Training for Law Enforcement Officers
While police are often criticized for having inadequate training, the truth is, even police officers performing the most standard tasks (like issuing parking tickets) have to go through a rigorous training phase. While films like Police Academy have lampooned the process by which police officers are trained, the training is quite strenuous, and many candidates don’t pass. Even qualifying for law enforcement training can be quite a chore, as police officers have to pass stringent background checks and jump through several hoops before being accepted.
While training, future law enforcement officers learn hundreds of valuable skills, and must pass tests that test their physical and mental limits. In addition, future police officers sometimes must test the weapons they would use on others on themselves, to understand how the weapon works and how to overcome the same threat should the situation arise. For example, it’s common for law enforcement officers to be hit with a burst of police pepper spray during training. They experience the stinging sensation and learn how to compensate for it, and also recognize how it will affect a potential attacker.