Training keeps police safer in tough situations

Practice makes perfect.

Well, at least for the Mount Vernon Police Department, practice also makes things safer.

The MVPD trains constantly all year, practicing tactics used for all types of situations, from driving a police vehicle to use of force to traffic stops. The scenarios, set up by trained officers from MVPD, give officers a chance to learn how to control variables and unknowns in an effort to make their jobs a little safer.

Recently, members of the MVPD, as well as officers from Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Fredericktown Police Department and county probation offices, participated in training for traffic stops at an empty building in Heartland Commerce Park. In each two-hour session, four officers are put through the scenarios. Around 70 officers were trained during the five days.

“In typical police training, they rep things and then they work on their tactics and things like that,” said MVPD Lt. Rex Young, who coordinated the training. “What I do is I break everything down into pieces. They work on all the pieces individually so conceptually they understand what they are actually doing; what the framework is underneath of traffic stop. Then, when we’re done with the pieces, they will put it into action in a full-length traffic stop.”

The training was broken down into three stations, where officers learned how to assess the situation and determine if there are any red flags; where safe areas are while approaching a vehicle; and how to disarm a driver or passenger who may have a weapon. Special blank guns were used to help simulate an actual violent situation.

Instructors like Young, Sgt. Detective Justin Willis, Sgt. Nick Myrda and Lt. Qade Lewis first walked the officers through the situation, from a normal easy stop with no issues to one where a driver began shooting as soon as they got close to their vehicle.

Then, they took turns performing different roles, from the driver to the officer conducting the traffic stop. Once they learned each role and piece of the training, they put all of it in motion outside in the parking lot. The goal of the training is to be safe and survive the encounter.

“There are a lot of variables. If we can control and isolate the variables of the situation, then we don’t have to worry about the unknowns,” Young said. “If they are attacked, there’s things we’re going to teach them on how to deal with that. That’s going to help each individual officer be able to figure out exactly what their capabilities are and what works best for them.”

MVPD also uses special eye-tracking glasses that measure stress response and determines where an officer is putting their attention and focus.

“When I download it, they can see what’s happened. We analyze it with them – are they putting their attention and focus in the areas that are important for their safety. If they are not, we help them enhance that,” Young said.

The instructors are trained by state officials through classroom and other instructional means such as online. Young and the other instructors are able to write lesson plans and do their own state training, saving the department money on sending officers to Columbus or other cities for in-person training.

“They have a mandatory 24 hours they have to do personal training for continuing professional training. This is two CPT hours will go toward the state training requirements,” Young said. “For every different piece, they have a class. For me, I did a scenario-based class with OPOTA (Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy), they certified me to do safety training. I have a lot of certifications. Each trainer has different things. The core thing they have an instructional skills class, which is 80 hours. We’re trying to get most of our people through. It teaches them to be a better instructor. There’s sub pieces underneath. Each is a piece of the puzzle. I supervise that.

“We have four trainers (today). The more I have certified to do something, then logistically it’s easy for us to continue to not have to spend overtime. The more people we have here that can do it, the more options we have that I don’t have to bring somebody in on their day off.”