From out of nowhere, a dog dodges into the street, and the sheriff swerves in and out of traffic, barely missing the animal.

Then, Blanton pulls up to the business, where another squad car is positioned in front of a large, white van.

"Nice work," says a voice behind him. The voice belongs to Tom Clarkson, who has more than 35 years of experience as a law enforcement officer. Now, Clarkson supervises an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course, a program that administers training to officers and emergency responders.

For many years, all Indiana officers were required to spend at least two hours each year training on vehicle maneuvering. However, as the enforcement of this law subsided, so did officers’ reaction times and driving skills sets, Blanton said. As a result, Indiana is re-reinforcing the law.

Enter Clarkson, a representative of the Kokomo-based Downey Insurance, the company that provides simulated driving courses through the Indiana Public Employer’s Plan.

The training takes place within a trailer at a station that resembles a video game, with screens to the side and in front of the officer. Clarkson then presents different scenarios, such as pursuits and accidents, asking trainees to maneuver through realistic streets and intersections.

Clarkson then shows the officers a bird’s-eye view of their performance so they can internalize and understand their driving instincts and decisions.

This has several advantages: For one thing, training in actual cars does not introduce unexpected obstacles, such as pedestrians or traffic. Most often, these are the split-second occurrences that result in collisions or injuries, so the simulator makes for good practice without putting officers or civilians at risk.

It’s less expensive, too. Traditional EVOC training in squad cars can be damaging to the cars themselves, most of which come along with a $30,000+ price tag.

"If you wreck a car here, you can push a button and it’s repaired," Clarkson said. "It’s not that easy to do in the field."

Clarkson is also able to introduce road conditions such as rain and snow into the simulator’s system, which makes for a unique set of training experiences for each officer.

So what’s the downside?

"There’s no replacement for actual emergency training," Clarkson said, "but this is a cheap alternative."

The simulator will be at the Sheriff’s Department until Friday, during which time 62 officers are scheduled to complete their training. Blanton and Sgt. Paul Davis were the first to begin, and both agreed the program was realistic … maybe a little too realistic, as both reported feeling slight motion sickness.

"I ride roller coasters and everything else," Blanton said, "but this is a funny feeling."