Oct. 27, 2005 Bluefield VA Police Train for High-Conflict Situations By William Paine
Bluefield News Network Writer
 
Bluefield, VA (BNN) -- On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 25, 2005, the Bluefield Virginia Police Emergency Response Team trained for potential high-conflict situations. The drills were held in the soon to be demolished Yost Apartment Building in downtown Bluefield.
 
Officers rehearsed several tactical situations requiring force to enter a room including scenarios with barricaded doors, armed assailants and hostages. In these cases, the element of shock and surprise is used to disorient suspects. The lawmen used Police Chaplain Russ Hatfield to portray the criminal and at one point drafted Adventure Radio reporter J.E.D. Lockett to act as the informant.
 
The police practice these scenarios to quickly terminate hostile situations before they become violent or even deadly.