It has always been a drag to find simulated weapons or contraband with which to train officers in searching or frisking techniques. Real items (box cutters, folding knives, guns) expose trainees to risks. Even if polymer, non-firing replica guns are used, the cost is high.
Jim Boydd has developed a low-cost alternative for police and court officer training: Pat-Down Props that are sold through Setcan.
These yellow, molded-plastic training props simulate 16 pieces of weapons or contraband per package. Everything is offered — from a cell phone, a folded pocketknife, a marijuana pipe, brass knuckles, a small semi-auto pistol and revolver, to a plastic hypodermic needle, a razor blade and more.
These items can be concealed on trainees or role-players during training sessions.
My own experience as an instructor while teaching frisking and searching is that if props are secreted on role-players and punishment (in our case, push-ups) are meted out for failure to find the simulated contraband, then the cadet will focus a little more intently on trying to find the simulated weapons, criminal tools, drugs or paraphernalia. This translates well to the street, where death may result from poorly conducted searches.
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The Pat-Down Props come complete with aluminum tape that can be affixed to points on the contraband where metal is attached. This allows court and transport officers to train with metal detector wands. Using my Metal-Tec street metal detector, which vibrates when passed over a metallic object, each one of the items could be located, including the simulated hypodermic needle.
The Pat-Down Props could also be used to train officers or security personnel assigned to X-ray scanners at police stations or courthouses.
Setcan’s Pat-Down Props are available in a single 16-piece package, a double package with 32 pieces and an academy package with 64 pieces.
For more information on the Pat-Down Props, please visit setcan.com or call 866-353-5055.
