Training police offers to use deadly force

10/30/2008

BY AUDREY ADADE

Editor's note: Minuteman reporter Audrey Adade joined Fairfield police officers, at their outdoor firearms range, recently, for an exclusive look at the Fairfield Police Department's week-long firearms training.

All 108 Fairfield police officers participate in the training, which takes place once per year on the 100-yard Sergeant James Covanaugh Firearms Range.

The state's Police Officer Standards Training Council (POST) requires that police officers complete 60 hours of training every three years for police officers' certification.

Within the three years, officers have to cover a certain amount of hours of firearms training
.
In firearms, the Fairfield Police Department exceeds the standards set forth by POST in that the department conducts firearms training at least three times annually. Specialized units partake in firearms training even more times per year.

"The type of firearms training that we do is much more reality based than what is minimally required we do," Lieutenant Michael Walsh said.

Walsh is the Fairfield Police department's training manager and has been with the department for 26 years.

Sergeant Edward Greene, Fairfield police senior firearms instructor, said every year, the department incorporates three types of training: static training, dynamic training and interactive based scenario training.

The week-long training encompasses all three forms of firearms training, as well as use of force training, led by use of force instructor, Detective Hector Irizarry, who has been with the Fairfield Police Department for 10 years.

Fairfield police officers received police asp baton training. The department conducts refresher training in the use of asp batons on an annual basis.

"It's an awesome responsibility to train police officers to use force, especially deadly force," Fairfield Police Chief David Peck said. Chief Peck, a former firearms instructor, has been with the department for 30. "We take it very seriously, and we want to make sure that whatever we are doing, when it comes to any type of deadly force, we are doing it properly and for the right reasons."

There are three firearms instructors in the Fairfield Police Department. In addition to Greene, who has served in the department for 15 years, are Officer James Wiltsie, who has been with the department for 8 years, and Sergeant Keith Broderick, who has served in the department for 15 years.

"We are extremely fortunate, as many police departments are, that we have very motivated and qualified instructors," Chief Peck said. "We have had outstanding instructors over the years. But, the current group of instructors is, in my personal opinion, as good as, if not better, than any of the ones we have ever had. I am extremely proud of the instructors that we have here."