Dalton Police Update Active Shooter Training

The Dalton Police Department will soon conduct in-service training for police officers that is designed to prepare for an "active shooter" within local schools.

Since the fall of 2001, the Dalton Police Department has trained its officers to react to a situation that we all hope never happens; an "active shooter" in or around local schools. Earlier this year, the police department scheduled an in-service, (or refresher), training session for Dalton Officers in order to update newly hired officers, and reemphasize the subject for veteran officers.. The recent shooting on a college campus in Montreal underscores the importance of school safety, and this type of training.

Prior to the school shooting incidents that received worldwide attention, proper police tactics were to establish a perimeter around the area and then work inward to solve the threat situation. Since that time, the Dalton Police Department, and others nationwide, have trained to actively enter the school premises and seek out the dangers so that injuries and loss of life can me minimized or prevented. All of Dalton's sworn officers and investigators receive the training so that the first officers on the scene can intervene rapidly.

For more information about school safety, please email the department's Public Information Officer, Chris McDonald, or School Resource Officers Sam Eaton and Ricky Long.

Comments

[paul binkley]

From what i saw in the paper your training is totally flawed, whats up with this sideways gun holding, is the tried and true low ready out of style ? keep doing what they are doing and someone WILL get hurt or killed. Also the officer made a comment, sometimes we have to keep going, whats that about, time is almost always on your side, use it. Never ever rush in, Never.GOD BLESS, yall gonna need it.

[Lt. JP]

Re: Paul Binkley

Thanks for your comment. Some police training advises officers to slightly "cant" or tilt the weapon to the side when using one hand. Possibly, though, the picture was made while the officers were in motion. You are right in that time is almost always on our side. In cases where an "active shooter" is loose in a building, however, we cannot wait-we must try to locate and stop the threat. For example, officers at Columbine did just what you suggest. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspects may have wounded and killed more people while the police were setting up a perimeter and waiting for specialized entry teams. Although they did what was standard procedure at the time, I'll bet that some kids and parents wish they had not waited. At any rate, responding to an active shooter requires different tactics, and that's why the officers actions appear extraordinary.

[Doug Sullivan]

Glad to see the blog for the first time. Chief Chadwick invited me last week to take a peek. It's very informative - I'll visit again.