(MURFREESBORO) MTSU Police will be offering active shooter training to campus volunteers. Classes will be in 2-hour segments on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Is this a viable approach for the church and business sector of the private community?
Campus officers already complete multiple days annually of active shooter training tailored to law enforcement, but the department and university leadership wanted to provide something more this fall — active shooter preparedness training for civilians.
New MTSU Police Chief Edwin Kaup said, “Unfortunately, due to the current climate and the increase of active shooter events across the nation, there is a call for more frequent training. This call for an increase in training is made by the university as a whole.”
Chief Kaup noted, “It isn’t due to any actual or current threats to campus. It’s that we understand everyone’s growing concerns, so we have dedicated ourselves to equipping the campus community with all the safety resources and tools available and allocated personnel to deliver this training for those who wish to take advantage of it.”
The MTSU Police Department is offering two-hour training presentations on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00-11:00AM and 5:00-7:00PM throughout the fall semester. Again, this is for volunteer training only to protect the MTSU campus. The two hours consist of a PowerPoint presentation with several audio and video clips walking attendees through the background of these types of events, actionable takeaways and a case study. It ends with a question-and-answer session.
Officers first became certified to train civilians in active shooter preparedness about five years ago when Lt. Jacob Wagner learned of a civilian-oriented active shooter course and attended it with a handful of other officers.
Lt. Wagner said, “If there’s a way we can help any member of our campus be safer and more prepared, we want to train and extend this knowledge to everyone on campus. We’re not happy about why there’s a renewed need for this type of training, but we are happy to provide it to the MTSU community.”
Though officers most often aid in non-emergency calls such as finding missing property or assisting students with a jump start, recent and tragic shooting events, including in educational settings, have highlighted the need to be prepared for every threat the campus could face.
If you are a part of the MTSU campus community and wish to learn more, email Capt. Jeff Martinez at Jeff.Martinez@mtsu.edu for information.
Should this active shooter training be available to other local residents? If discussions or classes become available, NewsRadio WGNS will let you know.
