EDMOND — In the police training exercise, a man and woman get out of a pickup on a traffic stop. The woman is moving her hands inside the pockets of her hooded jacket.
The man raises his gun where it can be seen over his pickup bed. The woman draws a gun, too. They are both shot by police.
The simulated situation is one of more than 350 scenarios presented to Edmond police officers on a use-of-force simulator.
Using the latest technology, police can now learn what to do in real-life situations without ever leaving the department's training center.
“The beauty of this is they can train on five different scenarios in 30 minutes,” said Sgt. Jeff Richardson, a training officer.
The equipment cost less than $50,000 and was paid for with money seized in drug cases. A high-definition camera is included so the officers can also videotape their own scenarios.
Police Chief Bob Ricks said he expects to save 35 percent on his ammunition budget and 50 percent on his Taser training budget.
Capt. Tim Dorsey said an officer has to shoot a Taser twice during recertification exercises. The cartridges cost $20 to $25 each.
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