On August 29, the Jackson Township and Lakewood Police Department hosted a joint Active Shooter/Killer Training at the Christa McAuliffe Middle School.
The training was coordinated by Patrolman Vincent Rubio and Lieutenant Rob Shimonovich both of their respective departments training division. Patrolman Leonard Nieves Jr. instructed the participants on the history and response to an active killer incident. Patrolman Anthony Rizzo gave a presentation on self-aid / buddy aid and the use of a tourniquet, which has become a hand in hand when dealing with any active shooter training.
The cadre of instructors consisted of Lakewood and Jackson Police Officers including both departments’ school resource officers, as school will be starting very soon.
The training was offered to the surrounding Law Enforcement agencies at no cost.
Over sixty officers attended the training, with Lakewood Police, Jackson Police, Manchester Twp. Police and Jackson School Security making up majority of the roster.
Officers were given a Powerpoint type lecture, then safety briefed and outfitted with simunitions (non-lethal training firearms), and put through several active killer scenarios.
“We use active killer as opposed to active shooter because it is not always a gun that’s involved in these acts – it could be a knife or any other type of weapons,” says Firearms Training Lieutenant Rob Shimonovich.
The scenarios included role players, which were students from Jackson Memorial High School and Lakewood High school, making the training as life like as safely possible. Sound mimicking equipment was also utilized at the training, which created shouting and screaming – causing confusion and alarm.
Officers were set up in groups of two, then sent through the school in a tactical type formation searching for the active killer. During their search role, players would pose as victims or fleeing students trying to get away.
“Officers have a great challenge when these victims are screaming and running towards them, with identification, and deciding to bypass and continue the search,” says Shimonovich. “The LRAD sound mimicker then causes confusion by mimicking gun shots which the officers then have to respond towards the direction of the blasts. At some point they come face to face with the active killer and have to stop the killer (which is also a role player utilizing the simmunition gun shooting back at the officers, and creates anxiety and the sense of being shot which can’t get more lifelike).”
This hands on training, says Shimonovich, is the most valuable type of training because it puts the officers as close to the real thing as safely possible.
“Instructor Rubio and I feel as all the surrounding towns should be on the same page just in case there is an incident. We would respond the same way and work together. It is very probable that in the event of an active shooter/ killer incident any and all towns will be calling for mutual aid.
This was the second time the police departments did this joint training. The first was held at Georgian Court University on July 20, as reported on TLS.
“Our departments will be offering another joint training that again will be open to all the towns at no cost, during the holiday break in December and we would love to see more agencies taking advantage of it,” Shimonovich says.
