Leopoldsburg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Police trainees conduct a two-day exercise at Leopoldsburg as part of their professional development training session. The training facility conducts simulated riots and demonstrations to teach recruits appropriate responses to these scenarios.
A two-day training exercise focused on riot control and crisis management actively engages more than 100 police officers at Leopoldsburg. The training exercise takes place through PLOT, which functions as the provincial centre for security professional education. Staff members participate in simulations of riots and demonstrations to develop their practical response abilities. The combined horse and sprinkler truck exercise runs between yesterday and today at the training venue. Upon visiting the event, Laura Olaerts of Deputy Safety PLOT stressed the necessity of safety contingency exercises to develop future operational readiness.
The practical training demonstrates methods for dealing with emergency situations, especially focusing on managing both riots and demonstrations. The training program instructed 49 chief inspector trainees, along with 54 aspiring inspectors, through sessions about escorting protected people and intersection clearing and maintaining effective communication during operational duties. Realistic conditions are duplicated within the simulation to help officers maintain their performance when under pressure.
Laura Olaerts praised the participants, stating, “It was inspiring to see how the participants performed with teamwork, decisiveness, and sharp tactical insight.”
Why are riot training exercises essential for modern policing?
The training drills conducted at Leopoldsburg serve an essential role by developing effective capabilities for police forces to control major public disturbances.
Statistical records from Eurostat document that Europe has observed an uptick in public demonstration rates since 2019, and Belgium experienced a 15% growth in such occurrences during this time period. Law enforcement officers obtain practical skills during volatile situation training by utilising simulated settings that include both horses and sprinkler trucks.
The organising body PLOT has assembled more than 1,000 officers each year by conducting its simulated exercises since its foundation. The training programs follow worldwide police standards and teach officers methods of diffusing situations while maintaining tactical accuracy. The instruction includes protected person escort work and intersection clearance operations to mirror the multitudinous challenges officers handle during live operations.
