THE UNION CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT PLACES A STRONG EMPHASIS ON FOSTERING TRUST, LEGITIMACY, AND CONFIDENCE BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. OUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TRAINING SIMULATOR CURRENTLY ACCOMMODATES 2 OFFICERS; A SUCCESSFUL AWARD WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO TRAIN A TOTAL OF 6 OFFICERS SIMULTANEOUSLY, ALLOWING US TO EFFECTIVELY MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. ULTIMATELY, OUR GOALS ARE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF INJURIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND IMPROVE HUMAN INTERACTION, AS WELL AS SEEK, ADVOCATE FOR, TRAIN, AND DEVELOP IMPROVED RESPONSES TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS. THE TRAINING CURRICULUM INCLUDES: DE-ESCALATION OPTIONS FOR GAINING COMPLIANCE, BUILDING POSITIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AUTISM AND DE-ESCALATION, SERVING GEORGIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, CULTURAL AWARENESS, FOSTERING POSITIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, POLICE LEGITIMACY, PROCEDURAL JUSTICE, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, IMPLICIT BIAS, AND DUTY TO INTERVENE. EFFECTIVE POLICING HINGES ON DEVELOPING STRONGER TIES WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BUILD TRUST AND LEGITIMACY TO HELP REDUCE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND OMINOUS SITUATIONS. A SUCCESSFUL AWARD WILL EXPAND OUR ENDEAVORS IN CRISIS INTERVENTION CAPABILITIES WITH DE-ESCALATION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES.