Police Put Public on the Firing Line

The public will get a chance to walk in the shoes of police officers today in Calabasas.

In an attempt to give civilians a feel for police work, the Lost Hills station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has set up several sample scenarios in which visitors will act as police officers, complete with uniforms and guns loaded with blanks.

“It’s to give the public some idea of what law enforcement is all about and to understand the kind of thought process that goes on when police are faced with situations,” Deputy Joe Grasso said.

The role-playing and demonstrations will replace the tours and displays the station usually provides at its open house.

The displays were “boring,” Grasso said. “We wanted people to have input, to have a good time instead.”

Today’s open house is expected to draw about 300 people. Participants will be selected at random to take part in four scenarios, conducted on the station grounds with the help of civilian actors.

The mock police officers will be called upon to deal with a burglary in progress, a family dispute, a vehicle pullover and a “shoot, don’t shoot” exercise in which they will watch slides depicting conflict scenarios and make split-second decisions on whether or not to fire their guns, Grasso said.

A discussion period will follow each exercise.

Grasso said the officers hope the demonstrations will help boost understanding of the stress involved in police work.

“We are going to make mistakes, and if we do, we deserve whatever punishment we get. But we can only be effective as law enforcement if we have cooperation of the public and understanding,” he said. He said the general public has gleaned incorrect impressions of police work from films and television.

The open house is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Lost Hills station at 27050 W. Agoura Road.