More than 90 law enforcement officers from 15 different agencies will complete two-day training sessions, over the course of eight days.
"We are very excited to host this cutting-edge training program, and have officers from all over the region come to our campus," said Jimmy Ellison, ACUPD police chief. "Our officers participate in this type of training annually, but we usually have to travel elsewhere for this level of training. Having it on our campus is not only more convenient, but more realistic."
The 16-hour active shooter training consists of classroom instruction, as well as force on force training drills. Each class of 30 officers will spend two days learning about the history of school shootings, current training, team tactics and preparing for a day that every officer hopes will never come.
The force on force exercise portion of the training will be held in an unoccupied ACU residence hall, while students are away during the Christmas break.
ALERRT is the premier leader in active shooter training nationwide, and utilizes trained and experienced law enforcement officers from across the country to train first responders locally. The training aids officers because it not only teaches updated tactics based on recent school shootings, but because it also cross-trains officers from multiple local agencies who may someday respond to a shooting situation together.
"The exercises are in real-time, with real sights and sounds," said Ellison. "It is designed that way to maximize and emulate the stress level of the responders. We want the training to be as realistic as possible so that if this does ever happen, officers' responses will be almost second-nature."
One of the benefits of having the training locally, is that area law enforcement agencies will be training together. This will be advantageous if/when this type of situation occurs.
"When we attend training elsewhere, we are grouped together with officers from all over the state," said Ellison. "By having it in Abilene, we can practice and plan tactics with those we would be responding with. This is beneficial to all the departments participating, as well as good for the safety of all Abilene students and residents."
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