Dane Co. Sheriff’s Office offers active threat training in schools, businesses

DANE COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) - Being prepared for an active threat is vital and that’s why law enforcement officials train teachers and staff what do to during those situations.

The Dane Co. Sheriff’s Office partners with local public and private schools, businesses and churches to conduct free training for active shooter situations.

“We know that we’re not immune from these events anywhere,” Deputy Josalyn Longley with the Dane Co. Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputy Longley said statistics show that the need for this training is there.

Being prepared for an active threat is vital and that’s why law enforcement officials train teachers and staff what do to during those situations.

“The training has grown because we learn from past incidents,” she said. “What could law enforcement have done better? What could the people on that scene possibly have done better? Communication. How come people in that building didn’t get an alert? So, we learn from that and it’s really how we’ve grown our training and added more information on.”

Teachers and staff are trained on how to lock down a classroom and how to keep students safe and calm.

“An eighth-grade conversation is a lot different than a conversation with a kindergartener. But these are also life skills. These incidents can happen in the community,” Longley said.

She urges parents to have open communication with their children about school safety.

Longley adds if students see something, to say something. Reports can be made online.

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