News

Fairgrounds becoming training grounds for police


Published: February 8, 2008

TOPSFIELD — Don't worry. The bank robbers swarming over the Topsfield Fair grounds were only pretending to be bank robbers.

In all, some 44 recruits will have finished about 2,000 simulations of real-life police situations this week at the fairgrounds, said Topsfield police Sgt. Rick LeBel, a senior instructor for the Reading Regional Police Academy.

LeBel said most residents have become accustomed to the unusual sights during the training exercises. The recruits are tested on motor vehicle stops, domestic violence, suspicious vehicles, bank robberies, lost children and an Alzheimer's patient who finds himself lost while behind the wheel.

"They're going to experience somewhere in the area of 50 scenarios over the week," LeBel said.

They're helped by a couple dozen volunteers from across the state, who play roles in the scenarios.

The Topsfield Fair has donated its grounds to about 15 such training exercises, LeBel said.

"It's basically a city within itself, so it allows us to use buildings as realistic as possible, without interfering with regular motoring public or private citizens on their business," he said.

— Mike Stucka