that they were doing everything necessary to minimize the unnecessary discharge of firearms.

"We will not hesitate to subject our policies and procedures to the scrutiny of outside expertise when it is in the best interest of the police department and the public to do so. That time is now and the Police Foundation is making it possible."

- Police Commissioner Raymond W.Kelly

The Police Foundation was asked to fund a study by the RAND Corporation to examine the quality and completeness of the NYPD firearm-training program and identify potential improvements in the design and delivery of the curriculum, the technology used, the frequency and duration of training sessions, the tactics and procedures on which the training is based, and the police department's firearm discharge review process.

A separate project sponsored by the Foundation, assessed and analyzed the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" data.