As the men and women of the 169th class of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department's Regional Police Academy continue training that began in February, 41 Action News was granted a peek into the process for preparing hopeful law enforcement officers for their careers.
IT'S THE CRY FROM THEPEOPLE -- POLICEREFORM.PROTESTERS HAVE MADETHEIR MESSAGE KNOWNOVER THE LAST COUPLEOF MONTHS -- DEMANDINGMORE TRANSPARENCY ANDTRAINING FOR THOSE WHOWEAR THE UNIFORM.TONIGHT -- WE GO BEHINDTHE SCENES AS KANSASCITY POLICE PREPARE ITSNEXT GENERATION OFOFFICERS.IN A STORY YOU WILLONLY SEE HERE -- 41ACTION NEWS REPORTERANDRES GUTIERREZREVEALS THE LESSONSTHESE RECRUITS ARELEARNING.THESE ARE.......THE MEN AND WOMENOF THE 169TH CLASS OFTHE KANSAS CITYMISSOURI POLICEDEPARTMENT ACADEMY.I've got to see progression.THEIR TRAINING BEGANBACK IN FEBRUARY...AND ARE ABOUT SHOW USWHAT WHAT'VE LEARNED.Dakota Lewis/Entrant OfficerI don't think a lot of peoplerealize the amount of hourswe put in When we're offwhen we're done with theacademy at the end of theday, it's more hours of workafter that.
We truly eat andsleep this job right now.IN MISSOURI, A BASICREQUIREMENT OF THOSELOOKING TO BECOME APOLICE OFFICER IS 600HOURS OF TRAINING.BUT K-C-P-D DOES JUSTOVER ONE-THOUSANDHOURS.you guys are fully capable ofhandling these calls.THE CLASSROOMINSTRUCTION IS WEAVEDWITH HANDS-ON TRAINING.Juan Garcia/Entrant Officer"It's really realistic, youknow,getting on the radio, knowingthe procedures, what to sayon the radio, focusing on themovement inside the car..."AT THE END OF EVERYQUARTER THEY PUT IT ALLINTO PRACTICE...WHERE ACTORS PLAYCRIMINALS... VICTIMS...ANDCALLING PARTIES"building check call.
Theentering officer is going to bedispatched on an intrusionalarmCaptain Brian Bartch/Kansas CityMissouri Police DepartmentThese recruits are going bemaking mistakes it's part ofthe learning process and so atthis point in time for them tobe open minded and duringthe critique, ask questions ifthey have questionsTHIS ROUND OF'PRACTICAL EXERCISES'HAS ONE REFLECTINGCURRENT EVENTS.Get off of me!
Stop resisting!Get off me!
I didn't do sh getoff me!
Owwww owwww stopstopHOW TO AVOID A KNEE ONTHE NECK.IT'S WHAT A MINNEAPOLISPOLICE OFFICER DID TOGEORGE FLOYD - WHOULTIMATELY DIED WHILE INCUSTODY.Armon Rodgers/Entrant OfficerIt took me a second to realize,hey, he had his knee overthere.
I was like, hey, whydoes he have his knee?
Is henot in handcuffs?
Is he is hestill struggling to gain controlover his head and then seeingthat he had handcuffs I waslike, Okay, let me shift focus'you need to get off of him'.And then when it continue thesuspect continue to have thatverbal altercation with theofficer.
I was like, 'Okay, now,you being part of the problem'Let me just have you politelystep over to the side so I cantalk to youRafael Torres Castillo/EntrantOfficerI knew that the officer he washyped up I mean, he wasn'treally rational all the time.
SoImean, I was like I'm probablyhave to take control thesituationCaptain Brian Bartch/Kansas CityMissouri Police DepartmentSo our main objective is thatthe recruits the officersintervene, take control thesubject and get the rightarresting officer away, givehim a chance to calm downand sort of de-escalate thesituationTHIS TRAINING COMES ASTHE POLICEDEPARTMENT'S TACTICSARE UNDER SCRUTINY --WITH MANY CALLING FORMORE REFORM, TRAININGAND TRANSPARENCY.Captain Brian Bartch/Kansas CityMissouri Police Departmentwith the past couple months,obviously, we've identifiedareas where we can alwaysimprove//whether it's atechnique or whether it's athought process, whether it'sthe way we look at ethicaldecision making, there'salways areas where we canimproveAndres Gutierrez/Reporting/Eventually all these individualexercises will be put togetherat the end of August duringfour days called situationaltraining, where these recruitswill be doing these exercisesback to back just beforegraduation.Dakota Lewis/Entrant Officer/The community, they mighthave their doubts of us entrantofficers coming into this lawenforcement, and in this toughtime right now, but we talkabout it every day.
This is aneveryday discussion, how wecan be better as officers.
Andso we are here for thecommunityIN KANSAS CITY.
ANDRESGUTIERREZ.
41 ACTIONNEWS.YOU