Several police agencies take part in active shooter training
Law enforcement officials take part in active shooter training
Law enforcement officials take part in active shooter training
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee police, along with the FBI and West Allis police participated in active shooter training exercises this week. During training, law enforcement officials had to engage an active shooter who also had improvised explosive devices.
The training occurred at a vacant school on South 60th Street in West Allis, and had been planned for six months.
Part of the process was to allow for the different agencies to learn how to work together when an incident like this takes place, so that if and when it does, they're in a position to act together and save lives.
"If multi-jurisdiction agencies do not collaborate, somebody's going to die. These incidents frequently occur and they require the assistance of law enforcement agencies from different jurisdictions and different levels of government," Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said.
According to Milwaukee Police Department's Facebook page, on Tuesday and Wednesday, law enforcement officials participated in the 2013 Iron Horse Initiative, which assessed the ability to initiate, coordinate, and sustain combined simultaneous tactical situations, hazardous devices, and crisis negotiator operations.
The exercise also assessed communications between the Southeastern Wisconsin Threat Analysis Center, participating agencies and the public and to identify gaps in information sharing between federal, state, local, tribal and private sector partners.
The scenario included an active shooter situation with improvised explosive devices, the discovery of a booby-trapped warehouse where the subjects built explosives, and a storage unit.
"The situation involved a number of active shooters that took over a school armed with improvised explosive devices and placed improvised explosive devices. While this was going on it spun off to two different locations similar in nature," Milwaukee Police Captain Steve Basting said.
This situation was much like the shooting in Aurora, Colorado last year where a gunman opened fire in a crowded theater while having his apartment booby trapped with explosives.
"One of the things that we're called to do in our business is learn from the tragedies that make the national news," Chief Flynn said.
"It threw a lot of different scenarios and twists that would happen, just like in the real world. And what the last two days showed is that we could work together as partners," Milwaukee County Sheriff's Deputy Inspector Toby Weberg said.
"The key is to bring all the jurisdictions together: local, state and federal agencies. To train before, respond together and then investigate the event after it happens," FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Combs said.
Agencies involved included the Milwaukee Police Department, ATF, FBI, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, West Allis Police Department, West Allis Fire Department, Milwaukee Fire Department, and Milwaukee County Health System.
CLICK HERE for photos via the Milwaukee Police Department's Facebook page.