Cook County sheriff recruits team up with seniors for training exercises

RIVER GROVE, Ill. - Police recruits in the Cook County Sheriff’s Department are receiving hands-on experience with a little help from an unexpected source—senior citizens.

As part of the STARs training program, older volunteers play the role of crime victims in scenario-based exercises, bringing real-life challenges to probationary officers before they officially hit the streets.

Inside a room at Triton College, 19 community elders, including Vaughn Wells, have volunteered to help recruits like Pablo Guerrero practice their crime-fighting skills. The volunteers take their roles seriously, with some even bringing props to enhance the realism of the scenarios.

The recruits face a variety of situations drawn from real police reports, including scenarios involving citizens who are hearing impaired, haven’t been heard from in a while, or are living alone and feeling isolated. Field training officers observe the recruits’ responses, offering feedback on their communication, use of software systems, and report writing.

Cook County Sheriff's Department Chief of Police Leo P. Schmitz stressed the importance of this type of hands-on training, particularly for new officers who may not have faced these situations before.

"Training is a big, big need for police officers these days," Schmitz said. "The training scenarios that we go through help the officers deal with situations they haven’t dealt with before."

The program, which started in 2017, was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since resumed. The 21 officers participating in the program this week will be on the job in just a few days.