Chattanooga Media Participate in Shooting Simulator Contest

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office invited the media to don bullet proof vests and fire air soft pistols at an interactive screen which simulates real life scenarios.

Officials emphasize how important simulation practice is.

"We are a creature of habit," said Tom Edd Wilson with AEGIS. "The better training that we have, the more likely we are to act properly in a given situation when stress takes over your body."

And the stress truly takes over your body. My heart was racing and palms were sweating just firing at a simulator.

That’s exactly why officials say the practice is beneficial.

"As you all have just seen, the training value of this system is absolutely unparalleled because this system allows us to train for judgment and decision making which often comes into question in deadly force situations," Lieutenant Jody Mays with Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said.

At a price of atleast 65 thousand dollars for one simulator, the sheriff’s office is quick to justify the cost in a day of high profile police shootings.

"70 thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket for one lawsuit that’s multi-million dollars," Mays said.

The simulator can replicate 300 different scenarios and is even customizable.

AEGIS is hosting a series of fundraisers throughout Chattanooga to buy a system which officials say will only benefit the community.

"The more training the police have to handle these situations, the safer we as citizens are," Wilson said.