LENEXA, Kan. — The Lenexa Police Department wants to be transparent when it comes to using any type of force.
"Obviously, [use-of-force is] a controversial topic at times, throughout the country and even here locally and we just want to show folks kind of how we train our officers here at Lenexa," said Officer Danny Chavez, with the Lenexa Police Department.
When situations escalate, officers might be forced to get physical with a suspect, or resort to using deadly measures — A move some people criticize.
That's why, for the past couple years, the department has invited the public to learn about its training and use-of-force once a year.
"Our officers will be educating folks about all aspects about police use of force — that can be anything from what are our force options that we carry in our day-to-day uniform, how are we trained to use those different force options," Chavez said.
Those who attended had a different reason for coming.
"I am here with my son,” said Jason Collins, who attended the workshop. “He has expressed interest either becoming a police officer or going into the military,"
Another attendee, Kaitlyn Kile, is working toward a criminal justice degree.
"I am just looking to get involved in the community and learn as much as I can," Kile said.
In 2018, Lenexa Police used some type of force — from physical to deadly — on people nearly 50 times in the 40,000 calls they received.
"You can't take it back,” Kile said. “As soon as you pull the trigger, that's it.
One way officers train to determine when force is needed is with a simulator.
"It puts individuals in situations through the use of a firearm simulator of situations that officers may find themselves in,” Chavez said, “and then the person going through it in this case Saturday, the citizens have to decide is this a shoot situation, is this a no-shoot situation, is this something that could be deescalated?”
Collins said attending the event gave him more of an idea of what officers go through everyday.
"You just have to trust in them that they are doing the best job that they can to protect and serve," said Collins.
Both now have a better understanding when it comes to force and police officers.
"Guns are nothing to mess around with and you can easily take someones life," Kile said.
