Simunition Training

[Drummadude]

I didn't want to bump the year old threads about this, but this week our department is training all of the officers with an Active Shooter Scenario training, for a school shooting.

I helped out for 4 hours. First we had a 40 minute powerpoint, basically pointing out the mistakes in the Columbine shooting (46 agencies, 900 officers (who had parked their cars all over, blocking ambulances and such), and 5 different command posts with 5 different OIC's trying to run the whole thing.)

For three scenarios, I just acted as a victim, and twice, the training officers wanted us to test the officers' reactions as a bunch of helpless scared students ran towards the police formation.

But then, they let me and the other volunteers (they weren't explorers, and they lived in a different city) do a building search of the hall. I was the back right flank, and me and the front right flank went into to clear a classroom. Immediately we got shot at, with Simunitions. There was no cover, and barely any concealment from the gunfire. I shot only about 3 rounds until the bad guy gave up, after shooting me in the forearm twice. Of course, this is a cop versus an explorer with no weapons training (only a .22 rifle at camp 3 years ago), so my shots probably were like 5 feet above him.

Still, I think Simunitions are the best training tool that I've used. They are loud, and the gunpowder makes it smell like the fourth of July, which could be realistic for a real school shooting.

Tomorrow, which I will be helping out with too, they said they will try to put the fire alarms on the test mode and do other stuff to make it seem realistic, and chaotic.

[CelicaGuy]

Sounds like you had a good time. Don't worry the more you work with the simunitons the more you hate not being able to use them more often. I used to love painballing, but, since using the simunitions I don't like paintballing as much because the balls never fly stright, the bullets do...lol.:D:p

[acreature]

Still, I think Simunitions are the best training tool that I've used

Our Agency has been doing Simunitions Training for several years; Active Shooter, Traffic Stop, Call Response, etc etc. Can't beat it without using real lead.

[7mmMag]

Tomorrow, which I will be helping out with too, they said they will try to put the fire alarms on the test mode and do other stuff to make it seem realistic, and chaotic.

When we went through active shooter training in April, the instructors put over the intercom at the school we were in a looped recording of kids screaming, fire alarm going, and other disturbing noise. It was quite the experience.

[counihan]

We are actually doing simunition training tomorrow and Wednesday...should be interesting.

Graduation is Friday :D

[Drummadude]

When we went through active shooter training in April, the instructors put over the intercom at the school we were in a looped recording of kids screaming, fire alarm going, and other disturbing noise. It was quite the experience.

They put some creepy music........and for some reason 80's rock and roll on the intercom, but they had to stop because it was also going through the outside megaphones.

[BP348]

Our Agency has been doing Simunitions Training for several years; Active Shooter, Traffic Stop, Call Response, etc etc. Can't beat it without using real lead.

+1...

[Group9]

We use it a lot and I think it is some of the most valuable training you get.

Make sure you get a turn as a bad guy, because it is worth it just to see things from the perspective of the scumbag. It opened my eyes more than anything else on just what you face from a perp who makes a decision to try and kill you.

It also teaches you how quick your accuracy goes to hell when rounds are coming FROM your target, and the paint balls hurt enough that no one is going to just stand and take them (we used to wear our vests, but they made us stop years ago because the fear of getting hit and it hurting is part of what makes it more realistic).

[Drummadude]

I asked to be the shooter, but they wouldn't let me. The bad guy was always a gold badged cop.

Okay, what was really scary today, was that the CSI photographer, is a sergeant with a gun. He's this like 65 year old guy, and based on what happened today, I don't think I would want to be near him when he has a real gun, to be blunt.

Even after the safety officers screamed "SAFETY!" to stop the roleplay, this guy was still pointing his gun at the other roleplayers (I was the only other one, but behind him grabbing my carotid -- thank god). He was tensing his muscles, and his legs were even tensing up and moving. I was only about 3 feet from him and I said "Hey man, SAFETY!". He didn't even respond. It scared me. I gestured to the safety officer and they had to like scream at him a ton of times for him to realize.

Nothing really against the guy, but frankly, I didn't think he should have had a gun.

I didn't even know a photographer would have a gun. He usually always has a camera and tripod, taking pictures of the teen academy, police memorial, and crime scenes, but this was just scary, and it was only Simunitions.

In the dark hallway with Hell's Bells playing, today's group was the first people that actually used their flashlights.

And, as playing the kid who just got shot in the carotid, right when they were approaching I started moaning and saying "Come on dude, help me" and then I slouched up, but they actually had me get back down. The others didn't.
They're not supposed to focus on the victims, really, but I still found it nice. It was a female officer, though. (Women usually have more compassion)

Eh it was fun, but tomorrow at 7 PM, I'm taking to the skies to California!

[freshgirl]

(Women usually have more compassion)

That line just made me giggle :p

[Sierra]

Okay, what was really scary today, was that the CSI photographer, is a sergeant with a gun. He's this like 65 year old guy ...

I didn't even know a photographer would have a gun.

Of course he would, he's CSI! He can take crime scene photos, process his own evidence, interrogate suspects, etc. Why would he not have a weapon?!?!? Haven't you ever seen CSI? They do it all the time! (hmmmm....Jorga Fox (insert drooling smilie here))

[nikon]

I did sims this past week for 12 hrs. Fun time but I got double tapped in the face

[Taxx]

We did a school takeover scenario last summer. They had smoke machines that put out enough stuff to make it look like some round had been fired in the hallway. Fire alarm lights were blinking. It was good to work in formations through the hallways and entry into rooms. I never got shot (thank gawd, cuz it hurts) but I did get a chance to cap a few "bad" guys. The only bad thing was they didn't have enough face protection to go around so only the bad guy wore it. We entered into a class room with about 20 "students"/actors huddled in the corner with 3 bad guys. Besides the only ones wearing face protection and having guns in their hands (and bulky clothing) it was easy to tell who we were suppose to shoot.

[JakeLock]

What is a simunition? Do you all mean simulation? I'm just confused...

I know what a munition is, hell I've been building them for over 6 years... I've just never heard the term simunition. Submunition yeah, but that's a whole other ball of wax...

[Group9]

What is a simunition? Do you all mean simulation? I'm just confused...

I know what a munition is, hell I've been building them for over 6 years... I've just never heard the term simunition. Submunition yeah, but that's a whole other ball of wax...

Simmunition is a brand name, but I think a couple of other people make the same thing. It is a real round of ammunition, only with a plastic casing, full of dyed soap. The plastic casing is already scored to make it easier to open and the rounds carry a very small powder charge (how much depending on which caliber).

They can be fired in real guns with modified chambers and barrels and recoil springs in them (only to prevent a real round from being mixed up with the simmunition and fired by accident. Most agencies now, either buy Simmunition specific guns (painted blue) or take old guns and convert them and paint them blue, but there was a time when Simmunitions were brand new, that we would take our duty guns and put in the Simmunition barrels for training (not a very good idea). I think a few accidental shootings with real rounds during Simunition training around the country put a stop to that practice.

The beauty of Simmunitions is that you are using real guns, optimally the same type you carry, and that simmunitions can be very accurate, at least out to a certain distance.

The downside is they are not cheap, and most people coudn't afford them to play games with the system like with paintballs, and a lot of smaller agencies can't afford them either.