The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office recently held a training exercise at the Mount Ida School as a part of their annual active shooter training regiment.The annual training began three years ago and rotates through all three area schools. The first training exercise was at Caddo Hills, then Oden and now Mount Ida. As they rotate through the schools they will move to different buildings on each campus.
Montgomery County Sheriff David White stated that the way law enforcement agencies deal with school shootings has changed over the last 20 years.
He cited shooting in the 90’s at Jonesboro, Ark., Paducah, Ky., and Pearl, Ms., as incidents that started a shift in law enforcement response. Sheriff White acknowledged that the one event that really changed response protocol was the shooting in Columbine, Colo. In 1999.
With the new awareness regarding active shooter situations Sheriff White felt it important that all area law enforcement officers have training with active shooter situations where a large volume of people might be present regardless of the location.
“This could take place in a school, or a nursing home, or a day care. It doesn’t matter where it is, we need to be prepared for an active shooter situation.” Sheriff White stated.
The active shooter training is just one of the steps the MCSO has taken to better serve the students in county schools. Sheriff White stated that he also provides area school administration and staff with a two hour presentation that informs them of their role in an active shooter incident.
Thanks to local support and involvement the sheriff’s office has also been able to place a school resource officer in each of the three school districts in the county.
