WEST JORDAN, Utah — Several members of a Brazilian Police Department are in Utah, working to learn and grow with the West Jordan Police Department.
Members from both departments are attending a specialized police training school at Camp Williams where over a series of two weeks, they'll run through a series of SWAT scenarios.
"It's called the basic tactical operators course," explained Sgt. Andrew Hercules with WJPD. "This is the school where officers from around the state, attend basic SWAT school."
Cops from the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre joined in on the training this time after looking for a SWAT school in America where they could train with US officers to validate the tactics they're currently using.
Learning goes both ways, with West Jordan officers getting just as much from interacting with a department that's half a world away.
"One of the reasons why this worked out great for us was we were also hoping to learn some of their tactics," Hercules explained. "Some of the things that the police department in Brazil does for their SWAT team."
One of the exercises officers complete is repelling.
"They may be in a situation, there may be an incident where officers are required to know how to do, how to repel," Hercules explained. "Another benefit of the repelling his team building."
Being suspended in mid-air in full tactical gear can be frightening but it also provides the opportunity for officers to prove they can push through mental and physical barriers.
Exercises and training for the two departments will continue over the next week and after that, officers will return to their communities to continue to protect and serve with more knowledge and confidence.
