Crime & Safety

Lilburn Police Department Demonstrates New Use of Force Simulator

Lilburn officers can practice in real-life situations.

Police officers in Lilburn now have a new tool to prepare them for practically any situation. 

The Lilburn Police Department demonstrated their new, state of the art Use of Force Simulator for the first time on Friday morning.

This is far from a video game. It gives officers a real-life feel of a variety of scenarios—from a domestic violence situation to an officer down. It comes with all the tools an officer carries on his or her belt, including a gun, TASER and flashlight. All are designed to feel and react like the real things. 

Find out what's happening in Lilburn-Mountain Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The trainer can also alter the situation based on the officer’s response. For instance, one scenario shows a man in a warehouse with his right hand obscured by a box. In the first run through, the man in the video pulls out a staple gun from behind the box. The next round, Sgt. Tim Allen opted to have the man have his ID hidden behind the box. In the third, the suspect takes out a gun and starts shooting at the officer. 

“When I trained, it was the same scenario from year one to year 13,” said Allen. Being able to change details means Lilburn officers can always be on their toes.

Find out what's happening in Lilburn-Mountain Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

LPD will also be able to upgrade the unit with new scenarios for free.

The system will cost a total of $36,000. Right now, LPD has the equipment for one officer at a time to go through the simulation. The city will purchase more equipment so multiple officers can participate in various scenarios at the same time. 

Lawrenceville and Snellville police departments will also be able to use the simulator when the law enforcement agencies have combined training sessions. Lilburn’s new simulator is mobile, so it can be set up practically anywhere.

Lilburn City Councilman Thomas Wight was one of the first to try out the simulator. “It’s really realistic. It shows you how really together these officers have to be,” said Wight. 

The Councilman also feels it’s money well spent. “It’s cheaper than a cruiser. This will benefit officers for many, many years.”

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.