Sheriff’s office acquires driving simulators for law enforcement

Government

Pictured: L-R: Barancik Foundation CEO Teri Hansen, Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman, Longboat Key City Manager Tom Harmer, and Longboat Key Police Chief George Turner. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office.

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce the acquisition of two state-of-the-art driving simulators. L3Harris’ PatrolSim Law Enforcement Driving Simulator provides hands-on, experiential training for emergency first responders, providing a real-world experience with no risk to people or equipment. The purchase of the simulators was made possible by a $240,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The simulators are replicas of real utility vehicle compartments, and the size, weight, turning radius, tires and suspension characteristics can be modified to simulate any emergency vehicle. They are able to present drivers with changing weather conditions, traffic densities, lighting settings and several other external factors to provide the most realistic experience possible. The simulators will improve driver training and help reduce accidents, improve fuel efficiency, and limit maintenance and damage to fleet vehicles.

Pictured: L-R: Barancik Foundation CEO Teri Hansen, Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman, Longboat Key City Manager Tom Harmer, and Longboat Key Police Chief George Turner. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office.