School Resource Officers and Staff Undertake Intensive Active Shooter Drills at St. Cloud State University

(KNSI) – Area school resource officers are cramming to ensure they’re prepared for the biggest test of all, an active shooter situation.

Jake Judd/KNSI News

It became even more real on Thursday as District 742 staff roleplayed as the victims in a hypothetical training exercise. The groups worked together on the campus of St. Cloud State University inside the old education building.

St. Cloud Police Officer Ben Ekberg told KNSI News that both sides received valuable information from the drills. “How we had it designed is in the morning portion, anybody on a voluntary basis that works for the St. Cloud [Area] School District, or any staff from St. Cloud State [University] that wanted to do a “run, hide, fight” classroom portion, PowerPoint, [and] Q and A. Then in the afternoon, they would come and they would roleplay for us.”

Ekberg elaborated on what school staff are taught. “So, to me, it’s really important that our school staff have some version of a plan. They understand what things may look like. They know how to make good decisions. They know how to take a breath, take in information, and ultimately keep as many people safe as possible.”

District 742 Staff getting first aid training/Jake Judd KNSI News

Commander Martin Sayre says the subject matter is grim but he feels it is vital that everyone, civilians included, take time to run through how they’d react if the nightmare scenario happens. “If your mind hasn’t thought through things that could potentially happen, and this goes to all aspects of life, then when it happens, you’re not prepared.”

Sayre says events at the national level show it can happen in the office, at a grocery store, or at a sporting event. He recommends thinking out how you’d react to all of those possible situations.

Both Ekberg and Sayre said to try to slow things down and realize you have three to five minutes to plot out the best course of action and execute.

___