Benefits of a Police Training Video: Defensive Tactics for Law Enforcement Encounters

Law enforcement training is essential to the industry and to helping police engage in safe behavior while on the job.  Videos are an essential device used in tactical law enforcement training especially in regards to teaching the role of defensive tactics that will assist officers in learning how to perform an arrest or restraint without risking their safety or the safety of the suspect. When it comes to producing a police training video, defensive tactics for law enforcement encounters are incredibly important to cover. 

Video training on defensive tactics for law enforcement encounters has a wide variety of benefits. Not only is video training safe for law enforcement, but it’s also incredibly flexible & effective. We’ve got several more benefits to share with you about using a police training video on defensive tactics to bring your law enforcement up to speed on safe encounters.

Simulated Training Video Help Law Enforcement Make Decisions Under Pressure

Today’s use of training videos goes far beyond the linear play, stop or pause features that were once considered the “norm” for video training. Non-linear video training approaches, including the use of interactive training videos to provide defensive tactical training for law enforcement, use simulated approaches to help law enforcement learn how to engage in rapid decision making under pressure. 

Simulated video training places the officer in a scenario in which surround sound and high resolution visuals are used to engage the officer in an immersive training simulation in which branching options engage the officer and encourage decision making under pressure just like would be expected in the field. Training scenarios like this provide officers with powerful exercises and skills strengthening that is based on real-life events. This helps officers to make decisions under pressure despite stress or other stimuli that can make the scenarios-based training feel incredibly real.

Video Training Allows Instructors to Hold Law Enforcement Officers Accountable

When you use a police training video, defensive tactics that law enforcement must learn can be easily monitored by instructors.  Not only can instructors see what videos an officer has engaged in and how they engaged, they can easily assign training videos and encourage additional accountability along the way. Taking accountability and training a step further, when training videos are used to teach local law enforcement about the importance of defensive tactical interactions, instructors can establish deadlines upon which videos must be completed, test employee knowledge following their engagement in a video, and provide rewards to officers that engage in tactical training videos as required.

Video Training Increases Officer Connection with Real Life Events

Officers are going to face a wide range of situations on the job that require them to use critical thinking and rapid response under pressure while they perform their jobs. Video training increases officer connection with real life events by providing realistic training that immerses the officer in an environment that is closest to that of the actual situations that they’ll face when they’re in the field.

Live action training videos are incredibly valuable in helping officers to better understand and feel directly connected with the situations that are occurring in the field. With a police training video, defensive tactics such as any of the following topics can be covered in a realistic, live-action style simulation:

• De-escalation training to help officers learn how to slow down dangerous or volatile situations to implement a safer, non-coercive solution that works for everyone involved.
• Crisis intervention training to help officers learn how to respond to a crisis without further risking the lives of themselves, other emergency service providers, or the victims.
• Active threat assessment training to help officers understand how to engage in volatile situation, gauge potential danger, and predict the next steps in the process of creating a safe outcome for the public, other officers, and anyone involved.

Of course, many other forms of officer training can also be provided via live action video depending on the defensive tactics that are required and the unique scenarios relative to the law enforcement agency.

Video Presents Unique Challenges & Improves Officer Retention

When it comes to office training, there are additional benefits in regards to the ability for improved officer retention with a police training video.  Defensive tactics for law enforcement that are taught with video are more likely to be recalled by an officer later on, largely thanks to the improved officer retention that comes as a result of this decision or choice to utilize video training over in-classroom training, textbook training or other training formats. 

Officers that engage in defensive tactics training are encouraged to maximize their skills through multiple forms of training including video, simulation, in-classroom training, textbook style training, and of course on-the-job training, too. Ultimately, long-term retention and improved overall understanding of various tactical concepts are common benefits of a police training video. Defensive tactics that are learned through the use of video, in addition to various other initiatives help officers to become stronger, more sophisticated professionals in the field.