Law enforcement departments participating in the SC Municipal Insurance Trust and SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund have access to the Ti Training “response to resistance simulator,” which places officers in scenarios where they must decide on an appropriate level of force.
The Municipal Association of SC Risk Management Services has offered this popular training since 2017. Now the training is offered on a regional basis, with one police department hosting others. RMS requires that the hosting agency have a training officer on staff that is certified to provide instruction with the equipment, although RMS will travel to provide Ti Instructor classes when there is interest.
By placing officers into simulated dangerous situations in which use-of-force decisions will test their training — possibly a hostage situation or a police officer ambush — the simulator aims to improve safety for officers and residents alike. It has more than 500 scenarios projected onto a screen in which officers must respond with appropriate levels of force: possibly a stun gun or a baton, along with the firearm.
The purpose of the exercise is to create a real-time environment for officers to experience the tense, critical moments that they can face at any time and help officers understand how they handled the decisions they made. Scenarios can then be played back so officers and trainers can analyze reactions and train on correctly documenting a confrontation after the fact.
The Forest Acres Police Department is among those to have used the simulator.
“The simulator was fantastic and gave us an opportunity to expose our officers with as many scenarios as possible in a short window of time,” Chief of Police Donald Robinson said. “This brings more awareness for them as any situation can rapidly change. It has also broadened their minds as the scenarios created more questions and provided us a chance to discuss legal issues that derive from these scenarios.”
Some police departments have also invited their elected officials, residents or local media to participate in the training, helping to share an understanding of the challenges officers can face. At the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the training was used in its Citizens Academy, which educates residents on how the department operates.
“Once we cover the course material, we give each student the opportunity to perform a scenario,” Lt. Joshua Faulkner said. “This provides the student with the opportunity to make observations and decisions similar to what an officer faces on a daily basis.”
This specific training program is not the only option. The company Axon offers similar training using a virtual reality headset, and some South Carolina technical colleges have this equipment and have invited law enforcement agencies to use it.
To reserve the Ti simulator or to set up instructor training, SCMIT and SCMIRF members may contact Trevor Hall, public safety loss control consultant, at 803.354.4764 or thall@masc.sc.