TOLEDO, Ohio — With multiple police chases happening recently in Toledo, WTOL 11 got the chance to ride along on a mock pursuit with the Toledo Police Department to find out how officers are trained for pursuits.
"This is our pursuit course only. The state doesn't mandate it, but we do as a department," Tyson Phalen, an instructor with the Toledo Police Academy, said.
This course is what Toledo police cadets have to drive and pass in order to get a badge. They get points deducted for knocking down or bumping cones and going outside or off the course.
Cadets have to spend 40 hours training on pursuits. They have to get a score of at least 75% and finish within a certain time.
"The goal is to make sure they don't lose - we call it the rabbit car - the car they are chasing," Phalen said. "The goal is to keep them in sight and be able to work the lights, the sirens and cope with all the stress we are inducing on them while they're practicing good driving techniques."
While it can be an exciting or fun part of training, it's also a vital one.
"Usually the first run is not too great and by the time the second day ends, they're typically going pretty good we as instructors have to work to keep away from them, so it's a good thing," Phalen said.
TPD officials say so far this year, there have been 36 pursuits. There were 171 in all of 2021.