Active Shooter Training

Campus police discuss active shooter survival tips

By Maya Douglas
Observer Contributor

In the event of an active shooter, teachers are trained to lock the doors, close the blinds, and call 911, but campus police have some other tactics in mind.

Campus police officer Jim Halkola said police response must change, and traditional lockdown procedures have failed us. He argued that in the amount of time it takes to lockdown and call 911, evacuation could have already occurred.

During a lecture Halkola said, “Staying huddled in a corner is exactly what an active shooter wants.” It’s referred to as “sitting duck syndrome.” He said there is nothing proactive about waiting for the killer to come to you.

The key is to make yourself a hard target. There are two responses the body experiences in an emergency: fight or flight. Halkola explained the difference between a hard target and a soft, or passive, target. A soft target sits in the corner like a sitting duck. A hard target will barricade the door, utilize the room for items to use as weapons, cause distractions, and mentally prepare themselves for anything.

In the event the active shooter makes it past the barricade and students find themselves one on one with the shooter, it is best to team up. Throw objects at the face to distract them. It should be noted that the bad guy is not usually a highly skilled shooter. Halkola pointed out that even trained police officers miss 70%-80% of their target shots in dynamic events.

It’s important to be flexible in a situation such as this. Prepare yourself for anything, and if given an opportunity, get as far away from the area as possible. Halkola said that the moment the shooter looks away or is distracted, run.

Law enforcement who respond to the emergency are trained to have primary goals. They must locate, stop, or contain the shooter.

The police will not immediately aid victims, as the safety of the school takes priority – paramedics will tend to the victims. “Be prepared for chaos in these situations,” Halkola warned.

Halkola mentioned that school shootings date back to the 1800’s, but the shooting at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 (twelve students and a teacher were killed) opened eyes to the rapidly changing world. In 1999, shootings were almost unheard of. Twenty years later, it has become common.

Although some things are out of our control, Halkola offered some tips to prevent putting yourself in a dangerous situation.

• Always know three exits when you walk into a room.
• Be aware of your surroundings, the people around you, alternate routes and stairwells, and emergency exits. Most college students probably aren’t even aware of the quickest emergency exit routes.
• Call 911 and give the dispatcher the best and most accurate information possible. Never hang up on the phone, even if you leave the room, because advanced dispatch technology can listen through rooms.
• Don’t believe common myths such as, “It won’t happen here.” Another myth is that if law enforcement is present, the shooter will not attack the school. A shooting can happen anywhere at any time.
• Be prepared for chaos. Make yourself a hard target.