Police video shows how to survive deadly threats

Film outlines what public should do in an active shooter scenario or vehicle attack

Run. Hide. Fight. That’s what Vancouver police want members of the public to remember if they are ever faced with a deadly threat such as a shooter.

On Wednesday, the VPD released a new public education video aimed at training people on how to respond in those dangerous situations.

“Active deadly threats are rare in Canada, but they do happen,” said Chief Const. Adam Palmer on Wednesday, referencing the deadly van attack that took place last month in Toronto, and a highly public shooting that took place in 2014 in Vancouver’s Yaletown.

“The threat could be a gun, a knife or a vehicle. It takes time for first responders to arrive, and your safety may be in your hands.”

The video, which cost $20,000 to produce, takes a reality-based look at a deadly-threat situation such as a shooter in an office building. Actors are shown enacting what responses would be appropriate in various scenarios, including running, hiding and fighting.

Palmer said it’s possible people may do one, two or all three responses in varying order, depending on what the scenario calls for. He also called on employers and managers of large buildings to ensure a safety plan or crisis response package is put in place on how to respond should these situations unfold.

Run: If possible, find an exit that leads safely away from where the threat is located and run. Do not grab purses or jackets, just run.

Hide: If running is impossible, turn off all lights and hide in an area where you can barricade the door. Turn off your cellphone audio and vibrating alerts to prevent drawing attention to yourself. Hide behind larger furniture that can protect you.

Fight : As a last resort, grab a makeshift weapon to protect yourself.

In the eight-minute video, an actor portraying an active shooter can be seen entering the lobby of an office building and killing a security guard. Other actors portraying employees are then shown responding to the situation, while also breaking the fourth wall to explain their actions and decisions to the viewer.

Palmer said Vancouver police began providing additional training for officers on how to deal with high-threat situations in 2016, and the video had been developed over the last year and a half.

“We realized — we were providing all this training to our police officers, but there’s another component that’s really important,” he said. “The public needs to know what to do as well because it will take several minutes for police and first responders to arrive.”

Palmer emphasized the need to be prepared for such situations, similarly to how one might prepare for earthquakes or fires, as it will help to prevent panic from taking over when individuals are forced to make split-second decisions in dangerous active situations.

The video is available on the Vancouver Police Department website.