CPD officers train for school shooting scenario
With students returning to school in Clinton, Tennessee this week, local law enforcement is training to keep the schools safe.
On Thursday, the Clinton Police Department conducted training exercises to prepare officers for a school shooting scenario.
"We're doing practical exercises where officers are on patrol, [and] dispatched to the school under a suspicious person," said Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough.
"It's not always a shoot situation," he said, explaining the variety of drills. "It could be a no shoot, so we're challenging officers with verbal command skills, decision making."
While no school shootings have occurred at Clinton schools, the issue is still a reality in East Tennessee.
In 2005, a Campbell County high school student shot and killed an administrator and injured two others. Three years later, a student at Central High School was shot and killed by a fellow student in the school cafeteria.
In 2010, a disgruntled fourth grade teacher at Inskip Elementary shot the school's principal and assistant.
Now, Chief Scarbrough wants his department to be prepared.
"We've not had the issue, and we hope we never do. We hope this is training we never utilize," he said.
"When you put feet on ground, in practical exercises, and you change the scenarios up, it helps these officers in reacting to these problems and these situations."
Clinton Middle School principal Doug Jacobs says it benefits both educators and law enforcement.
"It only helps us, it helps them, they become better at their job," he said.
"It makes our kids more secure and safe and it actually promotes a growth between the school and our security."