Simulator Prepares School Resource Officers for School Shootings

Stark County, Ohio school resource officers (SROs) are using a new simulator to learn how to effectively respond to many violent scenarios.

According to a news report, the simulator projects a video onto a 12-by-8 screen and offers roughly 900 lifelike scenarios that can range from three minutes to 10 seconds. A simulator operator, who sits at a computer, adapts the scenario based on the actions of the officer. After the simulation, an user can play back a video of themselves to show their movements and responses.

During training last week, says the report, Stark County Sheriff Sgt. Chad Smith, who supervises 15 SROs employed by the sheriff’s office, debriefed each of the officers by talking through the simulations and their response, noting any adjustments they should make.

Stark County SROs have been training since last fall on the new simulator to learn how to effectively respond to a wide range of scenarios and school employees also are using the simulator to learn how to deescalate a situation, such as when a student is threatening suicide, adds the report.

The simulator, housed in the Stark State College campus, was paid by the The Stark County Schools’ Council, a consortium of 159 member school districts, libraries, colleges and related agencies.

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