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Police Training Practices Scrutinized During Gray Trials

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Porter trial has increased the scrutiny on police training practices in the city.

The first witness called? One of Porter's training officers.

So, are officers getting the training they need to deal with intense situations?

WJZ's Meghan McCorkell speaks to an expert.

A young officer hurried onto the streets without proper training: that's how defense attorneys describe Officer William Porter.

Of the city police academy they tell a jury, "it isn't some ivy league school."

"I think the police need sensitivity training to make sure that, let the court system work, but if they're injured or hurt they need to taken care of immediately," said Tessa Hill-Aston, NAACP Baltimore.

The 25-year-old officer had been on the force three years before Gray's arrest.

Every Baltimore City police officer goes through six months of classroom training here at the academy and another ten weeks of field training.

But is it enough preparation for high stress situations?

"I don't think anything really prepares a person to be a police officer until they get to the street and really learn the ropes," said Rob Weinhold, Fallston Group.

Policing expert Rob Weinhold, a former city cop, says the force is different today.

"Now, it's a younger police force and a younger police force requires much more supervision and close supervision," he said.

RELATED: Jurors See Videos Of Gray's Arrest, Look At Police Transport Van

And with cell phone video capturing arrests like that of Freddie Gray and the traffic stop that led to the death of Tyrone West, the spotlight is bright for officers.

"The officers are under scrutiny all the time. I think transparency is great, but at the end of the day policing is much more difficult now than it's ever been in its history," said Weinhold.

And the repercussions are serious.

The U.S. Justice Department has launched a full-scale civil rights investigation into the city police department.

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