Support Services: Training Division
Henry County Police Department Training
Division is responsible for the training and education of
non-certified officers prior to their entrance into the police
academy. Currently, the police department sends Georgia non-certified
officers to Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, GA. After successful completion of the police academy, the
newly certified police officers will return to the Training
Division for approximately two weeks for additional departmental
training requirements. At the end of the two week training
period, the certified officer will be placed with a veteran
Field Training Officer (FTO) for a period of approximately
ten weeks. During the ten week period, the certified officer
will be exposed to duties as a police officer and will work
together with the FTO.
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Click on the thumbnail to the left to watch
a video of Henry County Police Department emergency vehicle
driving training. Note: The video file is approx. 3MB. |
The Henry County Training Division
is devoted to developing the skills, knowledge of sworn and
civilian personnel. They provide comprehensive training to
ensure our citizens are provided quality, public safety services
while being treated with professionalism, dignity and respect.
The Training Division provides continuous training for all personnel.
Training includes, but is not limited to, the following topics,
which are mandated by the State of Georgia and Georgia Association
of Chiefs of Police: Use of Force, Domestic Violence, Legal
Updates, Search and Seizure, Off Duty Conduct, Sexual Harassment,
Special Operations, and a variety of other training topics
to address the ever-changing trends in law enforcement. All
officers are required to maintain their state certification
by attending a minimum of 20 hours of training yearly as required
by the Georgia Police Officers Standards and Training Council
(P.O.S.T.).
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Firearms Training
Simulator (F.A.T.S.)
The F.A.T.S. is an interactive system
that enables officers to make "shoot - don't shoot"
decisions and review the results in a controlled training
environment. This device allows an officer the opportunity
to practice their verbal direction, use of cover, weapon handling,
and observation skills while in the presence of a state certified
Firearms Instructor. The simulator records data about the
scenario, including the training officer's reactions, voice
commands, bullet tracers and where the officer's gun muzzle
was pointing at all times. The information allows the trainer
to play back the video and discuss what the trainee did right
and wrong. Teaching proper gun handling is difficult to do
on a range when shooting with paper targets. With the simulator,
the trainer can show trainees what they are doing wrong instead
of just telling them.
To an observer, F.A.T.S. might look
like a giant video game. A trainee shoots a realistic-looking
gun at a 15-foot by 8-foot screen, which projects a re-enactment
of a potentially hazardous scenario, such as a knife-wielding
man. When training on the simulator, an officer utilizes a real
Glock 17 pistol converted to fire carbon dioxide cartridges.
The gun kicks as if it were shooting real bullets. The officer
is given 10 feet of floor space to seek cover, move into firing
position or cover a target on the large screen. A video scenario, one of hundreds an officer might face on patrol, is projected
on the F.A.T.S. screen.
All the scenarios were adapted from
real-life situations reported by U.S. Law Enforcement and
then re-enacted on video by actors. F.A.T.S. isn't only a
great tool to teach cops how to handle a crisis situation;
it's also a good way to educate the public about the split-second
decisions required of law enforcement.
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Crisis Intervention Team
(CIT)
 The
Crisis
Intervention Team program is a community effort, which brings the police and the community together for the common goals
of safety, understanding, and service to the mentally ill
and their families. CIT recognizes a special population that
deserves special care, treatment, and service. An increase
in illegal narcotic/alcohol abuse and the “deinstitutionalization”
of mentally ill citizens has caused many to become homeless
and potentially more violent, which increases the chances of
involvement with law enforcement. This increases the possibility
for excessive force complaints and the inevitable backlash
from the community.
CIT officers reduce the likelihood
of physical confrontations and enhance better patient care.
As such, the CIT program is a beginning for the necessary
adjustment that law enforcement must make from traditional
police responses to a more humane treatment of individuals
with mental illness. Some of the benefits of the program are
listed below.
- Crisis response is immediate
- Arrests and use of force has decreased
- Underserved consumers are identified by officers and provided
with care
- Patient violence and use of restraints in the ER has decreased
- Officers are better trained and educated in verbal de-escalation
techniques
- Officer’s injuries during crisis events have declined
- Officer recognition and appreciation by the community
has increased
- Less “victimless” crime arrests
- Decrease in liability for health care issues in the jail
- Cost savings
National advocates, such as The
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and The American
Association of Suicidology have recognized the CIT program
for distinguished service to the mentally ill. NAMI (Memphis)
credits CIT with saving lives and preventing injuries, both
for consumers and officers.
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