The police have broader discretion in carrying out their duties than do the police in many other European countries, but the law regulating their use of force is the same as that which applies to the use of force by any citizen. In addition, patrol officers carry only short wooden truncheons. In recent years their training has shifted from an emphasis on formal instruction regarding the law to an emphasis on developing practical skills for applying the law in its social context. Therefore, formal training is interspersed with periods of actual police duty, and the formal training has an experiential emphasis. Police recruits also receive training in conflict management techniques, emphasizing the avoidance of physical confrontation whenever possible. The emphasis on avoidance of conflict and the use of minimum conflict is continued for the more specialized police officers, including those receiving extensive firearms training. This training is far more important than the wording of the law in influencing police conduct. 3 references