Preparing For The Worst: Suffolk County Police Train To React To School Shooter Scenario
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Police In Suffolk County learned important lessons during a drill on Saturday, lessons that could equal lives saved during a crisis.
The officers were learning what to do in the event of a school shooting scenario like the one in Newtown, Connecticut. They ran through a series of drills at Connetquot High School in Bohemia.
"It's a very big building, there's corridors, they're intersecting corridors, multiple floors, obviously multiple rooms, bathrooms, gymnasiums," Aristides Mojica of the Suffolk County police Department told CBS 2's Cindy Hsu.
The department has been holding these drills since before the Newtown shooting, but now the practice has taken on a new sense of urgency.
"We have had something close to home, just across the sound in Connecticut. So, of course that's raised our awareness," Mojica said.
More than fifty officers took par t in Saturday's drill.
"The first people who respond, who get the 911 call, they're the ones who have to go in and neutralize an active shooter. Today that's what this is about, giving them the proper training," Mojica explained.
For an added touch of realism student volunteers also took part in the exercise.
"I did it before and it was really fun, so I decided to do it again today," said Danny Raber.
The training was led by specialists, including members of a SWAT team.
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