Citizen trooper academy: ‘routine’ traffic stop
By: ABC6 News Staff
Reporting By: Melissa Randall
@MRandallABC6
For the past six weeks civilian trooper recruits have been learning the ropes of law enforcement along side the Rhode Island State Police. The training course gives private citizens an inside look at the difficult job of the men and women who protect our cities and towns. ABC6 News anchor Melissa Randall is a recent graduate of academy and shares her experience with so-called ‘routine’ traffic stops:
First you hear the siren then see the flashing lights. You’re being pulled over. Many of us have been there, but not from this point of view. The Rhode Island State Police inviting me to walk in the troopers shoes as part of the citizens academy.
The class allows for an up close look at some of the unique challenges of car stops on the states highways. The individuals my partner and I are pulling over are actually troopers acting out situations they’ve come across on the job.
In one attempt a man approaches the car from the street, insisting that the woman we’ve pulled over is his wife. We explain he needs to step away from the vehicle at which point the man takes out a camera phone and begins recording the traffic stop. Out of concern for my partner’s safety I focus on what’s happening, momentarily forgetting about the woman behind the wheel. She takes off on foot. Eventually Trooper Meredith Zenowich, who was playing the role of the female driver, returns to explain where I’d gone wrong
“I was waiting to see whether or not you completely diverted your attention to this situation. And if you hadn’t I would have stayed right here,” she explained.
I’d try again on another night. Stopping the car and talking with the driver for a while, even noticing that something seemed a little off. I was prepared to send her on her way when Trooper Kris Lagor showed us what I missed. A replica gun, bright blue in color, sitting there the entire stop.
“You’re so focused with dealing with the context of the stop that you’ve kind of got tunnel vision. You’re so busy thinking about what it is you are trying to do next, so it’s just diverted attention,” explained Lagor.
The tunnel vision I experienced as a civilian ‘recruit’ is something real state police work very hard to avoid. That’s done through extensive training, both during the academy and throughout their careers.
Thursday night at 11 ABC6 News takes a closer look at some of the split second decisions troopers have to make including the use of deadly force as Melissa try’s out the ‘shoot or don’t shoot’ fire arms training simulator.
(C) WLNE-TV 2015
