Twelve people have been shot and killed on U.S. school campuses this year…and a Klamath Falls campus is taking steps to make their campus safer.
The first training involved a disgruntled student that had taken a school administrator hostage, while the second involved police looking for a gunman taking random shots at students.
Sergeant Ryan Huntsman of the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office notes that the training at Klamath Community College provided valuable experience for Klamath Falls SWAT team members…
“You need the perpetual training in order to retain what you’ve learned previously, and practice new techniques that have evolved.”
KCC’s Ryan Brown adds that teachers and staff also took part in the exercise…
“From the college perspective, it’s about training faculty and staff on how to best respond in the case of an active shooter on campus.”
“It will allow them to see how the police will respond.” Adds Sergeant Huntsman. “What they can expect from the response, and also ways that they can help us.”
The training provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a ‘Special Weapons And Tactics’ team.
Staff listened in as an officer negotiated with a gunman…who eventually released his hostage…and then surrendered to police.
Teachers gave the cops high marks on their test.
“The campus will absolutely be safer.”Agreed Ryan Brown.
The SWAT team in Klamath Falls is composed of officers from City, County, and State agencies.
Their primary objective is to render situations safe without the use of force, whenever possible.
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