Regional police officers engage in Active Shooter Response Training

In an emergency situation first line police officers cut through the chaos and lead the charge.
ABC 10’s Danielle Davis followed some of Michigan’s finest today as they continued their re–certification efforts with Active Shooter Response Training.

Knowing what to do and when to do it is crucial when you are dealing with a life or death scenario. These officers, who were recently added to the force, and those with decades of experience got some advanced training today in stopping and resolving critical situations.

“We do target identification , it is a split second decision. The officers that respond are going to be geaked up, so we are trying to show them that once they are geaked up, how they can best access that situation and take the appropriate action, and that just comes from repetitive training,” said Guy Laplante, Corporal, NMU Public Safety Police Department.

So along with spending time in the field, trainees were brought back into the classroom to view the good, the bad, and the ugly – which got a laugh or two. Then it was right back to the field.

“Trainers say that these type of exercises are crucial because when an officer enters the building there is just a quick second to make a decision to shoot or not to shoot,” reports Danielle Davis.

School safety was the top priority, concentrating on physical and strategic tactics.
With officers from around the region in attendance, shared experiences furthered everyone’s development.

“You have to try and get in as many officers as you can out here. The refresher course, the stuff that you may have forgotten over the years, it all comes back to you in the training. It’s a good mix, I think the younger guys like to hang out with the older guys and they learn some stuff at the same time,” said Jon Aho, 19–Year Veteran Officer.

It was a successful day of barricade training as officers got to learn, watch, respond, and repeat.