February 03, 2012
I attended another call simulation day last week. This one focused on impaired driving.
You can read about previous call simulations days here and here.
Leading up to the call simulation day, the recruits had three blocks of class on alcohol offence investigations taught by an officer in the Impaired Driving Countermeasures Unit.
From what I heard, they felt prepared from a legal standpoint and had a good understanding of the laws associated with impaired offences. Like anything you do for the first time, the recruits felt hesitant on how to apply the classroom knowledge. That’s the purpose of the call simulation days—to get practical or on-street experience prior to actually being on the street.
I attended the afternoon portion. Half the class was there, while the other half was at vehicle operations training. (In the morning, the other half did their call simulation day while this group was at vehicle operations training.)
It was about -30 that day and -43 with the windchill. The recruits were outside for most of the morning, on the driving track. In the afternoon, we were outside in the bitter cold for portions of the scenario. The weather is just another element police have to deal with, whether it’s freezing cold, really hot, or pouring rain.
I hopped in a vehicle with two recruits and a training instructor who was evaluating them. We ‘answered a call’ of a suspected impaired driver (two constables were playing the role). When we approached their vehicle, they were driving erratically and they threw a liquor bottle out the window. We pulled them over and each officer talked to one of the vehicle occupants. After some questioning the driver was charged with impaired driving so the recruits followed the appropriate steps.
The call simulation days have continuously evolved. This one didn’t only evaluate their dealings with impaired driving and related laws, but also their radio procedures, driving, tactical communication, and documentation and articulation.
*All the training was done in a small area on unused roadways.
Questions or comments?
If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me at recruitblog@edmontonpolice.ca. I’ll answer the best I can.