Mannford Officers Take Part In Active Shooter Training

With a disturbing number of mass shooting across the country, area law officers are making sure they are prepared to stop an active shooter.

The halls are empty at Mannford Elementary school while kids are off for Christmas break, but they were full Wednesday as officers trained to make sure they're always one step ahead of the bad guys.

It's training officers never want to use, but skills they must have should the worst case scenario call come in.

“We want to be ready,” said Mannford Police Chief Lucky Miller. “Is it possible that we could have a situation here at the school? Yes, it is. We hope that never happens.”

Mannford police officers and some Creek County deputies wrapped up a two-day active shooting training. They used Mannford's elementary school while it’s empty for Christmas break.

The chief said inside school walls, training feels more realistic and it also gives officers the opportunity to become more familiar with the school building.

Miller said, “We know the layout of the schools, we know the hiding spots of the schools.”

He said the training isn't just about responding to a school shooting, though.

“It's for any business, any school, any home where a barricaded subject may be or a gunman may be with hostages.”

They've looked at how law enforcement responded to real-life tragedies, like Columbine or Sandy Hook or San Bernardino.

Officers were armed with simulated guns, loaded with soft-soap bullets that are much like the weapons police carry on duty.

The number one goal is to stop the shooter as quickly as possible.

“We're not going to wait for a team of officers and try to figure out a game plan. We're going in with what we have,” Miller said. “If you're the bad guy, you better get ready, we're gonna come get you.”

The chief said, for most of his officers, this was their first active shooting training. He hopes to have more classes like this in the future.