With recent mass shootings in the news, community safety has become an important subject addressed by civilians and first responders alike. Locally, community members have found ways to educate and prepare for worst-case scenarios, especially after a possible active shooter situation hit close to home last year.
Officer Sam Reedy of the Lubbock Police Department engages the public to make the relationship between the community and the police department stronger. His role is to educate citizens on situations they may end up in, whether it’s preventable crime or an active shooter.
“A few things that they can do is one – be very alert in their environment, and then there are three things that we usually teach in an active shooter,” Reedy said. “How to remove yourself from that situation, how to deny access for the active shooter to your location, and then how to defend yourself if you’re in that kind of last ditch effort where the active shooter is actually coming to you.”
Reedy said despite media attention, active shooter events are uncommon, however, these events concern the public and the police department has a duty to address it.
“Responses to emergency situations have changed nation wide since the first active shooter instances occurred, so from that perspective things have changed but that’s a nation wide perspective,” Reedy said. “What we do specifically to prepare for these things as a police department is something that we don’t talk about.”
Randy Baker via Linkedin
According to the Congressional Research Service, there were on average 4.5 mass shooting incidents from 2011 to 2013.
Corporal Randy Baker of the Texas Tech Police Department is dedicated to educating and training law enforcement, civilians, and specifically students to deal with different threats. He teaches a presentation through the ALERRT organization centered on avoiding, denying, and defending when engaged by an active threat.
According to the ALERRT organization website, the acronym stands for Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training. Started through Texas State University, the organization partnered with the FBI to train and prepare both law enforcement and civilians to engage active shooters.
“We cover the UT shooting,” Baker said. “A lot of people believe that was one of the first active shooter events, and we just kind of take the lessons learned and what law enforcement can do – because at that time law enforcement wasn’t prepared to handle such situations- and we go through other events leading up to post Columbine.”
Thomas Larson, a co owner of Lone Star Shooting Sports, hosts a training session for CRASE, which is also developed through the ALERRT initiative. Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events is taught by Baker for citizens looking to prepare. Not only do they cover gun use and safety, but they also explain simple ways to protect yourself in an active shooter event.
“Pile stuff up in front of a door, just make it easier for him to go some place else you know what I mean, but if he’s determined to get in that room, then you have to be prepared for that also,” Larson said. “There’s all kinds of improvised weapons in there, you’ve got chairs, you’ve got pens, books, computers.”
According to a study conducted by the FBI, 45.6 percent of mass shootings took place in places of commerce followed by 24.4 percent in schools.
Kasie Whitley, deputy public information officer for the Lubbock Police Department, encourages students to protect themselves proactively by being vigilant members of the community.
“Something that we post a lot on social media is, ‘if you see something say something.’ We would rather air on the side of caution. We would rather you call us and not need us then need us and not call us,” Whitley said. “Especially in today’s day and age, if you see something that your gut just is telling isn’t right then take as many mental notes of that as possible, take a picture of it.”
Reedy said to take advantage of the many resources for students and citizens to be informed of developing situations that the Lubbock or Texas Tech Police Department are aware of.
“There are a lot of different systems that the college has and the police department has that you can sign up for that will give you alerts,” Reedy said. “The Lubbock alert system is something that the city of Lubbock uses and we can actually send alerts to geographical areas that need to be concerned or aware of a certain situation and of course those situations can be anything.”
Via Texas Tech Today
Michael Palmer is an instructor at Lubbock CHL, a facility for people who want to become licensed to concealed carry of a firearm. The facility offers state required class instruction as well as the required range experience.
“What I teach in class and what I try to live in life is a proactive style of approach, which is I am constantly aware of my surroundings,” Palmer said. “I have my head on a swivel. I am aware of what’s going on around me, and I react to that. A good example is when you get out of your car at Wal-Mart, do you look 360 degrees around before you go inside? You should.”
People are often engrossed in their phones when entering environments, Palmer said, and can easily become a target if they aren’t aware of their surroundings, regardless of whether they are armed.
“Crime is indiscriminate. Normally it has a purpose but it’s fairly indiscriminate as to who it hurts,” Palmer said. “So how do we keep our communities safe?”
Larson said the key for college students is to pay attention and be aware of the campus around you and in your classes.
“The number one thing is situational awareness and knowing your environment – what’s not right about it,” Larson said. “You sit with same people every day and obviously everybody makes judgments of individuals. Really you just need to use your instincts.”
Larson said about 20 percent of his customers are college-aged individuals who want to become proficient with a firearm. With campus carry now available, Larson offers basic hand gun classes as well as a simulator for scenario based training. This training includes how to react to an active shooter so in the event of an emergency they can be trained and prepared.
“That’s part of our goal is to educate the firearms owner,” Larson said. “Right now that’s part of the class that randy teaches but we are fixing to offer a situational awareness and weapons that are in your environment class.”
Via Lone Star Shooting Sports Facebook
Palmer experienced a violent crime in 2001 when he was stabbed while sober driving for a friend. He said this changed the way he looked at safety forever, and he believes God has given him this opportunity to teach others.
“I look at it in a sense that it’s not only a public service but it’s also a duty for me to teach people how to carry a gun to protect their life in the event that they may need it.” Palmer said.
According to the American Journal of Public Health, 24 percent of surveyed gun owners said they carried monthly.
Concealed carrying, Palmer said, is a responsibility to be taken seriously. While a firearm is there for protection, it is simply a tool and not a security blanket. He said the use of a firearm is needed when a person fears their life is in immediate danger and all other means of protection have failed.
“Sometimes it’s better to be a witness than an actor. If you see something say something,” Palmer said. “If you have to address a threat, better be sure of your target and what’s beyond it because you will be held liable for reckless injury to an innocent third party.”
Baker said a large part of community preparation for emergencies like active shooters is changing the mindset. When it comes to emergencies, people think it will never happen to them but should be prepared just in case. Stay alert and report suspicious things to police.
“We have seen from some of the past events the response by law enforcement got better and improved,” Baker said. “We also found that we needed to educate the civilian side so that we are all going to be on the same page when these things happen and we know what to expect from each other.”
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