Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen officially opened a new state-of-the-art training facility at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) on Thursday. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Knudsen and other officials highlighted how the new facility will enhance training for law enforcement officers across the state, better preparing them for real-world challenges.
The Scenario Training Facility, located at MLEA, offers a unique training environment designed to mimic a Montana Main Street. Sitting in the driver’s seat of a police interceptor sedan, trainees can practice handling realistic, high-pressure situations they may face in the field.
Joel Wendland, Executive Director of the MLEA, explained the benefits of the facility. “This environment will allow us to introduce students to the typical environments they will see out in their normal day-to-day jobs,” Wendland said.
Attorney General Knudsen also praised the facility’s ability to provide consistent, year-round training. He noted that weather conditions in Montana have historically posed challenges for law enforcement training. “When you’re trying to teach the new generation of law enforcement professionals how to do their jobs, we’re often doing it out in the snow or in the ice where it’s not safe. This gives us a climate-controlled facility to provide training year-round,” Knudsen said.
Knudsen used the occasion to honor retiring Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator Bryan Lockerby by naming the new facility after him. Lockerby, visibly moved by the recognition, reflected on his decades-long career in law enforcement training and the importance of proper preparation.
“I’ve been in law enforcement a long time. When I went to the police academy, and some of you were there when the academy was six weeks long in Bozeman; we had two weeks—one week of firearms and one week of legal. They gave us four weeks of training to have the authority to take someone else’s life,” Lockerby shared.
He recounted a tragic incident that shaped his views on training. “One of mine was Jana Rodgers from Big Horn County. She was killed about six years later in a bank robbery. I can’t help but wonder if extra training or the right training would have saved her life,” Lockerby said.
Lockerby emphasized that the advanced, hands-on instruction offered at the new facility could make a crucial difference in protecting both officers and the public. “I hope this training facility can be the difference that saves lives,” he added.
The new Scenario Training Facility represents a significant investment in Montana’s law enforcement community, equipping officers with the tools and skills needed to navigate complex and often dangerous situations. With its focus on realism and safety, the facility is poised to play a critical role in shaping the next generation of law enforcement professionals.
By: Montana Newsroom staff
