Behind the scenes at Wiltshire Police taser, spray and baton training
Volunteers observed training in a bid to boost standards
We've been getting a behind the scenes look at how police officers in Wiltshire are trained to use tasers, spray and batons to keep our communities safe.
People were invited to observe a training session in a bid to improve standards within the Force and boost public perception.
These events, called scrutiny panels, offer volunteers a chance to ask questions, while also watching footage from body worn cameras to ensure officers are using force appropriately when dealing with potential threats.
Juliet Brain is from Laverstock and Ford Parish Council and told us why she got involved.
"We were getting a lot of complaints about Wiltshire Police and people's frustrations with anti social behaviour and not being able to use the emergency service," she said, adding that calls were not being returned.
She was invited to be part of the panels through the Evolve project.
A changed perception of the Police Force
Juliet told us the panels are 'addictive' and have given her a new appreciation for the job Police Officers do.
"You come to one and you see how amazing a police officer has to be to do their job.
"The compassion they have to have, the good humour, the skills, the expertise to respond to a thousand different incidents and I'm so overwhelmed by it and I just think all the time I couldn't do this," she said.
Juliet added that this latest panel had revealed to her that officers will attempt to de-escalate situations before using force.
"They're going in to calm everything down," she said, adding that officer will assess an individual's welfare needs.
In one scenario acted out in the session, an officer played the role of a person with a mental health illness and carrying a knife, while the responding officer used strong communication skills to reduce the threat and calm the situation.
Juliet added that attending the panels has helped improved her community's relationship with it's Neighbourhood Policing Team.
"We don't moan at them quite so often!" she said.
More volunteers wanted
Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson told Greatest Hits Radio more volunteers are wanted for the panels to help hold the Police to account.
Juliet says it's important for us to be part of the way forward.
"I've realised through the scrutiny panels that as a community that no one's going to do it for you. If you want things to improve, then you've got to be part of the solution," she said.
She added that the diverse backgrounds of the people at the panels helps generate a wide range of questions.
She said: "Everyone has a different opinion.
"There might be two or three people in the room that do agree, but there's an awful lot of disagreement, and there's a lot of different reaction, and there's a lot of questions that get asked.
"What really impresses me is I don't think I've ever been in a panel meeting where a questions been asked and the answer hasn't been there."