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ATF Agents Hold A Classroom, Simulated 'Use Of Force' Training For The Media, To Better Explain Police Policy To Public

(CBS DETROIT)- A special training Tuesday on the Oakland Community College Auburn Hills campus by the ATF, was not held in the field, but a classroom, and not for their own, but for members of the media.

"On our use of force policy on Department of Justice policy, shoot no shoot scenario's something just to educated to public and media on how we train and how we react in certain situations for real in the real world," said Keith Krolczyk, ATF Detroit Acting Agent In Charge.

With tensions high between citizens and law enforcement over the use of police force in the US, Krolczyk says training like this is necessary. The media not only attended a course that explains legally why officers use force, but we were put in real life scenario's through the use of a simulator.

"Try to get the web of your hand you see the web of your hand there it's at the bottom of the gun," said an ATF agent during the media simulation training.

We were first taught how to properly hold a prop gun, then I was put into a simulated robbery situation where I was the responding officer."

"Drop the gun Drop the gun," my commands as instructed by the training agent.

In the simulation the suspect turns and shoots at the officer, something law enforcement says can happen in a split second.

"That training is the backbone of their decision-making process when there is a use of force issue when there is a time when you need to make a split second decision," said Krolczyk.

By law, the officers say force should only be used if there is an imminent threat of physical harm or death to the officer or someone else. Agents say trainings like these will continue throughout the country indefinitely.

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