Owatonna Police Department-2009 Annual Report

PATROL DIVISION TRAINING Defensive Tactics Instructors Officer Sorensen and Officer Drenth are the Defensive Tactics Instructors.

These officers have received specialized training in defensive tactics and follow the Pressure Point Control Techniques (PPCT) training curriculum. The officers not only teach the tactics but help officers understand the physiological effects of the body and how that can affect an officer’s reaction or physical response. Each year, Officer Drenth and Sorensen dedicate two full days of training to provide a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education to all sworn officers of the Owatonna Police Department. Defense Tactics Instructors also utilize scenario based training strategies to assist with training officers using a padded Redman suits. This form of stress inoculation training allows the officers to practice delivery and placement of strikes, kicks, stuns, and take down techniques that normally cannot be practiced in firearms scenario based training due to the greater probability of injury to occur. In addition, the participants can experience the human factors associated with use of force engagements; such as, increased heart rate, fatigue, exhaustion and how their body performs at different levels of deterioration.

In 2009, Officer Drenth and Sorensen certified each licensed peace officer with eight hours of defensive tactics training and an additional two hours of Taser training. Every two years these instructors need to attend a three day PPCT Instructor refresher course to maintain their instructor credentials.

Officer Drenth is the department’s in-house certified Taser instructor. Probationary Officer Joe Swenson is a new member of the ranks and is also a certified Taser Instructor from his previous agency. Swenson shadowed and assisted Officer Drenth in this years Taser re-certification course. Once every other year the Taser Instructor’s need to attend an instructor refresher course to stay current with safety, legal, warranty and equipment updates.

Because the Taser is recognized as a valuable tool to obtain subject compliance, to effect the arrest and/or to control non-compliant, potentially dangerous, aggressive, or assaultive subject(s) while minimizing injury to the officer/subject; the agency purchased additional X-26 Tasers so that each uniformed police officer/sergeant has an assigned Taser to carry on duty.