WHITEFISH — Keeping the community safe takes teamwork, and the local VFW is proving that with a $6,000 donation to the Whitefish Police Department for new scenario-based training walls.
For three years, the Whitefish Police Department has built a scenario-based training program to prepare officers for high-stakes situations. But the program quickly ran into a problem, a lack of space.
WATCH MADDIE KIEFER'S REPORT BELOW:
Whitefish Police Department Patrol Sergeant Tim Schuch said the limited number of available rooms created a training challenge.
"One of the drawbacks that we noticed is that we only have three or four rooms available to us for this. Officers get familiar with the rooms and it kind of takes away from the training," Schuch said.
The solution came in the form of portable, modular training walls from the American Range Wall Company.
"Instead of plywood, heavy, expensive walls, these are cardboard. They're still durable enough where they won't fall apart, but they're light and they're mobile," Schuch said.
The walls give officers an ever-changing environment, making each scenario feel new. But the price tag was more than the department could cover alone.
"We reached out to our friends at the VFW and then with VFW Auxiliary, they ended up donating to us about $6,000 for the range walls, which we're very grateful for. Without them we wouldn't have been able to purchase the equipment," Schuch said.
With the walls now in place, Schuch said the community support reflects the VFW's broader mission.
"They're a community-oriented organization and I think they are just looking to help keep Whitefish the great place it's been, and if they can find a need, I think they are always jumping in, they're right there ready to fill it," Schuch said.
