Hudson- Four members of the Hudson Police Department received training at an Emergency Vehicle Operation Course (EVOC) held at the Massachusetts State Police Driver Training Facility in Ayer last month.
According to Police Chief David A. Stephens, the free preventative training program was designed to enhance police officers” driving skills, ensure safety of both officers and the public, and save money on the town's insurance premiums.
The EVOC comprehensive training program focuses on the safe operation of emergency vehicles. The course includes intensive classroom training followed by hands-on exercises addressing a number of situations regularly encountered while operating emergency vehicles, such as cornering, evasive maneuvers, braking, and backing up. The training enables drivers to become familiar with and practice these extreme driving maneuvers in a safe, off-road setting. The course helps them avoid accidents and become better prepared for real-life emergencies.
The training was presented by the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA), Hudson's property and casualty insurance provider. MIIA is the non-profit, member-based insurance arm of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, insuring nearly 400 cities, towns, and other public entities in the state.
Upon completion of the course, the town is eligible to receive insurance premium credits through the MIIA Rewards Program.
“I’m grateful that MIIA offers these courses to us free of charge as most officers do not receive this type training after graduating from their recruit academy,” said Stephens. “Unfortunately for most police departments, training across the state has been reduced every year making it the responsibility of each department to train their officers at a great expense.”
