LAPLACE — At their last session before graduation, members of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office’s first Citizens Academy had the opportunity to participate in a use-of-force simulation and discuss use-of-force issues with officers.

With attention focused on use of force by law enforcement, Sheriff Mike Tregre wanted to address the sensitive topic during the last session of the academy Thursday.

The training simulator provided six scenarios, ranging from traffic stops to neighbor disputes.

In one scenario, the suspect could comply; and in another, the suspect could pull a gun on an officer.
Officers have to make a quick, split-second decision whether or not to employ force and just what force to employ, Lt. Blane Rome Jr., a training commander, told participants.

“They have to think fast and act fast,” he said.

The goal is to de-escalate the situation as quickly and peacefully as possible, without injuring the officer or innocent people, Lt. Chip Wale, a training commander, stressed to the group.

After each simulation, officers and participants talked about verbal commands and whether to use a taser, pepper spray, or a gun in each situation.

The scenario actions and outcomes were discussed. Most of the participants said the incidents happened so fast that they could not react in time.

The simulation was an eye-opening experience, the participants said.

Also, as part of the last session of the academy, representatives of Sheriff’s Office Human Resources department talked about the hiring process and the benefits of joining the SJSO.

Last week, distribution of property tax and occupational tax, seizures and sales, and collection of court costs and other fines were among the topics discussed by representatives of the Civil Department.

The SJSO’s first Citizens Academy concludes this week with graduation.

During the nine-week program, participants were able to get an informative and interactive look behind the scenes of the sheriff’s office.

Through lectures and demonstrations, they learned about the real world of law enforcement and how officers carry out their mission “To Protect and Serve” on a daily basis.
This free program was open to the public.

— Angel Thompson works in public relations for the St. John Sheriff’s Office.