Active shooters are becoming more and more common within our society, it is a scary but true statement. In prior years, police were taught to not intercept the suspect before they were done inside the building. Columbine was one of the most violent school shootings that have taken place, and yet the police stood by outside while the shooting was happening right in front of them.
But this is not about the past, but about the present. What are the police doing presently to stop active shooters before they kill a mass amount of people? Nowadays police are using strategic means of moving throughout a building and getting to the suspect.
I among other students were fortunate enough to go through the drills police officers are trained to do. During an active shooter situation, usually, S.W.A.T or other highly trained officers go in as a group. The officers essentially form a line that has a point, and a tail end. The point is the guy leading his team into rooms and/or stairways. While the tail end, is turned around, walking backwards covering behind the rest of his team.
In this simulation my class and I did, we had to clear and find a suspect that was a floor above us. I ran as point, leading my team up the stairs, but in order for it to work we all must move as one unit. Using the wall as support, we must all work like a clock. If I am looking at a certain spot, the next person looks there as I move my attention in other areas, and so on and so forth.
One thing you don't realize as a civilian, is the in depth focus and ever moving area of responsibility police officers have in this type of situation. Police officers use what is called slicing the pie, essentially moving around an area where you would be able to know where another person is without them seeing you. Police use this more intensively when going up a flight of stairs.
The officers that are going upstairs or in rooms to clear the building, is tough in of itself, because not only do they have students and or adults running at them screaming, they also need to find and secure the active aggressor.
In the simulation, my class and I ran through searching and clearing rooms, that possibly held a suspect. Each room three officers went in with their area of responsibility. Once in the room, one went to the left, one went straight or right and one went through the middle of the room.Once clearing a room, the group I was assigned to got in formation and proceeded to the next room, repeating the same process until each room was cleared or we found our suspects. When clearing a room, you have to be aware of every inch of that room, including behind object and on top of objects also.That isn't the only way to clear a room either. During an active shooter, and you hear gunshots, you and your team are running straight to the gunfire. But on the way, you are "clearing" each room by slowing down and looking into the room from outside of it, then proceeding to the next room.My team actually was the worst times in doing so, with 36 seconds to clear 20 plus rooms and get to the suspect. This time will drastically drop when it comes to the police though, because they spend countless of hours preparing and training for any circumstance that could possibly occur.
What everyday citizens need to know, is that police do have your back and want you to be safe, despite their reputation people give them. Police officers are highly trained in clearing and taking out the suspect at large. Just remain calm and do the best you can to provide officers with any information you can give them, that will help them protect you and themselves from the suspect.
