ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY- It's the most difficult decision for a police officer to make: When to pull the trigger.
Locally, law enforcement agencies are turning to technology to prepare for those split second decisions.
It's called Milo Range. An interactive program allowing law enforcement to train for any type of situation.
The training site has been in place at the Altoona Veterans Hospital for the last seven years, but a recent upgrade opened up new opportunities.
"As the software improved its graphics improved the whole system has moved along to the point where it actually is like doing a real life scenario," Corporal Scott Mognet of the Department of Veterans Affairs PD says.
The $23,000 upgrade was paid for by the South Central Mountain Regional Task Force.
The changes have opened the door for even more law enforcement agencies to take part in the training.
"We can to train 30 or 40 agencies throughout Blair, Somerset, Cambria, Bedford and we have the ability train almost every local agency in our area,"
What used to be just a video is now so much more. Officers can interact with the screen by using things like X-Box Kinect and decide exactly what the right decision is.
"By having a system like this you can put your people into high stress situations and make sure they're moving around, make sure they're interacting with the threat that's presented to them," Blair County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Rosenberry says.
An operator picks one of more than 600 different scenarios.
Cameras record the officers during the drill and afterwards they can watch and learn from how they reacted.
"One scenario could be played 3 different ways. The first time they might comply. The next time he can change it to an assault or he can change it right to a deadly force situation," Rosenberry says.
Local law enforcement agencies have been working with the new equipment for about two weeks. The system works with all types of weapons from tasers to long rifles.
Locally, law enforcement agencies are turning to technology to prepare for those split second decisions.
It's called Milo Range. An interactive program allowing law enforcement to train for any type of situation.
The training site has been in place at the Altoona Veterans Hospital for the last seven years, but a recent upgrade opened up new opportunities.
"As the software improved its graphics improved the whole system has moved along to the point where it actually is like doing a real life scenario," Corporal Scott Mognet of the Department of Veterans Affairs PD says.
The $23,000 upgrade was paid for by the South Central Mountain Regional Task Force.
The changes have opened the door for even more law enforcement agencies to take part in the training.
"We can to train 30 or 40 agencies throughout Blair, Somerset, Cambria, Bedford and we have the ability train almost every local agency in our area,"
What used to be just a video is now so much more. Officers can interact with the screen by using things like X-Box Kinect and decide exactly what the right decision is.
"By having a system like this you can put your people into high stress situations and make sure they're moving around, make sure they're interacting with the threat that's presented to them," Blair County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Rosenberry says.
An operator picks one of more than 600 different scenarios.
Cameras record the officers during the drill and afterwards they can watch and learn from how they reacted.
"One scenario could be played 3 different ways. The first time they might comply. The next time he can change it to an assault or he can change it right to a deadly force situation," Rosenberry says.
Local law enforcement agencies have been working with the new equipment for about two weeks. The system works with all types of weapons from tasers to long rifles.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.