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Norwalk police expand hands-on 'box training' and use-of-force instruction ahead of summer staffing changes
Summary
Commissioners heard that the department ran large-scale use-of-force and a new "box training" program in June to improve decision-making under stress; administrators said June scheduling concentrated training before summer vacations reduced officer availability.
Norwalk police told the Board of Police Commissioners on July 21 that the department ran a major set of training programs in June, including expanded use-of-force instruction and a new interactive "box training" exercise designed to expose officers to fast-moving, realistic scenarios.
Deputy Chief Denholm described the training as focused on decision-making under stress and de-escalation. The commission noted a notably high participation figure in the use-of-force elective — 44 participants compared with lower attendance numbers in other classes — and Denholm said part of the reason was scheduling: "a lot of officers go on vacation. July 1 populates new vacation days. So we try in June to wrap up a lot of training before officers start to go on vacation and aren't available."
Chief Walsh explained the box-training approach and its purpose to commissioners: "We started a new training initiative in June. It was called box training. It's quite effective, training where the officers actually get exposed to several different situations, and they have to quickly evaluate the situation and respond accordingly." He added the training uses role players and limited information to mirror real encounters and that a second phase will be offered in the fall for officers who did not attend this session.
Commissioners praised the training and asked for clarification on course titles and instructor listings in the report. Administrative reporting elsewhere in the meeting showed an 85.5% activation rate for body and dash cameras, and the department said it is preparing accreditation materials ahead of an October on-site review.
