Throughout the years, headlines and lawsuits have revolved around police officers and their subject’s pets, with some even drawing national attention. Unfortunately, many of these stories stem from situations where a pet dies by the officer’s actions while an investigation occurred.
The reason these headlines continue into today is that, oftentimes, officers do not understand the cues a dog is giving and react poorly. If you think about it, this makes sense; it can be difficult to tell if an animal is acting aggressive or simply reacting to the situation without specific, proper training.
To best prepare officers for these kinds of situations, and to protect lives—including the four-legged ones—VirTra partnered with experts at Law Enforcement Dog Encounter Training (LEDET) to produce dog-based training scenarios. These scenarios come with corresponding curriculum, teaching officers how to recognize various dog cues and how to react appropriately.
In regards to this training, Jim Crosby, certified dog behavior training expert, stated, “the partnership between VirTra and LEDET enables, for the first time, officers to learn safe interactions in real time combining real behavior and live signaling with dogs. With these skills learned and practiced in the VirTra immersive environment, allow officers to interact with dogs safely.”
One of these powerful training scenarios can be found below. Here, the officer is responding to a property alarm when he encounters an aggressive dog. Watch as the officer engages with the dog before responding to the animal’s hostile behavior in the video below!
Law enforcement’s use of force has become a major issue with the public. With the growing attention of human cases made widespread through cell phone video and social media, so has the attention of cases where officers used deadly force against dogs during dog encounters.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to read the cues a dog is giving. Officers have to determine if the animal is acting aggressive or reacting to the situation, if the dog was abused or trained to fight, or if the animal is struggling to differentiate those trying to help and those who pose as a threat.
In order to help officers better protect themselves and the dogs they may encounter, the Justice Department published the “Law Enforcement Dog Encounters Training” handbook, which can be downloaded for free.
VirTra’s Dog Encounter Training
VirTra took this dog encounter training a step further by creating a corresponding scenario-based virtual training program. Trainees and officers alike learn how to recognize aggressive signs and how to yell proper commands.
Learn more about this innovative training in The Wall Street Journal.
Alexandria, VA. — June 5, 2018 — The National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse (NLECAA), its parent organization, the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), and VirTra, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTSI) today announced the Law Enforcement Dog Encounters Training (LEDET) focused on police training for dog encounters. LEDET is the first of its kind training program and includes structured coursework on engaging and deescalating dog encounters, along with simulation training with VirTra’s immersive, high-definition video training system. Together, the new training protocols help law enforcement officers learn safe interactions with domestic dogs. The LEDET program is a culmination of two years of collaboration between the National Sheriffs’ Association and law enforcement executives, legal consultants, and behavior experts to develop a gold standard for protecting officers, pets, and the public.
An agency-wide demonstration of the scenario-based trainings will be given by the Harford County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday, June 6, following a press conference at 10:30 a.m. ET. The Sheriff’s Office is located at 1305 Pulaski Highway, Edgewood, MD.
The LEDET scenario package will be officially rolled out in VirTra’s booth at the 2018 National Sheriffs’ Association Annual Education and Technology Expo, June 15-19 in New Orleans, LA.
Visit the LEDET landing page to learn more and schedule a time to meet with VirTra at the NSA Conference.
Additional pilot programs are scheduled to occur in Orange County, Florida, and Oakland County, Michigan.
The LEDET program is based on canine behavior science paired with advanced officer safety measures. The combination will enable officers to make compassionate, safe decisions when interacting with pets under stressful circumstances. The course includes interactive scenarios where officers and dogs are placed in common situations. Using VirTra’s branched decision-making technology, these interactions will enable officers to experience conflict and make choices in real-time. The course focuses on the use of less- and non-lethal methods of keeping officers, the public, and pets safe during contact.
“LEDET is unique because it is the first dog training course developed by law enforcement officers, for law enforcement officers,” said Sheriff Harold Eavenson of Rockwall, Texas and President of the National Sheriffs’ Association. “Our subject matter experts are the most experienced consultants in the animal, law enforcement and legal fields when it comes to these kinds of cases and have guided policy and accountability using a combination of extensive canine behavior training and law enforcement experience. This has given us the perspective of working street cops coupled with cutting edge behavioral science and extensive experience with truly dangerous dogs.”
“Law enforcement officers want to handle their calls safely and go home at the end of their shift, while not causing any needless harm,” said John Thompson, Deputy Executive Director of the NSA. “This course will give them much needed tools to recognize and address possible conflict with dogs instead of simply shooting an animal.”
This state of the art program will be complementary to the full Law Enforcement Dog Encounters Training (LEDET) course in development by NLECAA in coordination with the Department of Justice’s COPS Office. This is the only canine encounter course endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association.
“Many conflicts can be defused or even avoided by understanding dog behavior,” said James Crosby, Director, Canine Encounters Training, NCLEAA. “Keeping officers and pets safe is the focus of the course. Large liability awards have resulted from officers needlessly using lethal force. We aim to keep the officers safe while reducing those deadly conflicts.”
The content package includes five interactive scenarios and an additional training module that covers the basics of canine behavior. All six scenarios/modules are available in VirTra’s content library for the V-300™ training simulator, and four modules are available for the V-180™ and V-100™ training simulators. The complementary training program is under final review, with an anticipated release later this year.
About NLECAA
The National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse was established by the National Sheriffs’ Association to provide law enforcement officers information on the realities of animal abuse and to promote their proactive involvement in the enforcement of animal abuse laws in their communities. Through its partners, the Center serves as an information clearinghouse and forum for law enforcement on the growing problem of animal abuse and its link to other types of crimes, including violence against humans. Additionally, the Center seeks to improve officer safety in dog encounters through continuing education and training.
About National Sheriffs’ Association
The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) is one of the largest associations of law enforcement professionals in the United States, representing more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the nation, and a total membership of more than 20,000. NSA is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of criminal justice and public safety. Throughout its 78-year history, NSA has served as an information clearinghouse for sheriffs, deputies, chiefs of police, other law enforcement professionals, state governments and the federal government.
About VirTra
VirTra is a global provider of training simulators for the law enforcement, military, educational and commercial markets. The Company’s patented technologies, software and scenarios provide intense training for de-escalation, judgmental use-of-force, marksmanship and related training that mimics real world situations. VirTra’s mission is to save and improve lives worldwide through realistic and highly-effective virtual reality and simulator technology. Learn more about the company at www.VirTra.com.
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CONTACTS:
National Sheriff’s Association
John Thompson
Deputy Executive Director / COO
1.800.424.7827
jthompson@sheriffs.org
NCLEAA
James Crosby M.S., CBCC-KA
Director, Canine Encounters Training
1.800.424.7827
jimcrosby@sheriffs.org
VirTra – Media Relations
VirTra
info@virtra.com
480-968-1488
VirTra – Investor Relations
Brett Maas
646.536.7331
vtsi@haydenir.com