A Firearm Training Simulator system that was previously purchased by Carl Sandburg College was recently donated to the Galesburg Police Department for the use of training and developing officers.
The community college had acquired the FATS system but did not have a long-term need for it after receiving a $100,000 Innovative Bridge and Transitions grant earlier in the year from the Illinois Community College Board that led to the purchase of the Apex Officer Pro Training Simulator system.
Sandburg was funded through the grant, “VR for WR: Virtual Training Opportunities to Increase Workforce Readiness,” and will assist workforce transitions for students preparing to enter the law, public safety, corrections, and security industries through the College’s criminal justice program.
Dr. Christopher Barber, the coordinator of Sandburg’s criminal justice program, offered to donate the FATS system free of charge to the Galesburg Police Department so that its officers would have the opportunity to use the virtual reality training device.
“For years, the GPD has been a great supporter of our program, our students, and our alumni,” Barber said. “After we received our new simulator, we had less of a need to keep the FATS system for our program. It seemed like the right and easy decision to offer it to the GPD to assist its officers in their training while saving money for the city.”
Funds from the ICC grant were used to purchase the Apex Officer VR training simulator as well as additional training equipment, and classroom technology and to support faculty professional development.
