Gregg County workers take crash course in better driving with FAAC simulator
Published on August 9, 2019

A consultant with the Texas Association of Counties instructed about 20 drivers over a two-day period at the Pct. 4 Barn in Kilgore. Pct. 4 Commissioner Shannon Brown invited the TAC after learning about the service, which has shown to practically eliminate driving incidents within the first six months of training, driving simulator consultant Don … Continued
Combining Multiple Approaches to Police Pursuit Training
Published on July 19, 2019
Let’s begin with identifying what a “traffic-related” situation really is and what liabilities we may actually be able to reduce through training. In some of the categorizing for LODD’s, a variety of situations are often grouped together such as “being run-over” or “assaulted” by an automobile. However, in real police work, we know that so … Continued
Complacency in Police Pursuit Training: Causes & Solutions
Published on June 20, 2019
What a tragic year 2016 was in law enforcement line of duty deaths involving ambush, violent assaults and firearms. Depending on the source that you use, LODDs due to firearms are up a staggering 61% to 83% over 2015, while overall LODDs are up 12% to 18% over 2015. It is a reminder that we … Continued
THE BENEFITS OF CRASHING IN HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT TRAINING
Published on May 20, 2019
It may seem counter-intuitive, but one of the key advantages of a simulation-based high-speed pursuit training program is more crashes. THE VALUE OF SIMULATED CRASHES IN HIGH SPEED PURSUIT TRAINING A car crash is a highly instructive experience. We already know that “‘learning by doing’ only works so long as the feedback from our actions … Continued
Simulator prepares police for making decisions under pressure
Published on May 7, 2019
Three weeks ago, when the New Britain Police Department and Mayor Erin Stewart told the public about their new police training simulator, they couldn’t have had any idea how relevant this technology would become. In a span of five days in mid-April, three Connecticut police departments would find themselves entrenched in controversial police shootings. The … Continued
POLICE PURSUIT TRAINING BEST PRACTICES: PURSUIT AND DE-ESCALATION
Published on April 24, 2019
The 2009 volume of the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s (POST’s) Driver Training Study lists six police pursuit training “best practices.” But one vital skill is missing. Can you spot it? 1) Use “hybrid training.” This should combine both behind-the-wheel closed-course driving and advanced police pursuit training simulators. 2) Adopt advanced technology. … Continued
New Britain police get high-tech lessons in driving, shooting
Published on April 15, 2019
NEW BRITAIN — Police Sgt. Thomas Gray adjusts the patrol car’s seat, straps on the seat belt, shifts into drive and begins a lights-and-siren emergency run across town. Rush-hour traffic makes it more of a maze than a race, and Gray gets bounced around a bit as he swerves past a bus, brakes fast for … Continued
HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT AND DRIVING ACCIDENTS: THE AGE FACTOR
Published on March 24, 2019
According to POST (California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training), California law enforcement are injured in roughly 700 automobile collisions each year. Conventional wisdom holds that it is younger officers who get into the most high-speed pursuit accidents, either because of inexperience, poor judgement, poor control of their emotions, or a combination of all … Continued
Avoiding “Simulator Sickness” in High-Speed Pursuit Training Simulators
Published on February 24, 2019
“Simulator sickness” is a persistent issue in many high speed pursuit training programs, and can really derail a session. Simulator sickness (also called “simulator adaptation syndrome” or “SAS”) has been an issue for as long as there have been modern vehicle simulators. (Trainers first noted this cocktail of nausea, headaches, cold-sweats, and eye strain in … Continued
The Case for “Tactical Seatbelt” in Police Pursuit Training
Published on January 24, 2019
It seems almost laughable to say this, but police pursuit training programs need to directly address seatbelt usage. It’s a simple fact: Seat belts have the capacity to save more law enforcement lives every year than bullet-proof vests, riot gear, tasers, and sidearms. A bit over 88 percent of U.S. drivers and front-seat passengers regularly … Continued