LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Preparing for the worst-case scenario on a school campus, Clark County School District police and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police teamed up to train for an active shooter situation at a valley school.
"It is the responsibility of law enforcement to have an aggressive response to stop perpetrators and save lives,” said LVMPD deputy chief, Jamie Prosser.
School police partnered with Las Vegas Metro for an active shooter training Thursday morning. Police say this involved simulated gunfire and explosions, along with 50 volunteers role playing as teachers and students with some playing victims.
Metro Police says simulations are necessary to ensure all agencies have the same standard response. As law enforcement across the nation face scrutiny over response procedures, in light of the failures during the Uvalde school mass shooting, Metro Police reassured the public all officers will act on a real-life threat.
"God forbid if something like this were to befall our valley, our officers will not hesitate. They will not flinch. They will quickly and decisively take action,” said LVMPD captain Reggie Rader.
Those words giving some peace of mind for CCSD kindergarten teacher Kristan Nigro.
"I'm happy that they are being so…backing their decision to do that,” she said.
She says the training is necessary and a reflection of an unfortunate reality where the threat of a school shooting too often becomes a reality.
"We have close to seven hundred kids and all it takes is one person to go in there and how many kids are not going home to their families?" Nigro said.
Kimberley Brock, a CCSD parent says the safety of her children is one of her main priorities and says law enforcement preparation is encouraging to hear.
"I would like to know that police are protecting us. That's what we look for them to do,” she said.
Police say this training is nothing new and an essential part of their job.
"Our first responders have been prepared to go handle situations like this for years and training like this just reinforces that.,” Captain Rader said.
Las Vegas police say the department constantly conducts active shooter trainings at other locations across the valley to prepare for any situation.
