GALESBURG, IL - A retired police SUV is getting a second life as a hands-on training tool for students exploring careers in law enforcement.
Galesburg approved the donation of a retired 2013 Ford Explorer patrol vehicle to the Galesburg Area Vocational Center's law enforcement program, KWQC reported. Instead of being sold at an auction, the SUV will be used by students as part of hands-on training exercises designed to give them a better understanding of what a career in law enforcement entails.
Officials at the vocational center said the SUV will be used for activities like vehicle searches, crime scene investigations and other law enforcement scenarios.
"That vehicle is going to allow our students to get a more accurate picture of what it would be like to use a police vehicle in the current state of that career field,” Adam Seaney, director of the Galesburg Area Vocational Center said.
The center's law enforcement program is taught by a retired Galesburg police officer and focuses on providing students with real-world experience before they graduate high school. Administrators said that a hands-on approach helps students determine whether a career in law enforcement is the right fit.
"It either confirms that yes, I do want to do it, or sometimes it confirms, ‘I thought this is what I wanted to do, but I need to look elsewhere,’” Seaney said. The donation continues a long-standing partnership between the city and the vocational center.
A retired police vehicle was previously donated to the program years ago and has since reached the end of its useful life. Officials said the newer SUV will give students a more modern training experience. The Galesburg Police Department said the donation is about more than replacing an aging training vehicle.
"It’s 100% investment for the law enforcement program itself in general,” Kevin Legate, chief of the Galesburg Police Department, said. “Obviously, we’d love to have the students stay local in the local police department, but even if it just gives them the insight and experience to go into law enforcement, it’s very important as well."
Police officials said hands-on training is a critical part of preparing future officers and helping students understand the realities of the profession. "You need to know the vehicle, the tools and everything that you can do with the vehicle, like doing mock traffic stops,” Legate said.
The vocational center serves students from nine high schools across Knox, Warren and Henderson counties and recently reached a record enrollment of 425 students. The law enforcement program is expected to enroll about 25 students next year.
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