ALERRT program trains officers tactics for an active shooter situation

An FBI response group is teaching Kentucky officers how to respond to active shooter situations.

The 16-hour training program, ALERRT, which stands for Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Techniques, gives officers the tactical and technical skills to face an active shooter.

The program was first formulated in 2012, right after the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took 26 lives. ALERRT makes sure officers are prepared for anything. This is why 55 officers from the central Kentucky area gathered at a Pulaski County middle school on Tuesday to practice for the next two days,

“If we have an active shooter, we want to be able to get in. Identify the threat and stop the threat as soon as possible," explains Sheriff Bobby Jones with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office. “I know when I went through training years ago, it has just changed drastically based on what happens out in our society.”

One technique they are taught is how to create a tourniquet if they are in a scenario where it's needed to stop bleeding. According to Sergeant Alex Wesley with the Pulaski County Sheriff's office, it should take 20 seconds to apply a tourniquet on an arm and 30 seconds to apply two tourniquets on one's upper thigh.

“You know we’re to assist in helping others, you know once the threats are neutralized. Even though we’re not paramedics or EMTs we still got our training on how to stop the bleeding," explains Jones.

“Active shooter events last three to five minutes and they’re over. And that’s a national statistic with all of the active shooter events that’s going on. And remember too that you got to hide. We want you to run first if you can," explains Wesley.

“When we approach the building how do we get into the building safely. How do we determine who the threat is based on the information that we got. How to communicate is very important," said Jones.

On Wednesday, the officers finished up their training with simulations and applied what they learned to a fake scenario.