Friday, March 12, 1999
Acting-out boosts police training
Scenario technique adopted
BY MARIE McCAIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FOREST PARK — Law enforcement officials here are stepping outside traditional methods of police training in favor of a new technique used by the Royal Canadian Mount ed Police.
The method relies heavily on simulated scenarios designed to give the officer hands-on experience, minus the element of danger in real-life situations.
A committee of about 11 of Forest Park's 33 full-time officers is looking at ways to incorporate the process into the department's traditional method of field training, Chief Kenneth D. Hughes said Wednesday.
“Experience is the best teacher,” he said, adding that the Canadians found their new recruits were hitting the streets with the equivalent of two to three years' on-the-job experience as a result of this more hands-on approach.
A contingent of law enforcement officials from Hamilton County, portions of Northern Kentucky and Indiana traveled to the capital city of Regina in the province of Saskatchewan in August to see the training method, said Greg Fiebig, training coordinator with the Tristate Regional Community Policing Institute (RCPI) at Scarlet Oaks Career Development Campus in Sha ronville.
The RCPI, the police academy in this area, has already incorporated the technique into its classes and the results have been encouraging, Mr. Fiebig said.
“I don't know why no one thought to do this before,” he said. “Traditional law enforcement training involves an instructor standing in front of a room going from point A to point B to point C. This new training lets (cadets) decide what point A, point B and point C should be. The instructor becomes a resource in the room.”
Forest Park Police Officer Jeff Larsh, a K-9 handler, is one of four officers with this city who has experienced the new training technique.
Officer Larsh, a 16-year veteran, will act as a field training officer for new city recruits.
“I noticed that you retain more with this training because you are actively involved. You can't just sit there,” he said. “If you start doing that in this situation it's real noticeable. I've pretty much been a traditionalist when it comes to this kind of thing, but you want to get involved.
“It builds confidence and makes you realize you do have something to contribute. In the past, you might think others are doing better in the class than you are, but in this form of training it draws on everyone's strengths,” he said.
“This makes a better all-around officer,” Mr. Fiebig added.
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