University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

From left, Sergio Disanto and Scott McMillian take part in an exercise in the former Pritchard residence hall. Photo: DOUGLAS LEVERE

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  Participants in the “Active Shooter Emergency Response” course take part in an exercise in the former Pritchard residence hall. Click on the image to see a larger version. Photo: DOUGLAS LEVERE

Published: Dec. 6, 2012

More than 60 police officers from UB, the New York State Police and surrounding police agencies are on the South Campus this week taking part in an intensive training program designed to keep the campus community safe.

The UB Police Department is hosting the “Active Shooter Emergency Response” course in conjunction with the state police. The course, a Department of Homeland Security course, is being taught by instructors from the New York State Preparedness Training Center.

The course addresses the technical aspects of planning and implementing a rapid law-enforcement deployment to an active-shooter incident at an educational institution. Participants are receiving detailed information through classroom presentations, as well as hands-on and performance-based exercises designed to prepare them for rapid-deployment situations.

UB offers an excellent venue for this training, with some now-empty residence halls on the South Campus available to provide a realistic training environment, says Jerry Schoenle, chief of the UB Police Department.

Shoenle notes that while hosting such a course on an active college campus during the semester presents challenges, it certainly adds to the realism of the training program.

“We are very fortunate that the New York State Police and the New York State Preparedness Training Center collaborated with us to bring this excellent training to our department,” he says. “While college campuses remain among the safest places in communities, clearly, we must train for the unexpected.”