By Todd Duncan, Law Enforcement and Safety Specialist
In last month’s Safety Short, we discussed the important role training plays in enhancing safety and reducing risk. In this installment, we will address the importance of conducting training safely. One of the most effective means of teaching is using hands-on or practical training. But with this type of training comes an increase in the potential for injury or death. Tragically, there are many examples across the country, including in Nebraska, where law enforcement and corrections officers have been seriously injured or killed during training exercises. In fact, some of the more frequent and costly workers’ compensation claims we see at NIRMA involve injuries sustained during training, particularly training such as defensive tactics, use of force scenarios, or activities involving intense physical exertion, i.e. annual fitness testing for specialized teams. The following are just a few examples:
- March 1999- A Nebraska State Patrol Trooper was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer during a defensive tactics training exercise.
- 2021- A Nebraska deputy sheriff suffered a devastating, career-ending cardiovascular event while participating in annual physical fitness testing. In addition to the physical injury suffered by the employee, the incident resulted in a $1 million workers’ compensation claim to the NIRMA II pool.
- August 2022- A Washington D.C. officer was accidentally shot and killed during a training exercise at a library. The trainer, a retired police lieutenant, who fired the shot was indicted.
- November 2022- A Texas police officer was critically wounded when she was shot in the face during an active shooter training exercise at a school.
- April 2024- An Ohio corrections lieutenant died after he was shot during a training exercise at a corrections training academy. The officer who fired the shot has been charged criminally.
These are just a few examples of catastrophic law enforcement and corrections training injuries. However, non-life-threatening injuries are far more common and can have serious consequences both physically for the employee and financially for the NIRMA pools. Whether it is a sprained ankle suffered while running or a shoulder injury sustained during defensive tactics, these types of training injuries can jeopardize an employee’s health, negatively impact their career, and result in large financial losses.
The good news is, nearly all training injuries are preventable. The risk of injury or death during training can be greatly reduced if not eliminated by taking the necessary precautions. The following are some practical steps agencies can take to reduce training risks, particularly when conducting hands on or force-on-force training:
Lesson Plans
Require instructors to submit training lesson plans prior to training. Lesson plans are particularly important for hands on or force-on-force training and should include training goals, potential risks or hazards involved, safety rules, and steps that will be taken to eliminate or minimize risk while ensuring participant safety. Lesson plans should be reviewed by a supervisor or command officer for approval prior to training.
Safety Officers
Designate one or more training safety officers to oversee safety before, during, and after the training. Ideally, the training safety officer is separate from the instructor(s) so they can focus entirely on safety. Responsibilities include pre-training site inspection; ensuring the proper signs and barriers are in place to control access into training area; identifying and addressing any hazards; continuously monitoring training activities and enforcing safety rules; stopping training immediately when dangerous conditions arise; ensuring first aid equipment is onsite; ensuring signed waivers have been obtained from citizens or volunteers acting as role players; ensuring the proper notifications have been made; and conducting scripted safety briefings.
Scripted Safety Briefings
Safety briefings should be conducted with everyone involved prior to the training, including role players or citizen volunteers (no surprises). It is highly recommended that instructors and safety officers use a safety briefing script for consistency and completeness that includes the following:
- Trainer and safety officer introduction
- Learning objectives
- Safety rules:
- PPE requirements (eye/ear protection, body armor, hi-vis vests, etc.)
- Prohibited activities including off-script behavior, horseplay, unnecessary roughness, or improvisation
- Training site boundaries
- Known hazards and rules to avoid them
- Signal word or hand sign to stop training due to unsafe conditions (anyone should be able to stop training for a safety issue)
- Designated radio channels
- Location of emergency and first aid equipment
- Weapons restrictions when applicable
- No functional weapons or ammo allowed in training area (plastic training weapons are well worth the cost)
- Weapons safety checks (anytime a student enters the training area)
- Weapons configured to fire simulated marking rounds, a/k/a Simunitions, should be clearly marked with colored tape or by other means
- Functional firearms using blanks to simulate gunfire prohibited
- Pre-existing conditions- Instructors or safety officers should identify and discuss privately any pre-existing issues that may preclude an employee from safely participating in the training.
Defensive Tactics (DT) Training Precautions
Consideration should be given to physical size, abilities, and limitations when pairing up employees during force-on-force or DT training. Proper warmups, stretching, and attire/footwear can also help minimize the risk of injury. This is one area where instructors and safety officers need to closely watch for and promptly address off-script behavior, horseplay, unnecessary roughness, or improvisation.
Training Notifications
Instructors should notify the following individuals or groups when conducting practical or scenario-based training outside of agency facilities or property:
- Communications center
- On duty supervisor
- Surrounding people or groups that may be impacted
After Action Reviews
Trainers, safety officers, and participants, if applicable, should conduct documented after action reviews of training exercises or drills to identify any concerns as well as adjustments that may be needed to ensure that future training is as safe as reasonably practicable. These are no fault reviews that seek to answer five key questions: 1) what was supposed to happen, 2) what was the reality, 3) what went well, 4) what did not go well, and 5) what should be changed for next time.
Annual Physicals
Law enforcement officers experience cardiovascular disease at significantly higher rates than the general public. It is therefore highly recommended that agencies offer annual health screenings to its officers, particularly cardiovascular screening. These screenings are especially important for members of specialized teams, i.e. SWAT or search and rescue, that are required to participate in annual fitness testing or training that involves intense physical exertion.
Conclusion
There is really no substitute for high-quality hands-on training, particularly in the areas of emergency vehicle operations, pursuits, and use of force. However, this type of training almost always involves higher risk. By acknowledging these risks and consistently applying the above recommendations, agencies can create a more effective and secure training environment. Additionally, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and feedback will help identify potential hazards and refine practices.
Please contact Todd at 531-510-7446 or [email protected] if you have any questions or to request training.
