KIMBALL -- The Kimball Police Department held a successful 2-day PepperBall Instructor/Armorer Course last week. 

The training course reached its max capacity of 20 officers from 11 different agencies across Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming. 

The course was open to any law enforcement agency to become a certified instructor of PepperBall, giving them the qualifications to teach others at their own agencies. 

Two members of the KPD are certified to instruct PepperBall – Chief of Police Jose Ruiz recertified at this training and Officer Logan Luft received his initial certification. 

“Now that we are certified instructors and armorers we can certify other officers of our own agency,” Ruiz said. 

The remaining members of the KPD are certified to use PepperBall. 

Ruiz says the importance of hosting the training course was to bring professional training to the Panhandle. 

“Typically, training courses like this are held either in a different state in a larger city on the east side of the state, so with staffing and travel, it makes it difficult for agencies of our size to attend these types of training courses,” Ruiz said.

There were both a written exam and a practical portion that the officers needed to pass to get certified.

The first day centered around classroom work, which included a written test that the officers needed to receive a 90% to be eligible for certification.

“We have to know the ins and outs of PepperBall, when to apply it and there is certain case law that we go over as well,” Ruiz said. “As part of the armorer portion we have to learn how to take care of the launchers.”

The second day consisted of practical applications of the launchers themselves to show that the officer knows when and how to deploy it and that they are capable of using the launcher in a proper manner.

The PepperBall is a nonlethal weapon that is similar to a paintball. It shoots out a round plastic ball that when it makes contact, the plastic shell breaks and disperses the powder from inside.

“It's important for departments to have options for different levels of force,” Ruiz said. “Having those options of nonlethal before resorting to a lethal option is better protection for our officers, brings down the civil liability, and it also protects the citizens.” 

The KPD extended gratitude to Kimball County Transit Services for allowing the department to use their facilities for the training. 

The KPD will potentially host a taser instructor course this summer, which will be open to officers of different agencies.