Southborough Police Department Completes Annual Active Shooter Training

The Southborough Police Department conducted its annual active shooter training at Trottier Middle School on Monday and Tuesday, July 21 and 22. (Photo Courtesy Southborough Police Department)

SOUTHBOROUGH — Chief Ryan Newell is pleased to share that the Southborough Police Department completed its annual active shooter training at Trottier Middle School on Monday and Tuesday, July 21 and 22.

The active shooter training covered multiple scenarios, teaching officers the best practices and most effective procedures for safely clearing the school and quickly locating a threat. The training involved the use of Simunition, a non-lethal and non-toxic ammunition, allowing certified instructors to recreate active shooter scenarios in the most realistic way possible.

Trottier Middle School was closed to the public throughout the duration of the training, which took place each day from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m.

“This type of training provides us with an opportunity to review our policies with our officers and improve our procedures, so that we are all prepared to best handle any possible scenario,” said Chief Newell. “This annual training is very important for building up confidence, increasing our focus and improving our decision-making skills while under stressful circumstances. Active shooter training also helps our officers to develop the valuable skills that are needed to respond to other types of critical incidents and best protect our community.”

All Southborough Police officers were able to participate in the active shooter training. This is the department’s second year of annual active shooter training exercises.

Chief Newell thanked the Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough, including Superintendent Gregory Martineau, Trottier Middle School Principal Gary Hreschuk and school staff for accommodating the Southborough Police Department for these critical training exercises.

“We have an amazing community here in Southborough and we’d like to do all we can to keep it safe,” Chief Newell said. “I would like to say thank you to everyone who collaborated with us to make this training a success. These are the skills we need but hope we never use. We run these drills to continuously learn, so we are always prepared in case of a crisis, to best protect our teachers, school staff and students.”

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The active shooter training completed by Southborough Police covered multiple scenarios, teaching officers the best practices and most effective procedures for safely clearing the school and quickly locating a threat. (Photo Courtesy Southborough Police Department)

Trottier Middle School was closed to the public throughout the duration of the Southborough Police Department’s active shooter training, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, July 21 and 22, from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. (Photo Courtesy Southborough Police Department)