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Training is one of the most important investments a community can make in public safety, but most people never see what that training really looks like. In this episode of First Response, Bob Plaschke speaks with Director Chris Wigginton of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center about what it takes to prepare officers, firefighters, 911 operators, and other public safety professionals for the realities they face every day.
The conversation starts with a major shift in Georgia: the expansion of basic law enforcement training from 408 hours to nearly 800 hours. But the episode goes well beyond the number of hours. Director Wigginton explains why modern public safety training has to move past lectures and into real-world scenarios, where recruits practice communication, decision-making, report writing, courtroom testimony, and crisis response before they ever face those moments in the field.
The discussion also takes on officer resiliency, physical fitness, mental wellness, retention, and the growing role officers play in responding to people in crisis.
It is a practical look at preparation, accountability, and the standards communities should expect.
For anyone who wants to understand how serious training shapes better outcomes for officers and communities, this episode is worth the listen.
