On March 9 through 11, the Criminal Justice C4 program offered a scenario based training course. Led by Criminal Justice teacher Mike Ward, the scenarios are offered to the staff as well as the students enrolled in the class. The course is used throughout the world by law enforcement officers, military personnel and private security. The scenes put students in a situation where they must make quick, just decisions, as well as communicate with their team. They also need to determine how much force needs to be used based on each situation. 

“The simulations that we use accurately represent shooter, hostage and domestic dispute that we can not accurately replicate in a classroom. The guns are real and use compressed air instead of bullets so we get the feel of a real life situation,” junior Katie Hagan said. “It is a very good representation of real life events because the outcome can be changed on the computer so everything is unpredictable.” 

Each scenario helps them understand how one decision can change the tide of an entire situation. The goal is to learn just how serious the field of law enforcement is, while placing students in intense and fear-filled situations. 

“I wasn’t scared but I definitely was very excited during my first simulation. I grew up shooting guns so I guess I’m used to it,” Hagan said. 

The simulation prepares students to take their job in law enforcement with an eased mind and sensible decision making. It helps them to understand the situations they could be placed in on a day to day basis, and gives them skills for how to handle each of them. Mr. Ward certainly is not sending his students into their future unprepared.