Police practice responding to active shooters
7:10 p.m. Thursday, June 21, 2007
When Topeka police train for shooting situations in schools, they don’t mess around.
They trained at Robinson Middle School Thursday morning, where they simulated active shooter situations, using fake guns and ammunition.
They train yearly and collaborate with other police agencies in the area, including USD 501 Police, said Topeka Police Sgt. Ron Gish.
The idea is that all officers will respond in the same way, no matter what agency they’re from.
“We are getting on board with them and operating off the same sheet of music, so to speak,” said Lance Jones, USD 501 police director.
“Have you ever gone to a dance recital and you can see the one who doesn’t know what to do, they’re looking at everyone else?” said Gish. “Well, we don’t want (officers) looking at everyone else. We want them to be finding the bad guy.”
Gish said their training is only one part of it.
Students and teachers must also be prepared to respond to the unthinkable, he said.
That’s the problem that surfaced during a 49 News investigation last month that uncovered a disconnect in security policies at Topeka schools. We found that the district doesn’t have a consistent way of preparing for an active shooter.
After our investigation, outgoing superintendent Tony Sawyer said a report would be generated to streamline how Topeka schools practice lockdown drills.
The district said the new lockdown report should be in place by the time school starts in August.
We checked to see how other police departments in Northeast Kansas prepare for an active shooter in a school.
Riley County Police said they practice yearly, but no longer in schools. The vacant school building they used will reopen next year, because of the influx of troops to Fort Riley.
Emporia Police said they will practice at a school for the first time this fall, after the district asked them to.
Junction City Police said they train frequently in several of their public schools.
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