Lubbock police officers take bi-annual driving recertification course

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Lubbock Police Officers of all ranks took their bi-annual National Academy for Professional Drive course to keep their driving skills on par for their career.

In 2020, Lubbock Police reported more than 225,000 phone calls to the Lubbock Police Department with top calls related to checking a subject or area, a disturbance, or a domestic disturbance.

Lieutenant Training Commander at Lubbock Police, Chad Taska, says the test gives officers necessary experience.

Rookie Maximillian Combs said he was looking forward to garnering the driving skills to respond to any situation.

“We’ve learned how to break more efficiently and accurately,” said Combs.

Taska says the 32-hour course for new officers gives officers confidence and teaches them to negotiate decisions when it comes to their driving. Established officers take an eight hour course.

“So the course is built to give them tactics that they’re not comfortable with at first, but we do repetition, and we give them certain tools to get comfortable with the new tactics to where it’s a response and that is just a reflex by the time the course is over with.”

“But we create a course where they have to negotiate turns, right after another and slaloms and certain mechanics of the course, to where to stay in the course they have to be able to negotiate it.”

Those who were tested today will be tested tomorrow. The Lubbock Police Department says they are looking for new officers right now. The last date to apply is Friday at 5pm. Click here to apply.

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