Tuesday, July 12th, 2022
Law officials to partake in shooter training
From staff reports
FORT RECOVERY - Local law enforcement officers and others will participate in active shooter training on Thursday and Friday at Fort Recovery Elementary/Middle School.
Mercer County Sheriff's Office, along with Fort Recovery Police Department, will conduct Active Shooter Response Training and Rescue Task Force Training across the two days, per a news release from county sheriff Jeff Grey.
The county sheriff's office is presenting and paying for the training, the release indicates.
"The public may notice an increased first responder presence in the area of Fort Recovery. There will be a large amount of officers, fire fighters and squad members in and around the building," the release states. "The area will be posted with training warning notices and will be closed off to the public. We wish to thank the Fort Recovery Local Schools for their assistance in providing the building and staff for this very important training opportunity."
Each day will feature the same eight hours of training so local law enforcement and other agencies can send half of their personnel the first day and the other half the next day, according to the release.
"There will be a short classroom portion of the training that will be followed up with hands on role playing scenarios involving intruders and victims," the release states. "The first half of the day will consist of the Active Shooter Response Training focusing on solo officer response and leading into link-up and 2-man responses."
The afternoon will lead into a "full scale active killer event" including a rescue task force response, the release states. Air soft guns will be used to help simulate force on force training.
Grey said 43 people have signed up for the classes, including personnel from most law enforcement agencies in Mercer County and local emergency medical services and fire departments.
This will mark the seventh year the county sheriff's office has hosted an Active Shooter Response Training session and the first year a Rescue Task Force Training session in Mercer County, the release states.
"With the addition of the Rescue Task Force Training, the number of personnel involved will grow with the inclusion of Mercer County area Fire Departments and EMS Agencies," the release reads.
Since Active Shooter Response Training has been held locally, officials have moved the locations throughout the county, according to the release.
"In the past, we had conducted the sessions at several different schools districts, and a multi-residential type facility. Our hope is to allow all of the officers from Mercer County to train in differing types of structures so that they are better prepared for circumstances like this," the release states. "We hope that we never have to use the training, but want to be as prepared as possible if we do."
For questions about the training contact training coordinator Sgt. Jay Wehrkamp at 419-586-7724 or jay.wehrkamp@mercercountysheirffohio.gov.
