Training turns real — almost
July 10th, 2007, 8:59 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Aaron
A group of Barstow sheriff’s deputies trained early on Monday with a new piece of equipment, a shield used to protect officers as they advance into a precarious situation.
But before the training could conclude, all responded to a call where they might have employed the new equipment.
Sgt. Rob Ciolli said deputies cut training short on Monday when a call came in from Newberry Springs about an armed man who threatened to kill himself.
“We thought, ‘Wow, we’re going to have use [the shield] right now,’ ” Ciolli said. “But it did not come to that. We didn’t have an active shooter.”
After combing Newberry Springs, with deputies stopping at the post office and various locations believed to be former residences of the man, he was found inside his truck at a gas station. He had two guns, a revolver and rifle, inside the truck.
Ciolli said the man was taken into custody “for his own benefit” without incident and transported to a behavioral health facility in San Bernardino.
The man was not arrested or charged with any crime. Ciolli, however, believes the deputies saved his life by tracking him down.
“He was definitely a threat,” he said. “He would have endangered himself.”
