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It was only a drill today, but campus shooter training is becoming more prevalent around the country and the state. Matt Galka takes us along on an active shooter training scenario at one of the state’s universities.

An active shooter inside a campus dorm.  Officers respond, and in a scary flash, it’s over. Thankfully this was only a drill on Florida A & M’s campus.

“We want to make sure that if something happens on our campus, we’re able to have some type of training to be able to eliminate the threat,” said FAMU Police Chief Terence Calloway.

Police, sheriff’s deputies, Florida State Patrol and Fish and Wildlife all participated in the training exercise. The federally funded program travels to universities across the country.

“As a law enforcement officer it’s something that we all need to be thinking about and be prepared for, we always train for the unexpected, and it’s something I hope that we never have to experience in our area or that any of our folks have to go through,” said FWC Captain Rama Shuster.

Multiple close scenarios end in hostage situations, and all they have officers firing bullets with plastic tips.

Pulling the trigger and letting off a round gives participants the feel of what they may need to do if a real situation ever happened.  Earlier this year, the legislature nearly passed a bill that would give school faculty in Florida the ability to carry a weapon.  The idea died in the Senate. Chief Calloway says it was the right move, and that teachers don’t need the guns.

“Uh, no. I think people who have guns should be the police officers because they go through training, and it’s been proven time and time again, when an emergency arises you resort to what you’re trained for,” said Chief Calloway.

The training program is in its fourth year and tries to go to 50 different schools a year.