Through a series of intense, virtual scenarios, city leaders and ETSU faculty and staff are getting an inside look at what it takes to work in law enforcement.
The simulations took place throughout Monday and Tuesday, with participation from local mayors, city council members, area law enforcement personnel and ETSU faculty and staff.
The experience
Participants worked through the simulations in different groups, and each simulation was presented differently, but addressed the ideas of conflict resolution, de-escalation, the use of force and other themes.
Although working through the exercise in a group, only one member was the focus of the exercise and got to actively take part in the scenario.
After being brought into the simulation room, participants were briefed on the situation about to occur in the simulation before all went dark in the room. Then, outfitted in a duty belt with a fake firearm, the group’s lone volunteer mentally prepared to handle the situation about to play out.
A projector displayed a filmed scenario onto the wall and the volunteer–acting as a law enforcement officer–had to react verbally and physically in response to the situation at hand.
The scenarios intentionally placed the volunteer into life-or-death circumstances that required them to think quickly and–often–utilize their faux weapon.
Following the conclusion of the scenario, the lights come back on and law enforcement personnel talk through the situation and the decisions made by the volunteer.
The scenarios, along with the subsequent commentary, allow participants to experience the difficult, high-stakes situations that law enforcement personnel encounter daily and the necessity of making split-second decisions while being cognizant of their effects.
The outcome
ETSU Chief Operating Officer Jeremy Ross went through one of the simulations himself, and shared how the experience affected his own perceptions.
“Personally, I learned how prepared one must be–there’s a compliance piece in what responders have to announce, there is the observation piece on who and what is in the environment, and then there’s a response in some instances that is a split-second decision,†Ross said. “I walked away from this truly appreciating the difficulty of being in a high stress situation and overcoming my own emotions and stress to do what was best.â€
Ross hopes that the public will take note of the collaborative effort that made the events possible and that this aspect will bring some peace of mind.
“I hope that there’s an understanding that city officials, county officials, ETSU representatives, we sincerely want to work together and collaborate to be prepared for a multitude of scenarios to ensure safety and service,†Ross said.
Participation in the simulation from various groups is another aspect that Ross said should not be overlooked; having undergone one of the simulations himself, he notes that the knowledge is vital for more than just law enforcement personnel.
“There’s a multitude of groups and that’s an important part of this training,†Ross said. “I could be a student, a civilian, a leader, but I can immediately act in a way to where responders can do their jobs easier and faster and hopefully save all of our lives.â€
The simulations will continue Tuesday with participants made up of just ETSU faculty and staff.
