WHITESTOWN, Ind. — An Ind. town will graduate its first class of cross-trained first responders Tuesday.
Police officers will soon be able to fight fires while firefighters will be able to carry guns and handcuffs in Whitestown, according to WISHTV.
Whitestown Police Chief Dennis Anderson said that the cross-training program is a result of a slow-growing public safety budget that could not keep up with the city’s development.
The goal of the training program is to allow police officers and firefighters to assist each other in supportive roles.
“It’s just a matter of changing roles if … there is a residence and there is smoke showing, they are going to be popping off their police gear gun belts off, stepping into their fire gear and taking on that role,” Chief Anderson said.
The fire training for police officers last two weeks while the law enforcement training for firefighters last 16 weeks.
The town’s first female police officer is set to graduate from the program, which consequently makes her the first female firefighter.