The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT) had the opportunity to attend and compete in a competition and training event called the Mock Prison Riot. Held every spring at the decommissioned West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville, the Mock Prison Riot features hands-on training and technology exposure to corrections, law enforcement, military, and public safety practitioners from around the world. At the Mock Prison Riot, exhibitors and operators work together in a living, breathing environment, continually pushing the envelopes of tactics and technology.
Competitions for the teams involved achieving specific objectives during a scenario through teamwork, tactical decisions, practical application of skills. The CCSO CERT team finished in 18th place overall of 31 teams that competed in the competition. Once the competition ends, the Mock Riot training begins.
During the mock riot, there are vendors on hand displaying and demonstrating their gear and they allow teams to use some of the equipment on a trial basis. Local residents and members from competing teams volunteer to role play as inmates for training scenarios, set up and staged for each team to test their tactics. The entire CERT team was able to attend training in Crisis Intervention, Hostage Negotiation Techniques, Dynamic Cell Extractions, Dealing with Mental Illness, OC Certifications and Re-certifications.
The final competition of the Mock Riot, the Iron Operator Challenge, was hosted by the National Tactical Officers Association. This competition consisted of a series of physical tests, challenging the will and fitness levels of each individual operator competing. CDFC Benson Prosper represented the CCSO CERT team in the competition, placing 5th overall out of over 40 operators from around the world.
For more information on this event go to http://www.mockprisonriot.org/
Well done Officers!!!