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Officers and volunteers role-play active shooter training in Mt. Pleasant

Officers and volunteers role-play active shooter training in Mt. Pleasant

More than 200 officers and firefighters played out a scenario no one wants to deal with in real life and took part in active shooter training in Mt Pleasant this week.

At the newly vacant West Ridge Elementary School, participants learned how to respond to an active shooter, breach doors, find entry points and get people to safety.

This training is necessary for community law enforcement, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Robert Botsch told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin.

“Unfortunately, we had busy events in Wisconsin,” Botsch said. “We’ve had them in several different venues, in different cities, in different counties, so no community is immune to it.”

To prepare officers for the unthinkable, about 20 community volunteers role-played as victims to add realism to the scenario. Among them was high school student Abigail Jutrzonka.

“It’s sad,” Jutrzonka said. “It’s sad that this is our reality, but it makes me feel better knowing that there are police training programs in place.”

Abigail Jutrzonka

Jutrzonka heard about the training in her criminal justice course and signed up to volunteer because she wanted to help.

Former teacher and mother Mary O’Connor also attended. She knows firsthand how much fear even the threat of an active shooter can cause in students and parents.

O’Connor said the training exercise brought some relief.

“When we run these scenarios, they stop and practice when something isn’t quite as it should be,” she recalls. “They stop and talk about it, which is really good because when it actually happens, they know exactly what to do.”

Mary O'Connor

All first responders from Mt Pleasant, Sturtevant and Caledonia attended the training. Botsch said working with other departments helps establish consistent protocols and good communication, which can prove crucial.

“It makes sure everyone is on the same page and speaking the same language,” he explained. “Everyone uses the same tactics and is able to move through a threat-based environment as safely as possible.”

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