Oakland County Teachers Will Receive Active Shooter Training

Teachers and school staff in Farmington and across Oakland County will receive expert training in the next two months on how to react in an active school shooter situation.

County officials said Friday that the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and the county's Homeland Security Division will conduct five training sessions for school personnel starting in two weeks. 

Currently, Farmington Public Schools buildings are locked during the school day, and schools have asked parent volunteers to help monitor the front doors. When volunteers aren't available, those needing to enter school buildings must call main offices to be admitted. All visitors are being asked to show photo identification. 

District spokesperson Diane Bauman said a Crisis Committee will meet next week and make recommendations to Supt. Susan Zurvalec.

The additional security and training are in response to the shooting tragedy last month at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. 

Sheriff Michael Bouchard will give active shooter presentations on site at various schools in the county. In a statement, he said he has received numerous requests for the presentations.

"Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly, which requires people on the scene to be prepared both mentally and physically while waiting for law enforcement to arrive,” he said.

“Dec. 14, 2012 is emblazoned on our memories forever,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said in a statement. “Many died in the Newtown, Conn. tragedy. But many others survived because teachers knew just what to do with a shooter in the building.”

After the shooting in Newtown, leaders from the county's Homeland Security division and Oakland Schools met to plan the upcoming large-scale training sessions.