Columbus Police use laser technology to train
COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) – In order to train officers to react within seconds at a scene, the Columbus Police Department is using a system known as the Firearm Training Simulator.
WCBI-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1Tq3BDV) the system, also known as F.A.T.S., allows officers to train with real weapons that are modified with laser technology instead of using live ammunition. The program is projected onto a screen and takes officers through different scenarios, allowing them to hone in on their shooting skills.
Senior Range Officer James Hanson says the system gives officers only milliseconds to make decisions. He says dynamics in the training can be changed, like making the perpetrator more or less aggressive.
Hanson calls the training beneficial to both new officers and to “30-40 year veterans.”
Columbus officers are required to complete the training at least once per year.
