Local officers undergo advanced training investigating head trauma; Cadets exposed to pepper spray, tasers

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on May 24, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

Two investigators for the Medicine Hat Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Section recently attended a workshop that focuses on investigating abusive head trauma in infants and children that offered training on types of head injuries as police deal with investigations involving violence toward children.

The workshop, held in April in Calgary, is one of several advanced training sessions aimed at providing local police with the skills to become subject-matter experts and better perform their duties protecting the public.

“As they (officers) advance in these units they really get into some specific training and it really turns them into subject-matter experts and just increases their confidence,” said Insp. Joe West during a police commission meeting held Wednesday evening. “I thought this was a really good example of some very specific training for a specific unit.”

Additionally in April, one police firearms instructor attended a Methods of Instruction course that provides guidance to instructors about several different types of learning and presentation styles aimed at improving the quality of training within the MHPS.

West said the course is taught by a 34-year veteran on the Calgary Police Service who is considered an expert in firearms training.

“Subject matter expert, this guy (Ret. Insp. Chris Butler) has written use-of-force expert opinions, very competent, put on a training course about adult learning and really how to drive these hard skills home to adult learners,” said West, who explained to the commission that these involved the officer safety unit and control tactics and firearms.

Cadet training

It was a busy training month in April for five police cadets who have about six weeks lefts in their 24-week incentive police training program.

Last month cadets covered several key policing topics surrounding impaired driving investigations, and received an introduction into the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act.

Cadets were trained in sudden-death investigations, search warrant writing, sexual assault investigations, and were introduced to digital forensics.

Additionally cadets continued control tactics training that included being exposed to the effects of pepper spray and a taser.

“The actual exposure to both of these intermediate weapons allowed the recruits to understand the full effects that these provide and show them that they have the ability to work through an exposure, which can often happen during a real-life deployment,” reads April’s Investigation and Support Service Highlight report.

The cadets also completed their mid-term fitness testing that included an agility run, timed shuttle run, 300m sprint, push ups, chin ups, sit-ups and a 1.5 mile run.

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