INDIANAPOLIS (WISH)- Community members without law enforcement experience participated in immersive, staged scenarios designed to reflect real-world situations faced by police officers. A routine traffic stop swiftly escalated, requiring participants to react instantly to unfolding events.

Before entering Hershyville, the department’s training village, the group received an hour-long briefing on the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s use-of-force policies, de-escalation techniques, and the various factors officers must evaluate before applying force.

“This training offers community members a valuable opportunity to engage directly with officers. It also helps u...