Sarasota Police Captain Kenneth Rainey felt chills as he heard dispatch notify officers that there was an active shooter at Southside Elementary School.
Despite being the person to organize the Sarasota Police Department active shooter training on Friday morning, Rainey tensed at the idea of a school shooting.
Active shooter training exposes first responders to chaotic, high stakes scenarios, according to police. Officers exercised quick responses and leadership skills.
This is the department’s first active shooter training since 2021, Rainey said. In the wake of the Uvalde shooting, police hope to begin these trainings on a regular basis later this year.
Although officers were notified training would be taking place today, they were unaware when or where the it would take place. Rainey said the procedure was executed as realistically as possible.
Dispatchers notified the officers of the presence of an active shooter at the school, and sent them updates along the way. Officers made their way to the school from all across Sarasota.
Officers are left to follow their instincts when entering the school grounds. They searched the buildings for the pretend shooter and chased him upon meeting face to face.
Police also had people role play as wounded victims in the school’s hallway, and officers helped them after catching the pretend shooter.
“Unfortunately, this is a situation that we have to be prepared for,” Rainey said. “Police officers have a duty to risk our lives to save innocent lives.”
Sarasota County School staff, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office dispatch and Sarasota Memorial Hospital staff also participated in the training.
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. Here the ‘active shooter’ is taken into custody during the training. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Members of the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County schools and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dispatch participated in active shooter training at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota Friday. The group ran several scenarios, and the participants were unaware of the training before getting called by dispatchers. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
This story was originally published June 24, 2022 at 12:57 PM.
