BELMONT, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – As police in Uvalde, Texas face criticism over their response to last week's tragic school shooting, Bay Area law enforcement is taking notice.
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For the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Carlos Bolanos told KCBS Radio that his deputies are trained to respond as soon as two or more of them are present on the scene. "Our personnel are trained that during an active shooter incident we're going to go in immediately and neutralize the threat, whatever it is," he said.
But it might be difficult to anticipate scenarios before they arise.
That's what a new training simulator aims to address by better preparing deputies for just such an incident should it occur.
The virtual simulator runs through various scenarios for deputies.
It's made up of a semi-circle of five large screens that two deputies step into. Then, the lights go down and those screens will begin to display a chaotic active shooter scene taking place inside a public place – like a shopping mall.
The scenario is testing deputies' ability to respond in real time, even under simulated fire.
The experience is intense, but that aspect is part of the exercise, according to Sgt. David Weidner. He just took part in the training himself. "Call that stress inoculation," he said. "We can continue to put them through high-stress scenarios here and when they actually have to make those decisions it will be easier for them – because they have a reference to pull from."
This interactive simulator – with its wrap around displays – is a first of its kind in California. But it comes just as the need for such training is becoming more apparent, as violent incidents continue to arise throughout the country.
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