LAUDERDALE LAKES, FLA. (WSVN) - As Broward County Public School students get ready to go back to school, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office held training drills to prepare deputies and school resource officers for active shooter scenarios.
On Monday afternoon, Broward County Sheriff’s deputies held a training session at Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure law enforcement and school resource officers (SRO) is ready in case of a school shooting.
“These safety trainings and drill situations help our SROs just understand how to react in a situation arises,” said Broward County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn.
7News was present during the drills as deputies used their training to respond to various scenarios that might involve an active shooter.
“From a training protocol, consistently we are putting our SROs through actionable scenarios where we are testing our skills, as to whether or not they can respond effectively,” said BSO Sheriff Gregory Tony.
During one of the drills, deputies encountered an active shooter that is firing shots inside a classroom, barricaded with hostages.
“Regardless what decisions a suspect may take or change interactions, our response and protocols are the same,” said Tony. “We can’t afford to stand outside and negotiate with someone who has already taken a life of innocent people.”
After Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s SRO Scott Peterson decided not to go inside during the 2018 shooting, BSO has made it a priority to continuously train all deputies, especially SROs, on how to respond.
“One is to stop the killing. The most effective mechanism of doing that is to engage the suspect, eliminate them as soon as possible,” said Tony. “And then the second is to stop the dying and that’s where the tactical medical care comes in. Being able to treat injuries.”
BCPS Board Member Debbie Hixon’s husband Chris was killed during the Parkland shooting as he tried to disarm the shooter.
“As many of you know, school safety is a topic that hits home for me,” said Debbie. “It’s very, very important that our SROs, not just from BSO but from across our county, all municipalities, understand that their role is to immediately activate themselves when there is an incident.”
Hepburn said students excel when they feel safe in their schools.
“We definitely understand the impact that a safe and secure environment has on our academic performance on our students,” said Hepburn.
Tony said his deputies know it takes a group effort, training and preparedness is the only way to ensure the safety of the students and staff.
BCPS starts classes on Aug. 12.
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