LONDON, Ohio — The Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) in London is giving a first look at how the state’s law enforcement officers train for life-or-death situations.
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As shown on News Center 7 at 5:30, instructors walked our crew through different search scenarios, and even showed off how to do a PIT maneuver.
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“Our main goal here at OPOTA is to train for confidence, not completion,” James Cyphers, OPOTA’s executive director, said.
Cyphers said the state’s peace officers have to get a yearly certification.
“There’s 24 CPT hours that they have to do; they’re legislative; it’s the law in Ohio, and all of those hours are accounted for and go through Ohio,” Cyphers said. “We keep track of it, and we certify everybody.”
Many of the situations officers find themselves in require quick thinking. It is why Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson says the men and women put in the street have the training they need.
“To keep themselves safe, to keep each other safe, and to keep the public that they’re in charge of protecting safe,” Wilson said.
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