Police Officers Participate In Training
WARSAW — Police officers are mandated to receive specific training each year. This costs departments money to send officers to training classes, not only for class fees and mileage, but also comp time for the officers. For small departments it can be expensive.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Officers Travis Shively, Kevin Gelbaugh and Don Weisehan initiated a training field day — a way to train multiple officers effectively and efficiently — locally and taking less time than many 8-hour courses. Officers could participate when available and leave once the stations have been completed, between the allotted field day times.
Training sessions were held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26. Officers who were on duty, or off duty, could attend without any extra expense to his/her department. Eight trainers were utilized in the various training scenarios, instructing on the do’s and don’ts.
This year’s training focused in four areas: a building search with firearms; first aid; emergency vehicle operation; and defensive tactics. Participating officers broke out into groups where, except for the first aid, officers responded to fictitious calls.
Utilizing the property of Seymour Midwest, on Country Club Road, a building search was conducted in the office area and emergency vehicle operation course set up on the interior roadways, which included blacktop, stone and for the first time, off road. An arrest scenario was then set up where the fictitious pursuit ended.
Lutheran EMS Kosciusko Paramedic Ryan Reed instructed the first aid course, showing officers AED use, compression techniques for adults and children, use of the combat application tourniquet on themselves and victims, wound packing, Emergency Israeli Bandage and use of the Heimlich on a choking victim. Each officer was given the opportunity to practice compressions on mannequins, try out the C.A.T. and emergency bandage.
Safety was first and foremost in the training. No officer was allowed to have in his/her possession tasers, pepper spray, batons, knives, gun magazines or ammunition. All guns underwent a check before training began.
Among the agencies participating were North Webster, Syracuse, Claypool, Winona Lake, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputies and jailers.
Trainers will evaluate the event to see if it merits continuing future training in this method.