Those agencies that would likely be involved if a shooting occurred on the Cowley College campus will spend Thursday training in how to deal with such an emergency.
"With recent college campus shootings, Cowley College approached the Arkansas City Police Department about conducting this kind of training to educate and prepare their security and staff for the possibility of an active shooting incident occurring on campus," said Ark City Police Chief Sean Wallace.
Winfield police, County Sheriff officers, the Southwest Kansas Regional SWAT Team, Ark City firefighters and paramedics and the South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center will participate in the training.
There will be three venues during the training. The first is at the College Brown Center at 125 S. Second St. Officers will engage actors in the hallways and classrooms of that facility using semunition weapons – pistols that shoot soap pellets, Wallace said.
Officers will have to locate the active shooter and neutralize him or her. Along the way, they will have to engage students and clear rooms.
The second venue is at the Kirk Dale Dorms located in the 100 block of N. Fourth Street. There officers will practice active shooter approach formations, room clearance techniques and arrest procedures without weapons.
The third venue is the college cafeteria also located in the 100 block of N. Fourth Street. A barricaded suspect scenario will take place in the cafeteria involving actors. The SWAT team will proactive entry techniques, sniper techniques and negotiation skills.
Cowley County communications will train on tactical communications with the SWAT team and other officers involved. The fire department will be training on field triaging and transporting patients to the hospital. The Medical Center will test responses to an influx of victims from a multiple victim shooting incident.
