Lake Forest School District 67
School Safety Newsletter

 

School Safety Question #10: RAPID DEPLOYMENT TRAINING


 
How prepared are local law enforcement agencies to help us during a crisis?

 

     The Lake Forest Police Department (LFPD) takes school safety very seriously. In addition to assigning Officer Christensen to our schools, they are in close communication with administrators when situations arise and very invested in school-police partnerships.

 

     Police officers also engage in top tier training activities.  For example, on 

Columbus Day, LFPD along with Highwood PD and Lake Bluff PD, conducted 
Rapid Deployment Training at Deerpath Middle School. They chose one of our schools as the setting to provide a richer training experience and to get officers better acclimated with our largest school.
 
     After the incident at Columbine High School in 1999, law enforcement agencies realized that arriving on scene, setting up a perimeter (outside of a place where people are being hurt), and waiting for a SWAT team, created an unacceptable delay. Therefore, most of the training pertaining to these types of incidents, has trended towards law enforcement entering upon arrival and confronting the threat.  This type of rapid deployment has helped mitigate the extent of damage done in school shooting situations.

   At the core of rapid deployment training, is the following important points: 
1. The #1 goal of the police is to neutralize the threat.
2. 2-3 officer teams will quickly mobilize and enter the premise through any means necessary.
3. Officers will conduct a primary search for the offender(s) while constantly moving.  An mportant note: THEY WILL NOT STOP FOR INJURED DURING THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
4. They will attempt to isolate the threat into a specific area to minimize the potential for death or great bodily harm to others.
5. Officers may gather intelligence from students and teachers during the initial search.
6. Some officers may remain outside in an attempt to keep the incident contained.
7. Rescue teams, such as paramedics, will come in later when the building is determined to be secure.

     Should an active shooter event happen, school staff and students can assist officers by doing the following:
1. Follow all directives swiftly and safely.
2. Be prepared to identify yourself immediately.
3. Keep track of your students.
4. Be prepared to volunteer information (verbally or through gesturing) about the intruder (description, location, direction of travel, etc.). 
5. Do not be upset or offended if you are treated like a suspect. For example, if officers enter a space where two people are fighting, they will restraint all parties.  After everyone is immobilized, they will sort out their identities.  
 


     The LFPD would like to thank District 67 Administrators, Building and Grounds, and school staff for allowing them to conduct training at DPM.  It was a very valuable experience for the officers and will improve law enforcement response, should an incident ever arise here or in the surrounding communities.
  
     Thank you for your efforts in keeping our school community as safe as possible.

Sincerely,
Ingrid Wiemer -Executive Director of Student Services
Conrad Christensen -LF Police Officer/School Resource Officer (SRO)


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Lake Forest School District 67
300 S. Waukegan Rd.
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045
847-235-9657