OUSD holding critical shooting training

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Unified School District will hold active shooter training on Friday, just two days after the deadly shooting at a high school in Florida.

The critical training will occur at the Cole campus in Oakland and it was scheduled months ago.
Oakland schools receive training each year on what to do if there is an active shooter at their school.

The training will prepare school staff to deal with an active shooter on campus by raising awareness on everything from the characteristics of active shooters, how active shooters choose their targets and what to do when a shooting happens.

Oakland Unified School District Police Chief Jeff Godown said “Prior to Columbine, officers waited outside and form a plan. It was disastrous. Kids were getting shot.” Now, he said, “if two officers show up, we have to go into that situation. School officers know the school, the hallways.”

OUSD is the is the only school district in the Bay Area that has its own independent police department with 20 officers and 90 civilian officers. The next closest is Stockton.

About 20 to 30 Oakland educators from across the school district will participate in the training, which starts at 9 a.m. and ends at noon.