LIMA — The scenario was as real as it gets without actually taking place.
A police officer responded to an armed robbery where the robber shot two people, including one who died at the scene. Officer Brittney Wyerick had several seconds to determine what was happening, confront a man pointing a gun at her and shoot her own weapon as she approached.
She then had to call an ambulance, check on the wounded and try to help them. While doing that she had to call detectives. The scenario played out in the basement of a church and did not use live rounds but there was the simulated sound of gunfire as well as shooting victims screaming for help.
She later would sit down with training officers to discuss the scenario and what she did right or wrong.
Every new Lima police officer goes through the training. Next up was Tanner Engle, a 22-year-old patrol officer who faced a similar scenario.
“It’s definitely difficult. It felt very realistic. It made me think about if I’m in that situation what I’m going to do,” Engle said.
The training, although required before new hires can go out on the streets alone following the academy and 18 weeks in-house training with a field training officer, offers as close to a real scenario as one can get.
Engle said the training is invaluable. Training allows an officer to react to a situation in the real world, rather than stopping to think it through, if an officer has faced something similar in training, he said.
“Training is one of the most important tools we can have as a police officer,” Engle said.
Lt. John Bishop, a senior officer overseeing the training, said the biggest thing training officers are looking for is making sure the officers are doing their jobs in as safe of a way as possible. They don’t want officers on the streets alone who are not fully up to speed on officer safety.
The training offers a chance to critique the two new patrol officers and to new school resource officers as well as to make sure they also follow the law while conducting their duties, Bishop said.
Two new school resource officers, scheduled to start next week at Lima schools, also took part in similar training, but more specific to the school setting.
Amanda Leugers spent 11 years on the police department of St. Rita’s Medical Center before applying for the resource officer position. She said it was a big opportunity she really wanted especially at Liberty Elementary School, which has an arts and magnet program.
“I have a background in music and dance. Liberty is the magnets art school and big in dance so that is very interesting to me,” she said. “I have that connection with the kids.”
Leugers was put through scenarios such as dealing with a custody issue with parents; a fight in a school and a child acting out in a special education classroom, scenarios she likely will face someday.
Rookie officer Brittney Wyerick, center, of the Lima Police Department confronts a armed robbery suspect during a mock store robbery held in the basement at North Park Community Church. Friday was a training day for new patrol officers including 2 of our school resource officers. Far left is back-up officer Gaige Hennon who helped with training.
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Rookie officer Brittney Wyerick, center, of the Lima Police Department confronts a armed robbery suspect during a mock store robbery held in the basement at North Park Community Church. Friday was a training day for new patrol officers including 2 of our school resource officers. Far left is back-up officer Gaige Hennon who helped with training.
Craig J. Orosz | The Lima News
By Greg Sowinski
gsowinski@civitasmedia.com
Reach Greg Sowinski at 567-242-0464 or on Twitter @Lima_Sowinski.