"The biggest thing is to be ready:" A look at how officers train to handle active shooter scenarios

MENOMONEE FALLS -- Oak Creek, Sandy Hook, Orlando, Las Vegas. Mass shootings can almost be defined by the cities where they happened. The FBI says they are on the rise -- and they are preparing local law enforcement for the worst.

Tactical training for law enforcement

At St. Anthony School in Menomonee Falls, hallways were recently filled with tactical units, and classrooms became crime scenes. The situation wasn't real, but for these moments, it sure felt like it.

"It gets your heart going and you get pumped up," said Kayla Mahuta with the Pewaukee Police Department.

Every second counted as officers trained to keep a clear focus.

Tactical training for law enforcement

"When you practice something so often, it just becomes second nature," Mahuta said.

Kayla Mahuta of the Pewaukee Police Department

Mahuta, one of the newest officers on the Pewaukee Police Department, learned what to do and how to act if she is ever in an active shooter situation.

"You have to be able to trust who you're working with in order to get the job done thoroughly," Mahuta said.

In this case, the FBI trained officers from 16 law enforcement agencies from across Wisconsin.

Tactical training for law enforcement

"The biggest thing is to be ready, to always be ready," said Jay Darin, FBI special agent.

Jay Darin, FBI Special Agent

Darin guided officers in the 2-day rapid response training. For one scenario, he made sure no gun was missed -- no shooter unseen.

"Remember, lower your field of vision, so you can see floor-to-ceiling," Darin said.

Darin has been training officers since 2013 as part of a federal program following the Sandy Hook tragedy. The goal is to prepare more local law enforcement for these situations.

Tactical training for law enforcement

"These events can happen anytime, anywhere and each and every officer needs to be ready for that to happen in their community," Darin said. "We're teaching law enforcement officers how to isolate, distract or neutralize an active shooter threat."

It may be easier said than done. That is why this is so critical.

Tactical training for law enforcement

"If they don't train it, if they don't use it, they'll lose it," Darin said.

They use places like a school as a back drop.

Dan Halpin, Washington County Sheriff's Deputy

"You see all the kids' drawings up on the walls and all the little chairs in here and things like that," said Dan Halpin, Washington County Sheriff's deputy.

It makes the scenarios more realistic.

"I go into schools almost every single day when I'm out doing my work," Halpin said.

For Deputy Halpin, everything he learns can be taken back to the department.

Tactical training for law enforcement

"Spending however many hours here doing this, to be able to prevent that in the future is well worth it," Halpin said.

Steven Ruplinger, Washington County Sheriff's Deputy

For fellow Deputy Steven Ruplinger, the lessons are invaluable.

"It would be a cop's nightmare if he didn't know what to do in a school shooting," Ruplinger said. "If I do the training now, it will be muscle memory, then I'll be prepared and my body will take over and know exactly what I need to do."

With every step taken, every word spoken, the officers will know exactly what to do to protect lives. They hope these scenarios will never become real -- but they are ready if they do.

Tactical training for law enforcement