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Training to face danger

Simulator helps officers prepare for the ‘unpredictable

Photos by Deb Gau Cpl. Adam Baumann of the Marshall Police Department demonstrates the law enforcement training simulator.

MARSHALL — The Merit Center in Marshall is a place where police officers prepare for all the different possibilities they might encounter while on patrol.

They take part in simulations that play out on a computer-based simulator. As each situation unfolds, officers make decisions about how to talk to suspects, when to use a taser and when to discharge their firearm.

The simulator was demonstrated on Tuesday for a group from Marshall’s Adult Community Center. Officers explained that it involves the use of actors, but that it’s based on real situations that might be faced as part of a law enforcement shift.

“We never know what might happen,” said Ben Rieke, a Marshall police sergeant. “We can’t think of anything as just routine. Any situation could become unpredictable. All we can do is prepare.”

A variety of situations were shown to the audience. Examples included a burning ban violation, a disgruntled employee, a loitering complaint, a vehicle break-in, domestic disputes, and a gun possession issue.

Along with demonstrating the simulator, officers told the audience how they conduct themselves when it comes to confrontations and the use of force.

They said 99 percent of all responses don’t require force. Very often simply talking to someone helps in sorting out a situation.

“Our main goal is to calm them down,” said Marshall police corporal Adam Baumann. “almost all of the time we’ll get the outcome we’re looking for. Use of force doesn’t have to come into play.”

He said there are two main circumstances when force becomes necessary, both of which involve neutralizing a serious threat.

One way it becomes needed is when an officer has to engage in self defense. It’s also necessary when someone engages in actions that are harmful to others, or attempts to flee with the likelihood of posing a danger to the public.

Officers follow a priority system as they make decisions in an incident. The highest priority is the safety of victims and innocent bystanders.

The next highest priority is officer safety followed by the safety of the suspect. The fourth and lowest priority is the protection of property.

State regulations require officers to complete at least 48 hours of continuing education and training every three years. Local departments generally go well beyond those minimum guidelines.

“We’re constantly looking for opportunities to sharpen our skills,” Rieke said. “Training has become a very high priority. It’s a response to situations like Uvalde.”

Marshall Police Chief Jim Marshall said the past several years have been one of the darkest times in the history of law enforcement, with a group of high profile situations in which the actions of officers have been questioned.

He said the simulator cost about $100,000 to purchase and install. Officers from many locations come to Marshall to train with it.

“We’re very blessed to have the opportunity to train with state of the art equipment,” Marshall said. “We take our training very seriously. The reality is that we’re likely to at some point face dangerous situations. We want to do as much as possible to be ready for it.”

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