Texas ATF Offers A Peek Inside A 'Use Of Force' Simulator In Fort Worth
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - It's a split second decision that law enforcement officers are faced with more and more; whether or not to use deadly force.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives (AFT) held a media training event in the Fort Worth Police Department's Public Safety Complex.
Part of the training involved taking part in a use of force simulator, where a person is put into a situation where there's a decision on whether to shoot or not.
"There is a surprise as to how quickly things develop and how dynamic these interactions between law enforcement and suspects can be, especially when there is force required based on behavior and violence on the part of the suspect," said Paul Massock, ATF Deputy Chief Special Operations Division.
The point of the exercise is to show how few seconds someone has to react to a situation and determine if use of force is justified.
"That question is based on the totality of facts and circumstances known to the officer at the time they used force; was that force reasonable? That's the one and true appropriate legal question that is to be asked," added Massock.
Massock adds law enforcement officers have an obligation to stay current on all the laws and to be aware of any danger signals like someone putting their hands in pockets or the suspects' stance in determining how to react,
"Whether or not an officer will utilize force and if they do, how much force they'll use is based on the behavior of the suspect," said Massock.