TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Toledo Police Department’s new recruits undergo high-stress driver training to prepare them for real-world scenarios.

This realistic training is critical because TPD officers are often involved in intense chases.

Cadets like Nicholas Boros learn to control the patrol car to slide around cones and accelerate out of corners.

Boros admits that it is not easy.

“Nearly had an accident. It’s much more demanding than normal driving because you have to constantly tell headquarters where you’re going and how fast you’re going,” Boros said. “You have to be aware of who you’re following and where people are going.”

According to TPD, the training for the cadets is intensive.

“Most of them find out they’re not as good drivers as they thought they were,” said Captain Michael Smith Jr. of the TPD. “You still have to be able to hear the radio. You have to be able to communicate clearly because we need to know what vehicle it is, what’s happening, how fast it’s going and where it is so we can send help to the area.”

The training will help officers if they are ever involved in a high-speed chase.

After a series of chases that left people dead or injured, the TPD has updated its pursuit policies. One change requires officers to continually inform their supervisors of how fast they are driving during a chase.

Supervisors then decide when to continue or discontinue a pursuit.

“They practice exceeding these speeds while working with an officer who acts as a dispatcher,” Captain Smith said.

Boros says that driving instructors encourage them to push themselves to the limit while driving so they can learn to settle into the car and concentrate.

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