Several Tulsa Police officers have started the last phase of training to become certified emergency medical technicians.
It won’t be the first time these officers respond to a call running lights and sirens, but now they’re doing it to apply what they’ve learned in a Tulsa Community College classroom since January. Instructor Leaugeay Barnes said the nine officers knew what they were signing up for.
"These guys actually wanted to be EMTs. They went through a pretty rigorous selection process, which the rest of our students don't go through," Barnes said. "They actually chose officers who were interested in becoming EMTs, so they're pretty highly motivated individuals."
The officers are enrolled in TCC’s EMT program with 41 other students. It's a one-semester course that prepares students for a national certifying exam.
"We've realized the past several years our officers have a greater ability to provide care on the streets, and certainly the streets are becoming a bit more violent than they have been in times past," said Tony First, TPD's medical support and training officer. "This is just the next logical extension of our capability.
Officer Chris Westcott wanted to add to medical training he got in the Army while in Afghanistan. The third-year officer said there are more benefits than being able to help a citizen in distress.
"Right now, whenever we serve search warrants, we typically tie up an EMSA ambulance for the duration of that search warrant," Westcott said. "We can instead have extra officers on scene that are paramedics or EMTs."
The officers and other students in the class are riding along with EMSA, Tulsa Fire Department and other first responders in the area.
