LAPD Unveils Critical Incident Decision Making Training System First of Its Kind in the United States NA10058jr

March 21, 2010

What:       
Los Angeles Police Department to Unveil and Demonstrate the “HYDRA” Simulation  System                                       
 
When:       
Monday, March 22, 2010 10 a.m.  

Where:     
Los Angeles Police Department Ahmanson Recruit Training Center
5651 West Manchester Avenue
Westchester, California 90045

Who:          
Deputy Chief Michael Downing,
Commanding Officer, Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau
Captain Steven Sambar,
Commanding Officer, Major Crimes Division
Sergeant II Timothy J. Kalkus
Officer in Charge, HYDRA Operations, Training Division
Fulbright Scholar
Dr. Jonathan Crego, Inventor of the HYDRA System
Chris Homewood, Director of Stores Assets Protection, Target Corporation
Lloyd Greif, Member, Executive Committee & Board of Directors, Los Angeles Police Foundation
Beth Ryan, Senior Vice President, Los Angeles Police Foundation

Why:   
The Los Angeles Police Department recently completed a state-of-the-art training suite which is designed to test and hone decision-making skills in realistic critical-incident scenarios ranging from a terrorist attack to an earthquake.  Funding for the project was arranged by the Los Angeles Police Foundation with major contributions from Target Corporation and the Annenberg Foundation.  

The hi-tech training simulator known as “HYDRA” is located at the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Westchester and is one of only 50 of its kind worldwide.  It is the first HYDRA system in the United States.  HYDRA can be used to prepare civic leaders and law enforcement command staff for every imaginable emergency or calamity, whether caused by act of man or nature.   

With the activation of the HYDRA suite in Westchester, the LAPD and its supporters join a research and training pool with the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and Australia.
 
Contact:     
For more information, please contact Media Relations Section at 213-840-7803