Through 60 rounds and countless magazine changes, Detective Sergeant Richard Mederos and Officer Christopher P. Bulger, who were taking the qualifying test yesterday, fired from behind barricades, moving, standing, crouching, with arms locked and firing from the hip.

In one exercise, they fire two shots at three different targets. In the next, they fire at three targets from varying distances. Each exercise is timed and a hand-held computer records the time between shots.

Circular tongues of flame leap from the barrels and the sound reverberates through the thick walled room. With the shooting done, the smell of cordite hangs heavy in the air.

Both pass.

"We've got some shooters here today," jokes Favreau, one of the day's instructors.

The qualification test is part of a department-wide competition. The three highest scorers in the department will receive an extra vacation day, and competition is tough.

Overall, Bulger ties with Sergeant Robert Kotowski for accuracy, and bests him in time, taking the lead. But with another 30 officers to go, the top spot is still anyone's guess.