The Baldwin Park Unified School District near Los Angeles recently co-hosted an active shooter training course designed to change the mindset of officers responding to an on-campus active shooting incident. The course, co-hosted in August by the National Tactical Officers Association, was attended by wide variety of different law enforcement agencies from California and Nevada.

Baldwin Park's school police focused on "what if" scenarios that officers play in their mind, according to Stephen Bayne, Captain, Baldwin Park School District Police Department.

"If intruder or intruders did breach the security of a school lockdown and a shooting did occur on campus, would officers be in position to immediately and swiftly deal with the incident?" Bayne asked.

Part of the answer can be found in three-and four-man contact cells that are formed by Bayne's staff when responding. The contact-cell concept provides 360 degrees of firepower coverage as officers advance through open school areas, according to Bayne. Officers check occupied and unoccupied classrooms, restrooms and open common areas for any intruder sought by police that may have breached the school boundaries.

The training was the third co-hosted by the agency involving practical responses during lockdown events at school sites. For more information, contact Captain Bayne at (626) 856-4531 or srbayne236@bpusd.net