“Force on force simunition scenario based training” will take place April 4-6 in an empty Edwards Hall and the surrounding parking lot, Andrew Moeller, university police lieutenant, said. Many departments are involved, including The K-State Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Wamego Police Department, Manhattan Fire Department and Riley County EMS.
Moeller said it will be a simulated active shooter scenario with people playing the roles of victims, witnesses and bystanders. Prior to dispatching officers, they are made aware that it is a training exercise. Officers must respond by locating and neutralizing the shooter.
Moeller said people may hear sounds of sirens and gunfire, but this is for training and the weapons are not real.
“We do not use real guns,” Moeller said. “We use what we call simunitions. The platform is very realistic as far as the weapons go but the ammunition that comes out are little plastic things that are scorned on the end and filled with a colored detergent. Everyone has to wear protective clothing because it can break through skin. It provides very life-like training for this type of incident.”
Moeller said this is training for police officers, fellow law enforcement and first responders; it is not for K-State Students.
Moeller said if students and faculty want to receive training for an active shooter situation they can sign up for an ALICE class, an acronym for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. The K-State Police Department’s website explains that the class teaches bystanders to effectively respond to crisis situations by utilizing available information to make informed decisions.
