LaGrange Police Department pulled no punches in making active shooter training as realistic as possible.

They are joining forces with other agencies to evaluate and improve their response tactics.

Training started Monday and will last through Thursday.

“It is important to prepare for situations, especially like this one that is going to be very dynamic,” says Lieutenant Eric Lohr with the LPD.

Lt. Lohr says police have been training for these situations since Columbine, but as mass shootings occur, they assess the different scenarios and adjust their plan.

The LaGrange Fire Department and Troup County Fire Department are joining the training. 

The Troup County Sheriff’s Office is observing.

This collaborative effort could save lives should an active shooter situation happen in their community.

“Historically, nobody from fire or EMS would come into a location until it was completely cleared, and if you have a large facility that could take hours,” says Lt. Lohr.

Police practiced escorting medics into a building while also making sure the surroundings remained clear.

The training scenario would allow police to safely bring medical assistance into an active crime scene, and that could potentially save lives.

“It is critical to get medical care to these folks as quickly as possible. People can bleed out as quickly as 3 minutes.”

LaGrange Police stay at the forefront of training. They have been CALEA (Commission Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies) accredited for 7 years. That’s something only 4.5 percent of U.S. cities can say.

The training also included dispatchers. Several dispatchers acted as “victims”. 

Lt. Lohr says including dispatchers is also helpful, because it’ll give them a better idea of how to handle phone calls in the worst of cases.

LaGrange Police also continue to work on safety protocols with the Troup County School System.

Lt. Lohr says just last week, TCSS signed a collaborative agreement with local law enforcement agencies.