NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News Police demonstrated their use-of-force simulator Wednesday, inviting reporters to experience firsthand the split-second decisions officers face in potentially violent situations.
With a gun in a holster on his waistband, News 3 reporter Brendan Ponton was immediately met by a man pointing a gun at him in the simulation and shot back — but not before he shot at Ponton twice.
Other scenarios were less clear-cut. In one, Ponton was confronted by a woman holding a knife to her own throat.
"In that one, I don't know the answer actually," Ponton said.
Newport News Police Sergeant Wilbur O'Berry said if that were the real world, an officer would have taken the gun out of the holster so it was ready should the woman have charged.
"You're going to do your best to talk her down. Were you comfortable being ten feet away from her with a knife?" O'Berry asked Ponton, who replied he wasn't. "Your gun was still in your holster," O'Berry replied.
In another scenario, Ponton held off from shooting when a woman searched through her bag and then produced her wallet.
Before the simulation, police briefed reporters for about an hour on the rules officers must follow when using force.
"We make split second decisions every day. For these type of situations that we put you guys through — not the typical calls for service that we have, but we put you guys through shoot-no shoot, where you only have a matter of seconds to make those decisions," O'Berry said.
Newport News police held the demonstration about two months after one of their officers was seen on video pointing a gun at an SUV at City Center. Police Chief Steve Drew later said the officer acted reasonably because the officer believed he could have been run over.
When asked whether the department organized the demonstration in response to the City Center incident, O'Berry said he was not going to address that incident specifically, but added:
"Just to show you guys there's a lot more to it than just that five to ten second snippet that you may have seen on social media," O'Berry said.
Newport News has had the training technology for about a year. Police say it is helpful for training new officers, as well as keeping veteran officers' skills sharp.
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