Omaha Police Union Article

I would first like to thank the Union, The Shield and the Omaha Police Academy for the opportunity to voice our training knowledge monthly in the Shield.

As some of you may – or may not – know, I am now the Emergency Vehicle Operation (EVO) Instructor in the Training Academy. I took the position approximately six months ago. I am truly thrilled to have the opportunity to train current officers on the department and new officers coming into the Omaha police family. In this article I am going to share some goals we have in mind for future EVO training.

You may be one of several officers on the department that has not had any driver training since your time in the academy. Unfortunately, we have lacked a place to conduct driver training. We have tried to find locations to train (like Glenwood, Iowa) without having to travel to Grand Island (as we do with every academy class). FINALLY we will have our OWN TRACK!!!! We are in the final stages of our new driving track at the new training facility. The new track is 7/8^th of a mile and has what is being called an "Urban Driving" area. This is to include a center lane that will be 48ft. wide, outside lanes that are 24ft. wide, and areas poured that will replicate alleys, cul-de-sacs, driveways, and several varying intersections. Also included at the new track is a "Skills Pad". The Skills Pad is 400 x 400 feet. The entire track is going to be concrete and will provide us the opportunity to do some complete driver training.

So as long as I have your attention….we are recruiting EVO Instructors, so please step us and assist in training new recruits as well as seasoned officers….sign up for EVO Instructor! The order should be out soon! (In the spirit of training we are planning on conducting a department wide in-service for EVO. This will be at our new facility late this summer or early fall.)

While we are on the topic of driving I would like to discuss the system of driving used by the Omaha Police Department. We currently use the system of driving called S.I.P.D.E. This is a method of driving that assists the officer in gathering sensory information to process and perceive a clear, complete, and accurate mental and sensory picture of a driving situation.

*S=Search. The driver should be performing a systematic search for information and cues within and about the current driving situation. Searching ahead, behind and on both sides of the vehicle. The driver should maintain road position by using reference points as far ahead on the road as possible and steer toward it. The driver periodically scans the traffic scene and vehicle instruments.

*I=Identify. The driver should be conditioned to identify situations that may become hazardous, distinguishing all the data supplied through the sensory process and determining what may be important to the driving task.

*P=Predict. After identifying a potentially hazardous situation the driver must predict what could happen if conditions continue to develop. The driver must anticipate future activity in the total scene that may be important to the safe operation of the emergency vehicle.

*D=Decide. The driver should direct and control the vehicle’s involvement in the traffic environment. Since the driver has predicted what might happen a course of action has to be decided.

*E=Execute. This simply means avoiding collisions. The driver should carry forth the decision, utilize driving skills and maintain vehicle and personal safety. Hopefully this will help you in your day-to-day driving tasks.

I am looking forward to working with each of you during the upcoming in-service. EVO

training is a high priority to the training staff. It is no secret that the way officers are dying is certainly changing as we are seeing a significant increase in vehicle-related deaths to officers nationwide. So while you are out on the streets, take care of yourself and one another, and remember to stay safe.

See you on the track!

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