OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol along with police officers and sheriff’s deputies across the state, are all being trained to respond to active shooter situations in the same way.
It’s in response to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Executive Order filed on June 22:
In view of recent mass violence, I have tasked my administration to conduct a thorough review of the procedures in place and resources available to determine what action, if any, may be necessary to secure and safeguard our schools. Upon reviewing the recommendations made to me by the state’s top law enforcement officials, I have determined the state is underutilizing existing resources and law enforcement should enhance its current training and standards. I will take immediate action to strengthen the state’s response in this regard by implementing Mission: Secure Oklahoma Schools (S.O.S.). Children deserve to be safe in school. School personnel deserve to be safe in school. Parents and guardians deserve to know their child is safe in school. As a father of six, I, too, have a personal and vested interest in protecting our schools and keeping kids safe.”
Wednesday afternoon, dozens of Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers, police officers, and sheriff’s deputies spent time training at an abandoned middle school in the Oklahoma City metro area.
“We want to make sure all of them are trained at the same level with the same techniques,” said Tim Tipton.
Tipton is the Commissioner of Public Safety. Tipton says there are about 9,000 active law enforcement officers in Oklahoma.
They’ll all be trained to respond the same way in an active shooter situation.
“No matter what the type of active shooter it is, the techniques and tactics that law enforcement are utilizing and learning here, they can use those in any of those situations,” said Tipton.
The governor’s mandate requires all state troopers to complete the emergency response training by Jan. 1, 2023.
The Executive Order also requires all CLEET-certified basic academies to provide the same active shooter training.
“This is the best path forward to have Oklahomans as protected and prepared for these types of situations as we can,” said Tipton.
The executive order also focuses on assessing threats.
Tipton says schools across Oklahoma can get evaluated on both their structure and procedures to help alleviate potential threats.
School districts are also required to implement the Rave Panic Button by Sept. 1, 2022. It’ll notify law enforcement immediately when a threat comes up.
The group getting trained Wednesday will go back to their respective troops and agencies and teach the training to other law enforcement officers.
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