VVN/Steve Ayers
Deputy Russell Grover practices his driving skills on the Az POST driving simulator. The computer driven simulator takes officers through a variety of driving situations they are likely to encounter in the real world without the danger to life or property.
Officer Matt Griffs is the coordinator for the Mobile Driver Training Simulator program. A 10-year veteran with the Tucson Police Department he is on loan to Az POST and travels the state helping officers hone their driving skills.
There is an old line that asks the question: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
The answer: Practice, practice, practice.
The secret to excelling at something, or staying on top of the game once you get there, is repetition.
But not all endeavors lend themselves to repeat performances. Say for instance, high-speed pursuits by police officers.
"It's not something you see every day," says Deputy Russell Grover with Camp Verde Marshal's Office, "I think the last time I was involved in one was nine months ago."
However, as with so many other obstacles in the 21st century, computer technology has come to the rescue, supplying police officers with an unlimited supply of fast fleeing felons and irresponsible members of the public at large.
Thursday, Grover and other deputies and staff from the CVMO had a chance to practice their skills in a variety of hazardous driving scenarios, thanks to the Mobile Driver Training Simulator provided by the Arizona Police Officers Standards and Training Board.
"It's tough," Grover says after spending 20 minutes dodging careless pedestrians, inattentive drivers, road hogs, wildlife, perps and the myriad delays, obstacles and intrusions found in everyday driving.
Housed in an RV trailer, the simulator has two consoles set up exactly like the driver's seat in a late model Ford Crown Victoria, the pursuit vehicle of choice for many law enforcement agencies.
Over the dashboard are three LCD flat screen monitors that play out the various scenarios, much like a video game.
Each officer begins by taking a leisurely drive down a city street -- only this street is rife with bad drivers, construction hazards, pedestrians, trucks, buses and more bad drivers.
Once through that maze they are sent on a Code 3 call, complete with lights and siren, that may take them through the city, down a two-lane country road or up the interstate.
Next they will drive about looking for a car whose driver has allegedly been involved in a homicide. Once spotted it is their job to pursue the vehicle, get close enough to read the license plate and, if possible, safely pull it over.
In the last scenario they attempt a similar pursuit only this time they carry it out partnered with another officer seated in the second console.
"We have several scenarios and each one of them can be altered," says Officer Matt Griffs, coordinator for the program, "And after they have run through the simulator it has the ability to play back so we can critique their skills, or lack thereof."
Griffs has been a driving instructor for 10 years with the Tucson Police Department and believes the $500,000 simulator is one of the best tools around for police officers to practice on.
"Out in the real world there is a lot an officer has to be aware of," Griffs says. "I believe the simulator helps make them aware of these dangers and that awareness will carry over next time they are put in a situation. And they can practice without anyone getting hurt."
The simulator, which was put in service in 2006, has provided training to over 4,000 officers. Az POST and the simulator are funded through a percentage of all traffic citations issued statewide.
Created by the legislature 1968, Az POST also sets standards for all police officer training and certification in the state.
