To enhance their operational capabilities, multiple Douglas County emergency response teams recently seized the opportunity for an unusual training session. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Special Teams came together with South Metro Fire Rescue and CommonSpirit Health at a soon-to-be-demolished building, offered by CommonSpirit, for a range of critical exercises. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the vacant 300,000 square foot building provided the ideal environment for SWAT, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, K9, and Crisis Negotiators to drill intensively in scenarios from building clearing to suspect apprehension.
While usually training in the same familiar locations can be limiting, this unique setting presented the teams with new challenges. As Sheriff Darren Weekly described, "Typically, we train in the same area or buildings. So getting a change of scenery, not just for the operators to give them different problems to solve, but also for the dogs," as per the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. With the dogs benefiting from a different place to do their jobs, this experience is designed to enhance emergency services across the board. "This translates into us giving better service and keeping our community safe because of a higher level of training we are able to give to our staff."
CommonSpirit Health, eager to lay the groundwork for a new medical campus, found in this collaboration a way to contribute to public safety before bidding farewell to the structure. Expressing gratitude for this providential partnership, CommonSpirit Chief Strategy Officer Audre Bagnall emphasized the mutual commitment to the well-being of the community. "Before the building comes down, we want to make the most of the existing space and we are thankful it provides an important opportunity for our partners with the Sheriff’s Office," Bagnall affirmed, as obtained by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
