PINEVILLE -- McDonald County High School resource officer Buck Owen put on a training at MCHS with help from former Lt. Mike Hall. At the training, area law enforcement agencies were invited to prepare for a school shooting scenario.
Owen said the training involved about 25 local law enforcement officers. At the training, officers discussed warning signs typically present among school shooters and how to handle both school and mass shootings.
Training attendees practiced building and room clearing while blank and airsoft firings occurred. Attendees also toured the high school, familiarizing themselves with the campus, according to Owen.
Owen said the goal of the training was for local law enforcement officers to know how to clear buildings in these specific scenarios, which he noted is very different than other building clearing. Owen said it's also beneficial for law enforcement officers to be familiar with the building prior to an emergency situation occurring.
"This training is as much for me as anybody," Owen said. "It gets us more familiar with room and building clearing."
Owen said this training has happened in the past -- about two years ago. Owen said his goal is to have the training at least once a year, with the training being held at different schools throughout the county so law enforcement officers can become familiar with varying school layouts.
Owen said local law enforcement officers being in the thought process and mindset of this emergency situation will benefit officers and school attendees.
Owen said he and Hall are working to plan another training which will include law enforcement officers, first responders, and live actors -- which Owen noted will likely be MCHS drama students.
Owen said at the training, officers and first responders will focus on the "aftermath" of the emergency situation, paying special attention to victims, and reunification scenarios. Owen said attendees will be given different hypothetical scenarios to respond to. Owen hopes the training can take place during the first semester of the upcoming school year.
Photos Submitted by Goodman Police Chief Samuel Townsend Officers gear up in tactical gear for the law enforcement school shooting training session.
Photos Submitted by Goodman Police Chief Samuel Townsend
Photos Submitted by Goodman Police Chief Samuel Townsend
Photos Submitted by Goodman Police Chief Samuel Townsend Goodman police chief Samuel Townsend (left) and McDonald County Sheriff Robert Evenson shake hands after a long day of training during the Law Enforcement School Shooting training session.