Naples actors help Collier deputies train for high-stakes crisis scenarios

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is taking innovative steps to prepare its deputies for unpredictable situations.

WINK News had exclusive access to a unique training session where actors with the Naples Players portraying various people in crisis helped negotiators with the sheriff’s office hone their skills.

Erica Jones, a volunteer actor, played a pivotal role in a training exercise, portraying a suicidal woman. Her emotional performance was so convincing that it brought tears to her eyes.

“I don’t have a reason to go on. I want to end it all,” Jones said during the 11-minute exercise.

Jones later explained the emotional toll of her role, saying, “It’s extremely draining. It’s real for me at that moment.”

The training, which takes place in a meeting room at the Emergency Operations Center, is designed to be as realistic as possible. Sheriff Kevin Rambosk emphasized the importance of these exercises.

“We had done a lot of role-playing throughout the years, and that works OK, but the partnership with the Naples Players takes training to the next level,” said Rambosk.

“They bring drama, they bring emotion, they bring a character. They bring a real person in crisis and put negotiators to the test,” he said.

For the past four years, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office has collaborated with the Naples Players, a community theater group. Lt. Brian Sawyer is responsible for creating the scenarios used in training.

“You’re on drugs in a bathroom in a convenience store, quasi-suicidal. You don’t want to come out, and the cops are trying to coax you to come out of the bathroom,” Sawyer said, describing one of the scenarios to Jones before she started the exercise.

Jones, who works at Youth Haven helping foster kids, volunteers her time for these exercises. She says it’s a chance to give back.

“It’s an opportunity for me to use the skills I have to hopefully be of service,” said Jones.

In another exercise, emotions ran high as actors simulated a domestic disturbance call. The negotiator had to calm the couple over the phone, showcasing the intensity of the training.

Jody Cameron, a combat veteran, also participates in the training. He shared how acting has helped him manage PTSD.

“Being able to draw on emotions and memories from my past in a very safe and therapeutic environment,” Cameron said. “Bring it to the stage, have people see that and experience it with me, and then bring closure to that experience, put it back on the shelf, and then move on.”

Rambosk highlighted the effectiveness of the Trauma Troupe’s involvement.

“It is the most realistic training we’ve ever had,” said Rambosk.

Before using actors, the Sheriff’s Office relied on other deputies for training, which was less effective due to familiarity. The deputies train with the actors typically twice a year.

If you’d like to volunteer with the Naples Players, contact James Duggan at 239-434-7340 ext. 102 or email him at jduggan@naplesplayers.com.