Fight or Flight? KPD to Teach Response to an Active Shooter Situation

What would be your best chance of survival if you were faced with an active shooter situation? The Kaua‘i Police Department is encouraging the public to become educated on active shooter preparedness and assaulter response, due to the recent number of mass shootings throughout the United States, according to a KPD news release.

“Although the likelihood is rare, we recognize that the threat of an active assaulter, terrorist-related or otherwise, is possible on Kaua‘i,” KPD Chief Darryl Perry said. “It is important that we acknowledge this issue and educate civilians on how to be prepared.”

To help residents learn more about responding to an active shooter and assaulter event, KPD plans to offer an ALICE active shooter instructor course in February 2018. ALICE stands for Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate. It is a training institute that specializes in active shooter response.

“Active assaulter incidents throughout the U.S. are now considered a recognizable hazard,” KPD Capt. Mark Ozaki said. “However, there are steps that can be taken to limit or even prevent loss of life during an incident. This is possible through public education and training, which is an important part of the Administrative and Technical Bureau.”

KPD’s Administrative and Technical Bureau offers assistance to organizations wishing to develop its own Active Shooter Preparedness Plan. In the past, KPD has collaborated with the Kaua‘i Community College in conducting a simulated scenario on campus. The goal of the exercise was to assess both KCC’s and KPD’s preparedness level and response should a true incident occur in the future.

There are also other resources the public may utilize on their own. Citizens can take a free online active shooter preparedness and response course through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.training.fema.gov.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides further information for active shooter preparedness. Its website advises the public to take the following steps if an active shooter incident occurs:

1. Run – Have an escape route and plan in mind. Leave your belongings behind. Keep your hands visible.
2. Hide – Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view. Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors. Silence your cell phone and/or pager.
3. Fight – As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger. Attempt to incapacitate the shooter. Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter.
4. Call 911 when it is safe to do so.

For more information about developing an Active Shooter Preparedness Plan, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov.

Details on KPD’s ALICE training in February will be announced as more information becomes available. In the meantime, anyone interested may contact Sgt. Lance Okasaki at 241-1647.

If your organization would like to coordinate a training exercise with KPD, call the Administrative and Technical Bureau training section at 241-1648.