Officers take training to new heights at Collingwood Grain Terminals
Officers from across the province are making use of Collingwood's iconic grain terminals to learn potentially lifesaving skills.
The Ontario Tactical Advisory Body is hosting a three-day tactical workshop at the grain terminals.
Officers from across Ontario are repelling off the iconic structures, learning how to respond to crises at high altitudes.
"Often we're called, people will put themselves in perilous positions, and we have to go rescue them," said Sgt. Eric Reiner of the Toronto Police Service. "Fire does a fantastic rescue as well, but we go help people that don't want to be rescued, or if they put themselves up, you can't negotiate with someone on a bullhorn that's way, way up there. So we'll actually get up to them, and we can commence a negotiation process for deescalating a situation."
Over the last five years, Reiner said those types of calls had more than tripled, meaning the skills officers are learning in Collingwood are needed now more than ever.
Four officers serve as instructors, leading the hands-on course for eight of their colleagues, many coming from different police services.
"I think it's got to be sometimes the trust that goes into it," said one of the four instructors, Const. Doug McLellan of the Barrie Police Service. "Just trusting yourself, trusting your equipment, trusting the knowledge you have. But I think everything comes with experience. Once you get some experience behind you and you get to know what you are doing, that it just builds your confidence and it makes it really easy."
Along with learning to repel safely, the officers learn how to multitask and operate necessary equipment while responding to a crisis.
"They have a multitude of things to do, not just be lowered or lower themselves on a line, but they may have to prevent somebody from jumping so that means they have to access a conducted energy weapon where they might have to deploy that on that person to save their life," said Joseph Sanghi, the president of the Ontario Tactical Advisory Body.
One of the students this year is Cons. Bryan McKean of the Guelph Police Service. While using these skills means a crisis is at hand, which may not be a good thing, McKean said he'll feel ready to use them when needed.
"Obviously, you don't want to have to have that call, but in the same sense, you do because you want to put your training into use, and I feel confident that if somebody needs us, we can safely protect that person and ourselves."
The training will continue at the grain terminals on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.