In situation where minutes matter, Lafayette Police say active-shooter trainings about timing, teamwork
The Lafayette Police Department says it is sharpening the way officers respond to active shooter situation
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- As the aftermath of the Uvalde mass shooting weighs heavy on the minds of parents and community members, the Lafayette Police Department says it is sharpening the way officers respond to active shooter situation.
In a situation where a matter of minutes can mean the difference between life and death, police say they want to ensure they can save as many lives as possible from another shooter situation.
"Especially with today's events that are going on, we like to stay up-to-date with our training. We want to make sure we are proficient on what we need to do in the event that an active shooter situation might occur in the future," Police Spokesperson Sgt. Robin Green said.
"You call it active shooter, but we call it active killer because that's what that person is doing," Cpl. Miles stated.
SWAT School Resource Officer Corporal Derrick Miles says the LPD stays on top of its training programs.
Corporal Miles and Corporal Huval are active shooter instructors.
"We've been doing this before all the incidents started to occur. We're very up-to-scale and up to par about what's going on with active shooters. It's just to keep it safe for Lafayette and understand that we have a SWAT Team that's out here ready and accessible."
Cpl. Miles says timing and teamwork are key elements to dealing with an active shooter.
"We got to make sure we are all on the same page. Things change every day with an active shooter. It changes. We learn different types of tactics and different types of policy and procedure changes. We get together to make sure we're all on the same page," Miles noted.
The Lafayette Parish School System's Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Gardner says the location for the school district active shooting training depends on the school's availability.
"They've been doing this for a really long time now. They've always been proactive. They do these simulated trainings summer after summer. It just changes location each summer," Gardner explains.