Police offering active violence training

By Abbigail Cowels
Staff Writer

Would you know what to do if you found yourself at school during an active shooting?

This is a difficult possibility to consider. LCC Police and Public Safety are helping to prepare students and staff by offering periodic Active Violence Training sessions this fall.

The next session is Tuesday, Oct. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. in room 2214 of the Gannon Building. There is also a session on Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the same location. The sessions are free to attend.

“I would attend it just because I feel like gun violence in schools is on the rise,” said LCC student Ofelia Castilla.

The possibility of an event like this is present in the minds of students, especially since the Feb. 13 shooting at Michigan State University that resulted in three fatalities. LCC Police are holding the training sessions to better equip those on campus with a guide to survival.

“I make sure that I know what the lockdown is for my son's school, who is 4,” Castilla said. “It’s probably a good idea to have the same kind of knowledge available to me on campus, you know, just to kind of be aware of my surroundings; what's going on, where to go, what a safe place is.”

These are some of the topics that will be covered in the training, as well as what not to do in a crisis situation.

“It is important for faculty to know what is going on inside and outside the classroom and to have tools that help us make decisions under times of stress,” said mathematics Professor Jennifer Flenner.

According to LCC Police Officer Tim Davis, LCC’s Active Violence Training provides helpful information when it comes to times of crisis; not just where to go, but how to act and who to call. LCC has emergency call boxes throughout both the west and main campuses   

“You can push those buttons and hopefully you will have enough time to tell us what's going on,” Davis said.

The tall blue stations around campus will connect callers directly with LCC public safety. In the event that someone cannot get to the police in time, or feels an imminent threat, it is encouraged to use those devices to call for help.

For more information and a complete list of training dates, as well as how to file a report, visit www.lcc.edu/police.