Over 600 First Responders Train on Active Shooter Situations on 5th Anniversary of Northern Illinois Shooting

By monica.heth at February 19, 2013 | 11:02 am | Print

February 14, 2013 marked the five year anniversary of the tragic Northern Illinois University shooting that killed five and injured twenty-one individuals. Mass shooting incidents continue to happen at an alarming pace, with one occurring in the United States every month since 2009.

In remembrance of this event – and in recognition of recent events in places such as Newton, Connecticut – the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, in cooperation with the Illinois Tactical Officers Association and the North East Multi Regional Training Unit, have partnered to sponsor a training event. The event, Law Enforcement Response to School Violence, featuring world-renowned speaker Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman.

Grossman, an author, former West Point psychology professor, and an Army Ranger, has trained educators and law enforcement professionals in the field of school safety in all 50 states and over a dozen foreign nations. He has also trained mental health professionals after active shooter incidents.

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This training will include members of law enforcement, the fire service, emergency management agencies, and school administrators. It will focus on the critical challenges of identifying, preventing and responding to active shooter and school violence incidents.

“As we work – as a society – to address the proliferation of guns and senseless violence that we have seen it is important to know that Cook County is working, under the leadership of President Preckwinkle, to ensure our educators and first responders are trained to identify, address and react to these threats, keeping our children safe and our communities secure,” noted Executive Director Michael Masters.

This event will be attended by over 600 first responders, making it the single largest training event that Cook County has sponsored. Under President Preckwinkle, Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has significantly increased the training opportunities offered to first responders, training over 5,000 individuals in 2012.

Agencies Law Enforcement and Jails active shooter training, Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, michael masters, Northern Illinois mass shooting