Members of Regina Police Service Emergency Services teams will be conducting training in Regina tomorrow: Tuesday, December 12, 2017, together with personnel from Saskatchewan Polytechnic and STARS air ambulance. This advisory is being issued in order to reassure members of the public that the sight of police members in tactical gear, numerous police vehicles, and a STARS helicopter at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Regina campus, Parkway Building, 4635 Wascana Pky, tomorrow (December 12th) is part of scenario-based training. This training exercise will commence at approximately 8:45 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 2:00 p.m.
Realistic, scenario-based training is conducted regularly by Regina Police Service Emergency Services teams. The scenario at Saskatchewan Polytechnic will include members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Crisis Negotiators and Explosive Disposal teams, as well STARS personnel, and students in the Paramedic and Aboriginal Policing Preparation programs at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Emergency preparedness is a critical component of public safety; these are skills and tactics that require regular training, integrated with partner agencies, to produce an effective response to crisis, when/if needed. Members of the public will see several police vehicles, including specialty vehicles like the Explosive Disposal Unit truck; a helicopter, and numerous emergency response personnel at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Students and staff at the educational institution have been advised of the training through e-mail, signage and other internal communications. Training scenarios never use live ammunition and in the unlikely event that a real emergency situation develops, members of the public and media would be notified immediately.
In order to keep the scenario as realistic as possible, there will be limited opportunities for media agencies to have access; however, Sgt. Casey Ward of the Regina Police Service, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, will be available for a brief media scrum at the start of the exercise at 8:45 a.m., in front of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Parkway Building, 4635 Wascana Pky. Sgt. Ward will be joined by Mr. Darcy McKay, flight paramedic and clinical operations manager, STARS; and Wally Hurlbert, Health, Safety and Security director at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Likewise there will be a similar media availability at the end of the exercise (before de-briefing) at approximately 2:30 p.m. in the same location.
The Regina Police Service is grateful to the administration, faculty, staff and students of Saskatchewan Polytechnic for their assistance in staging this training exercise. RPS also thanks STARS air ambulance for their participation and expertise. The Regina Police Service is also grateful to Regina residents for their continued trust and cooperation. This collaborative approach to training and preparedness truly reflects the Regina Police Service Vision: “Working Together to Keep Regina Safe”.