SISSONVILLE, W.Va. — Preparation and teamwork is what Kanawha County Sheriff Chief Deputy Joe Crawford said are two pillars that he hopes his deputies take away from upcoming active shooter training.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) will host active shooter training at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex and Sissonville High School in the upcoming week.
The training will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex on Court Street and noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at Sissonville High School.
“We’re looking at different scenarios, different parts of the building where we’ll have an active shooter call. Our deputies will respond and go through their techniques of trying to take care of the threat,” Crawford said.
The training comes just a few weeks after several mass shootings in the United States including at an elementary school in Texas where 21 people were killed. Crawford said it is important to train at specific schools in the county so deputies are familiar with the layout.
“We’re training on the school we’d be responding to which helps. Knowing the layout and getting the lay of the property is important. It’s a positive situation for us all,” he said.
Crawford added there will be a large law enforcement presence at both locations during training sessions including local police, local firefighters, emergency medical services, and Metro communications.
Crawford also said KCSO will incorporate judicial security staff at the courthouse and school officials in Sissonville.