Law enforcement in Etowah County hold active shooter training

ETOWAH CO., Ala. (WBRC) – Southside Police Department is partnering with law enforcement agencies across Etowah County for active threat training at Southside High School. Officers want to be sure citizens have the tools they need in a crisis.

The two-day training has multiple active shooter scenarios and safety training exercises that can be applied anywhere. It’s training they hope they never have to use but these skills and drills will prepare law enforcement and educators on what to do if the unthinkable happens.

“In a normal school day if something were to happen,” says Dr. Alan Cosby, Etowah County Schools Superintendent. “They’re going to be the ones to be here. So, they’re going to be on the front lines. Decisions they make sometimes on the fly will be very important. So, they need to see it. Law enforcement needs to see it as well because we work with many agencies and to have that cooperation across municipalities.”

Teachers like Randy Vice say this type of training is just as important as fire and tornado drills. You can never be too prepared.

“Training is everything,” says Vice. “We know the events that have gone on around us over the last few months and years. The more you train the better you’re going to be. Whether in the classroom on the athletic field on the law enforcement field. The better prepared we are for these events hopefully the better outcome we can have”.

These exercises provide participants with life-saving skills they can use in any emergency.

“We’re teaching them things to look for,” says Captain Jay Freeman with the Southside Police Department. “Identifying certain characteristics or clothing or whatever it may be on a potential gunman that they can help get that information to first responders to help neutralize that situation.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE WBRC FOX6 NEWS APP

Subscribe to our WBRC newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email.

Copyright 2022 WBRC. All rights reserved.