Police hosting active threat response overview

The Euclid Police Department is hosting the Euclid House of Worship Active Threat Response Training from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 27 at Euclid Public Library to help area houses of worship prepare and respond to active threats.

The library is located at 631 E. 222nd St.

Any church personnel in the area are welcome to attend the event, according to the department. Twenty-five churches already have registered to attend.

“Though our Facebook page says ‘Euclid churches,’ we would welcome others if truly interested,” said Kate McLaughlin, community policing specialist and crime analyst. “We’re open to all people, organizations and businesses who wish to obtain information regarding policies and procedures potentially dealing with active shooters.”

While not technically ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training or a Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) course, the event aims to provide a foundation for groups to react in the face of danger or violent confrontation.

“That’s where this started and how it started,” McLaughlin said. “We’re seeing more and more companies/workplaces participating in programs to active threats. This particular overview is designed to discuss thinking and subsequent action in the face of an event, not necessarily a teaching of skills and strategies. This starts the conversation on how to deal with a crisis situation. That’s the learning concept.”

Euclid police officer George Panagiotou said the concern always has been a reality, even more so with the tragic Sutherland Springs, Texas, church shooting which occurred last November.

“The agenda was to create a program specifically to aid and inform houses of worship,” Panagiotou said. “In case of an incident, we want to provide a broad base for people to protect themselves and assess risk factors, and then proceed to find safety.”

The presentation will conclude with a questionand-answer period and a community networking forum.

The library also will provide books to help participants learn as much as possible about how to keep themselves safe. Participants can check out the following titles (in print and online) to learn more about how to deal with and respond to an active shooting event at their house of worship:

• “Be a Hero! The Essential Survival Guide to Active Shooter Events” by John Geddes

• “How to Survive an Active Shooter: What you can do Before, During and After an Attack Could Save Your Life (Conversations)” by Jacquelyn Lynn

• “Rampage Nation: Securing America From Mass Shootings” by Lois Klarevas

• “Active Shooter: Preparing for and Responding to a Growing Threat” by Kevin Doss

• “Enough: Our Fight to Keep America Safe from Gun Violence” by Gabrielle Giffords

“For those unable to attend the event, we will make sure that copies of handouts from the session are available in the library,” said Euclid Public Library Director Kacie Armstrong. “This is a critically important topic and the library wants to make sure that everyone, including those attending on behalf of their church or place of worship, have the information and resources they need to protect themselves.”

CHAD FELTON — THE NEWS-HERALD The Euclid Public Library, located at 631 E. 222nd St., will host Euclid House of Worship Active Threat Response Training from 10 a.m. to noon on Jan. 27.