Credit: (KFVS) - The Sikeston Career and Technology Center (CTC) has partnered with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety to get a force simulator.
The new simulator will train both officers and criminal justice students.
“Having this use of force training simulator, it allows the students and officers to reenact scenarios and go through sceneries that happen in real life,” stated Sikeston Career and Technology Criminal justice instructor Andy Caton.
Caton said the simulator is full of real-life dangerous situation. “You’re not going to be able to have somebody held hostage. You’re not going to be able to have an active shooter situation. With this machine, you can do that.”
Sikeston School Resource Officer Brent Mullin said students will now get the same training as the professionals. “We get to train officers in a safe setting. Then Coach Caton’s kids will be able to do it in a safe setting. They are not going to have the experience we do, so they get to learn in baby steps.”
The use of force simulator accurately portrays real life situations. Even the weapons that are used with the simulator function exactly as police issued weapons.
“It’s very real. A lot of these scenarios are actually taken from incidents that have happened to law enforcement officials across the country,” stated Caton. “You can go back and critique what they did right, what they did wrong and nobody gets hurt, it’s safe.”
He wants his students and the public to have these takeaways after experiencing the simulator. “A new understanding for what officers actually go through. The training that’s required to become a proficient officer. And basically, if you become a police officer, it’s to help people. That’s the number one goal.”
Sikeston Police Chief James McMillan said the new simulator is a great way to have continuous training for his officers for many years to come.
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