Track Training

While the parking lot training offers an excellent training scenario, it does not include timing, and the completion of the steps unless an officer or instructor is their to facilitate with a stop watch and evaluate the steps and skills. An advanced version of the parking lot scenario should be conducted before students participate in a moving car training scenario.

An advanced training scenario involves moving vehicles and un-spiked systems to create a better realistic program. This program adds actual moving cars which helps the officer to develop the skill of looking at the deployment window, targeting the lanes, and watching the last car.

This training scenario requires a parking lot, two marked patrol cars and a unmarked vehicle. Special un-spiked systems can be purchased or are available from area distributors or reps for free use.

The instructor should start very slow with the systems being pre-deployed, and the cars with a great distance apart. Allow officers to conduct a deployment and for each new deployment have the cars tighten up the deployment window. Rotate officers until each one has had an opportunity to deploy in this exercise.

The next scenario is to have the officers participate in a Curbside Deployment Exercise. Note that in this scenario the officers exposure is controlled by the last car. Have a wide gap between the cars and progressively tighten up the gap. Make an announcement that each officer should decide to deploy or not deploy and this drill is to help him develop judgement.

Note, while the track speeds are slower, six second window is the same at all speeds. Keep the speeds moderate and have the cars repeat many passes.