Denver Police Allow CBS4 To View Shooting Training Scenarios
DENVER (CBS4) - After numerous police shootings around the country CBS4's Rick Sallinger asked Denver police to be allowed into their training facility to see how they are taught to handle such situations. In a dark room, a scenario appears on a video screen.
A man sits at a park bench with a rifle in front of him.
"Leave me alone I'm just eating my lunch," the man said.
The call is for a man with a rifle in a park. An officer responds.
"Calm down I have a weapons permit," the man tells him.
This is not from a body camera, this is a video training session at the Denver Police Academy.
Taking the role of an officer in training is technician Jay Casillas.
"I understand it's your right, but it's also illegal to have it here in the City of Denver."
What they do in controlled circumstances there too often plays out in real life. It happened last Friday at 1st Avenue and Perry Street when police shot and killed a man who carjacked a woman with a child. He then fired at police.
In Columbus, Ohio police shot and killed a woman with a knife who was charging at another. In Chicago, a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed during a chase. He had a gun in his hand one moment, but it was gone a less than a second later.
Denver police Technician Andrew Richmond, behind the controls of a computer, emphasizes what they teach here is mainly how to avoid such situations.
"If they feel they are justified and feel their life is in imminent and or immediate danger and have to shoot and possibly take a life, they may have to take that action."
Officer Casillas tells the man on the video screen, "Can you come over here and show me your permit?"
After a few moments of trying to coax the man to come over to him, the worst case happens.
"So I need you to come over," the officer said. Suddenly the man picks up his rifle and fires at the officer.
Casillas returns fire and the man goes down.
"We hope we never have to draw or even fire our firearms. Unfortunately in this case it did have to happen," Casillas said.
A split second decision can mean life or death. This is how they prepare for what they hope never happens.
