Scenario Training

It is the policy of the Portage Department of Public Safety to organize and administrate an agency training component that is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of training programs designed to develop employees' knowledge, skills and abilities as they relate to the performance of job tasks.  A goal of this department is the implementation of training that achieves the following: 

• Provides job-related training for all department members
• Prepares employees to act decisively and correctly in a broad spectrum of situations
• Enhances employee productivity and effectiveness through greater job knowledge
• Fosters cooperation and unity of purpose among department members through common training and
• Provides for specialization, promotional opportunities, and general safety for employees and those they come in contact with.

A segment of the training provided to officers is scenario-based training. Scenario-based learning is a way of teaching or helping practice a skill using interactive and problem-based contexts. This strategy usually involves officers working their way through a problem. In the process, they must apply their prior experience, subject knowledge, critical thinking, and problem solving skills in a risk-free and “close-to real-world” environment. This allows them to acquire the necessary skills needed to deal with similar problems they may encounter.