A Lesson in Life or Death
Before Oscar Castro graduated from the Fullerton College Police Academy in May, he had experience with an armed gunman; he negotiated an unpredictable domestic violence call, and he responded to a multi-shooter incident with casualties – without ever leaving a classroom.
Castro and his 30 fellow student recruits gained hands-on experience from Ti Training’s state-of-the-art Firearms Training Simulator (FATS). The technology is helping to shape the way new academy training is conducted and provides students with an advanced skill-set as they pursue careers in law enforcement.
“It’s as realistic as you can possibly get without being in actual danger,” Castro said. “The components in the program are so real you feel all of the emotions associated with carrying a weapon and approaching a dangerous situation; fear, a rush of adrenaline, and even a feeling of being overwhelmed at some point.”
Designed to help maximize the level of training conducted inside and outside of the classroom, the new technology, rented through Ti Training, features high-definition video game-like features. Armed with simulated firearms that recoil each time the trigger is pulled, students respond to life-size video of mock scenarios such as domestic violence disputes, burglaries, rape suspects, building searches, and ambush sniper scenarios. The responsive technology trains students to handle potentially life-threatening and dangerous situations in a safe environment.
The simulation training is a component of the intensive 38-week police academy where the primary purpose is to train students for police service with more than 1,000 training hours of California Peace Officers Standards and a P.O.S.T academy certificate upon satisfactory completion of the program. Students begin applying for admittance in early March through self-sponsorship and can begin the academy each fall.
For more than 40 years, students have enrolled in the police academy at Fullerton College, and for the last 10 years, FATS training has been an instrumental part of their success. The recent upgrade using Ti Training’s simulation technology continues to elevate the academy’s training potential with cutting-edge training scenarios and an updated system that concisely measures when and if gunfire is exchanged to verify accuracy, time, and whether or not the gunshot would result in a fatality.
“This type of training is essential to helping student recruits improve their skill-level and equips them with the necessary tools to think and act quickly,” said Sgt. Michael Willis, the academy’s scenario coordinator. The technology can also be customized to include additional weapons such as pellets, taser guns, and the use of smoke bombs.
According to Willis, student recruits are trained to assess a situation in less than a half-a-second and respond appropriately. The upgraded FATS technology aids them in this mission. It also serves as both an evaluation tool for academy instructors and for students themselves. “I enjoyed being able to evaluate my decisions; taking a close look at what I felt during a scenario and reacting based on what my mind and body were telling me to do,” Castro said.
One hundred percent of the 31students in class 44 of this year’s academy completed and passed FATS testing on May 15 making them eligible for graduation and a P.O.S.T certification. The college celebrated their achievements at a graduation ceremony on May 26.
When asked about the overall experience the academy provided him, Castro said, “It was a pleasure to learn from some of the best in the business. It’s evident that the instructors in the academy are invested in us and are more than willing to go above and beyond to prepare us for a job in law enforcement.” Castro plans to pursue a career in law enforcement while obtaining his associate’s degree at FC.
The Fullerton College Basic Police Academy enrolls a new class of students each fall with entrance exams conducted in late June for the Fall academy. More information about FCPA is available by calling (714) 732-5458.
