Mass
police exercise in south takes turn for the worst as car crash injures
five officers, mock riot results in dozens of casualties
[ynetnews.com] Some 54 police officers sustained minor injuries on Thursday during an exercise gone awry. The Police Department held an exercise simulating mass riot and
crowd control procedures near the southern military base of Zeelim.
The drill involved 6,000 police and Border Guard officers. The
injuries occurred after "rioters" apparently used excessive force on
"peacekeeping" officers during a mock disturbance.
All of the injured were treated on site and according to the police, none of needed to be taken to a hospital.
A car crash was also reported during the drill, as five police
officers were injured after the driver of one of the police vehicles
lost control of his car.
One of the officers sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to a
nearby hospital. Another officer was moderately hurt and three other
suffered minor injuries.
The
exercise, said the Department, was meant to bolster police deterrence
and enhance the officers‘ ability to handle complex situations.
One of the drill’s goals was to implement lessons learned during the
Akko riots, and to examine the cooperation between the various police
divisions.
Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen noted the despite the unfortunate
events of the day, the drill was successful. The police force, he
added, "was ready for any complex scenario, as well as for protecting
law and order and maintaining public peace."
Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3640883,00.html
