Virtual shooting competition brings camaraderie for Medina County law enforcement

MEDINA — Ten Medina County law enforcement agencies participated Saturday in a target shooting contest that raised more than $10,000 for charity. The Medina County Blue Line Competition and Appreciate Event was hosted by Engage Virtual Range, a virtual target shooting and training center on Beach Road. Money donated at the fundraiser went to Blue Coats of Medina County, which financially assists families of first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty. "We've wanted to do an event like this ever since we opened a little over a year ago," said Chad Wilson, president and co-owner of Engage. "We want to build morale and camaraderie among police officers, especially after the events of the past few months." Law enforcement agencies across the United States have been under scrutiny since the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police in May. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the cancellation of in-person training, said Spencer police Chief Michael Wright, who attended Saturday's competition. Police have trained online instead but it's not the same. "This is the first time we all have been able to get together," Wright said. Contributions to Blue Coats came from more than 80 county residents and local businesses. Engage asked donors to give $1 or more for each of the more than 60 law enforcement officers competing. "There's not much better than a local business supporting the public safety community," said Christina Fozio, executive director of Blue Coats of Medina County. Businesses also donated items for appreciation packages, given to the first 50 police officers to register for Saturday's event. The packages contained competition T-shirts, gift cards, appetizers and food, admission to a gun show and free time on the target range. Hinckley patrolman Travis McCourt said Engage's target shooting and training, which involves shooting simulated guns at targets projected on a screen, are not greatly different than handling real firearms. The officer's motions and mechanics are the same. McCourt said at Engage, officers can practice dealing with a wide variety of scenarios, including traffic stops and domestic conflicts. "The more exposure you have to various situations, the more you are conditioned to deal with them," McCourt said. McCourt, a training officer, said he and Hinckley police Chief David Centner always look for ways to improve the department through training. He said Engage can assist with those efforts. In addition to the police departments competing Saturday, another four law enforcement agencies took part in the contest on an earlier date, due to scheduling conflicts. Participants included the Brunswick, Brunswick Hills, Hinkley, Lodi, Medina Township, Montville Township, Seville, Spencer and Wadsworth police departments. Also in the competition were participants from the Medina County Drug Task Force, Medina County Law Enforcement Explorers, Medina County Park Rangers, Medina County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Highway Patrol Medina post. Contact reporter Bob Sandrick at areanews@medina-gazette.com.