Officers Search For Killer On CU Campus As Part Of Training Exercise
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- Officers armed with guns searched for a possible killer on the University of Colorado campus on Wednesday but it was all part of a training exercise.
More than 150 law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics stormed the CU campus in Boulder in what is being called the largest active harmer drill in Boulder County history.
The training drill feels real but the victims are actors.
Many of the law enforcement and medical agencies already have been involved in active harmer events through the Denver metro area but now they're learning how to integrate firefighters and paramedics.
"While police officers have done a really good job at getting into buildings and finding the person or persons causing harm, quickly, they do that at the cost of bypassing people who are injured and need medical help," said Boulder Police Deputy Chief Curt Johnson.
It's a new role for firefighters and EMS to enter buildings before police have completely cleared the scene.
"We want the fire guys to know and believe and trust that they are being protected," said Boulder Fire Battalion Chief Mark Johnson.
The CU campus was chosen for the latest training exercise because of the mix of residence halls, courtrooms, classrooms and cafeteria areas for those teams to train.
"It's going to take a community to save lives," said CU Chief of Police Melissa Zak.
The goal of the training is to not only learn how to stop the harm but to stop the dying.
"And that's really today's goal is making sure that we have a police officer in front, a police officer in back, fire and medical people in the middle," said Johnson.
After the training several debriefs were scheduled to discuss what went right, what areas need improvement and what can be changed next time.
