SMPD Receives Enhanced Active Training Refresher Course

During the months of September through November 2013, the Santa Monica Police Department has been providing updated critical incident response training to all of its sworn personnel. Partially funded by a grant received from the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiatives (UASI), this training utilizes a variety of scenarios, including “active shooters” to enhance the skills of law enforcement’s critical incident first responders. While the police response to the June 7, 2013 mass shooting was swift, immediate and effective, the Santa Monica Police Department continues to expand its capability to effectively respond to such incidents.

The joint response by officers from the Santa Monica Police Department and the Santa Monica College Police Department on June 7 was based upon a strong history of “active shooter” training involving both agencies. The sworn officers of both police departments receive ongoing training on the rapid response to an area of gunfire with the focused priority of suppressing deadly behavior. Officers from both agencies receive active engagement training as a viable alternative to the more traditional training which involved area containments pending the arrival Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) personnel. As the number of these mass shooting incidents has increased, law enforcement has learned that delayed responses have the potential to result in an increased loss of life.

The recent training received by officers from both the Santa Monica College Police Department and the Santa Monica Police Department takes “active shooter” training to another level. This revised training includes familiarizing officers with tactics such as traversing large areas safely and quickly with better coordination and communication.

This contemporary training focuses on promptly locating and responding to ongoing and mobile threats while facilitating enhanced coordination and communication with other assisting agencies. Because members of the Santa Monica Police Department’s SWAT Team consistently receive training on these and other contemporary tactics, SWAT personnel are now sharing that expertise with officers from both the Santa Monica College Police Department and the Santa Monica Police Department.

While the City of Santa Monica continues to actively partner with private entities to enhance our community’s resilience in the wake of the June 7 incident, both the Santa Monica College and the Santa Monica Police Departments continue to ensure that their respective personnel are prepared to effectively respond to what is becoming an all too frequent occurrence.