At the meeting, board members approved a request by Shannon Marks, legal compliance administrator for the city, authorizing the police department to make a special purchase of an Apex Officer Training Simulator, including equipment and software, from GOVRED Technology Inc. at a cost of $62,500.
According to Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman, who also holds a seat on the board, GOVRED Technology Inc. offered the city a “first in Indiana discount” of $58,368 for being the first community in Indiana to purchase the simulator.
“This is a virtual reality system, and it’s pretty incredible,” Stutsman said of the simulator. “I think it will really help our officers stay better trained and work through scenarios that we create ourselves instead of standard scenarios that come with most of these groups.”
According to Chase Dittmer, founder and CEO of GOVRED Technology Inc., the Apex Officer Training Simulator is a comprehensive solution that is designed to allow trainers the ability to give presentations and classes, conduct interactive testing and assessment, and provide immersive hands-on scenario-based exercises with detailed debriefing and after-action reviews.
“Each Apex Officer system is designed to increase trainee knowledge, skills, and confidence in a safe, challenging environment that is highly interactive and engaging,” Dittmer said in a provided statement. “Through our history of providing innovative interactive simulation training solutions, Apex Officer has become widely regarded as a low-risk, highly reliable contracting and business partner. We have the industry’s most dedicated and customer-committed sales and support team on staff and all Apex Officer customers receive the best technical service in the business, including free software updates, newly developed and released training content with new exercises and environments to keep trainee interest high and skills sharp.”
The request was approved unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, board members:
—Approved requests by Adrienne Nesbitt, director of events for Eyedart Creative Studio, for two upcoming First Fridays events. First to be approved was a request for no parking for six spots in front of 216 S. Main St. and six spots in front of 232 S. Main St. from 4 to 10 p.m. Nov. 5. The same no parking requests were also made for the Dec. 3 First Fridays, as well as a request for closure and no parking in the half block from Main Street west to the alley on West Washington Street from 2 to 10 p.m. Dec. 3 for the tree-lighting ceremony and Christmas market.
—Approved a request by Emma Eitzen, store manager of Ten Thousand Villages at 206 S. Main St., for five parking spots to be blocked off in front of the store on Oct. 26 and Oct. 31 from 3 to 6 p.m.
—Approved a request by the Goshen Police Department for a memorandum of understanding between the city and Goshen Community Schools memorializing the mutual understanding between the two parties regarding the School Resource Officer Program.
—Approved a request by Goshen Police Chief José Miller for acceptance of the resignation of officer Joshua Owens retroactive to Sept. 29. Owens is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 7 in Elkhart County on charges of strangulation and domestic battery.
—Approved a contract not to exceed $50,000 with Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors for their services in conducting IT and cybersecurity assessments for the city.
—Approved a contract with Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete Inc. allowing the city to lease space at 1700 Egbert Ave. to store leaves. The rental cost is $10 per month.
—Approved a $41,635 contract with Greveko Markings Inc. for the purchase of decorative crosswalk materials for the city's downtown area.
© 2021 the Goshen News (Goshen, Ind.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
