Peoria County Sheriff's Office: February 26

On February 26, OLLI members traveled to the Peoria County Sheriff's Office for a private tour of the jail.

After a brief demonstration by deputies and K-9 officer Beny, Peoria County Sheriff Mike McCoy took our group through the administration offices, deputy meeting room, and a special area that houses an interactive training machine.

The Active Interactive Systems (AIS) machine programs a variety of shooting scenarios, then plays them out in real time, requiring officers to approach shooting situations appropriately and determine when/when not to shoot. Officers are then critiqued afterwards as to how they responded to the scenario. Sheriff McCoy demonstrated the program twice -- and hit the shooter with 100% accuracy.

Sheriff McCoy also led the group through the main control room, the intake area, sallyport, evidence/crime lab, and a prisoner pod. OLLI members were stunned to learn that the jail has been full since three weeks after the 1999 addition (which added 144 beds) was opened.

Kudos and thanks to Sheriff McCoy for the informative tour!

For more information about the Peoria County Sheriff's Office, visit:
www.peoriacounty.org/sheriff.