Officer Hans Walleser stares intently at the “suspect” during his pheasant poaching simulation. Eye contact with the suspect is very important as it sends the message of confidence and determination. This particular aspect of persuasion is practiced over and over during the two-day training. Redundancy has always been highly correlated with retention whether created in participating or observer roles. By concentrating on one topic, interrogation stamina, in differing ways throughout the course, “procedural memory” is created. This type of recall is scientifically linked to individual skill and habit formation making future similar tasks reasonably automatic and reflexive. Procedural memory has a strong tendency to pre-determine how we respond, answer or retort in a given situation; in the case of a difficult interrogation, how to keep going. When the interrogator “hits the wall” this memory is what we want the officer to access; their training, the memory of how to endure.

Following each simulation, the officer is given a candid critique from their peers and the instructor. These critiques are extremely important as each of us rarely know how we “really” appear while engaged in the process of interrogation.