Police Drills Turn Deadly: A Dangerous Tradition?

A long-standing police training tradition involving intense physical drills has been linked to numerous deaths and hundreds of injuries across the United States since 2005. These exercises, often known as RedMan training, aim to prepare recruits for stressful situations by simulating combative encounters. However, critics argue that these drills can border on abuse, leading to severe physical harm and psychological trauma for aspiring officers.

Recent incidents underscore the dangers. In August 2025, a recruit died two days after a training exercise at the San Francisco Police Department Academy due to head injuries. In November 2024, a Kentucky game warden recruit died during a strenuous pool exercise. These tragedies, alongside numerous other severe injuries including amputations, have intensified scrutiny on the safety and necessity of such demanding training methods.

Academies have significant autonomy in designing their curricula, with a lack of national standards contributing to inconsistent safety protocols. One former Texas game warden cadet, Heather Sterling, bravely spoke out after suffering a concussion during a drill. She described the experience as a "poorly disguised assault" and resigned in protest, aiming to drive reform and prevent future harm.