Officers participate in active shooter training
Officers from Ironton Police Department, Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Pilot Knob Police Department, Arcadia Police Department, Viburnum Police Department, Fredericktown Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Park Rangers come together for Active Shooter Training at Arcadia Valley High School. (Ironton Police Department)
Victoria Kemper, vkemper@democratnewsonline.com
Eight law enforcement agencies, including Fredericktown Police Department, gathered July 26, at Arcadia Valley High School to participate in an active shooter training course.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol provided officers with a scenario-based training.
According to a press release, the scenarios provided officers with the latest techniques used to locate and stop an active shooter in a building. Officers also trained on a “MILO” virtual interactive simulator.
The simulator placed officers in virtual scenarios, which were designed to test their decision-making skills in deadly force situations.
Fredericktown Police Chief Eric Hovis said, any training event where departments can work together and put names with faces is beneficial for all involved. He said his officers attend a week-long SRT training yearly but that training does not include other local agencies such as this one did.
“This was good because of networking,” Hovis said. “This training is put on by the Highway Patrol with other local agencies involved. It is good to network with them so that in the event something would happen we would be familiar with each other.”
Fredericktown School Resource Officer Jordan Myers, left, and Missouri Park Ranger Jacob Jenkins run a drill during the Active Shooter Training. (Ironton Police Department)
Hovis said, in case future mutual aid is needed, it is good to train in, and know, facilities such as Arcadia Valley High School where this active shooter training took place.
“Officers must always train for the worst-case scenario, and responding to an active shooter in a school is one of them,” Ironton Police Chief Lucas Anderson said. “The Ironton Police Department is committed to working with all our law enforcement partners in order to provide a safe environment for our children. We truly appreciate the Highway Patrol’s commitment to providing this training to our officers.”
The Fredericktown Police Department, and its officers who participated in the training, would like to thank the Missouri Highway Patrol and all the other agencies who participated in the training event.
Departments who participated in the training include Ironton Police Department, Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Pilot Knob Police Department, Arcadia Police Department, Viburnum Police Department, Fredericktown Police Department, Missouri State Park Rangers, and Missouri State Highway Patrol.
