March 14, 2007
MPD HOLDS ACTIVE SHOOTER/SCHOOL SIEGE DRILL
The Midland Police Department will host a drill at Coleman High School on Thursday, March 15, 2007. Media interested in covering the event should park at the Antioch Baptist Church at E. Golf Course and Jackson and report to the location at 12:00 p.m.
The media will be staged outside the school. The incident is expected to kick off at approximately 12:40 p.m., however the media will be taken inside the school for video and picture opportunities prior to the event.
The scenario will test and evaluate the operational readiness of emergency services personnel who would respond to a mass casualty incident. Law enforcement from MPD, MISD Police, Midland County, DPS, OPD, and the FBI will be involved.
The drill will be a combination of two real incidents – Columbine, 1999 and Beslan, 2004. Columbine involved an “active shooter” situation. Beslan involved a “school siege.”
Explosive situations will be a part of the drill along with scenarios for snipers, first responders, SWAT, negotiators, and the bomb squad.
Approximately 50 volunteers will act as students and faculty during the drill. Experienced law enforcement officers will play the bad guys.
This is not the first time the MPD has hosted and event with the assistance of MISD and MISD Police. Drills have previously taken place at Greathouse Elementary, Jane Long Elementary, Goddard Junior High, and Coleman High School.
CHILD SEAT SAFETY CHECK
The Midland Police Department will participate in a free Child Seat Safety Check event to be held on Saturday, March 31, 2007, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Scharbauer Sports Complex.
Parents and caretakers are encouraged to attend and ensure their car seats are installed properly as well as examine if their child is being properly restrained for effective safety. Please bring your children with you. Certified Child Passenger Safety Seat technicians will be available to check your seat for recall, proper fit, and correct installation. For those children who do not have the proper seat, appropriate seats will be given away while supplies last.
When in a moving vehicle, any child who is younger than five years of age and less than 36 inches in height must be secured in a child passenger safety seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system.
An Easter Egg Hunt will be held following the event from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. There will also be face painting and a bounce house to help entertain kids.
The event is hosted by Midland Community Federal Credit Union.
If you cannot make the event, the M.P.D. conducts child safety seat inspections. Anyone interested in receiving an inspection or information can call 685.7108 to make an appointment.
MIDLAND & ODESSA POLICE SHOWCASE BOMB ROBOTS
They are the newest members of the MPD and OPD Bomb Units. Law enforcement officers will show off their bomb robots prior to the drill at Coleman High School. Media interested in a feature story about the robots are encouraged to report to Antioch Baptist Church at E. Golf Course and Jackson by 12:00 p.m. on March 15, 2007.
The robots are intended for use regionally. They are equipped with multiple cameras, sensors, and have both RC control and fiber optics. The robots can supplement officers and technicians during SWAT, bomb, or Hazmat situations. The robot is designed for retrieval of suspicious objects without endangering human life.
MPD’s $155,944 expense is funded through the Texas Domestic Preparedness Assessment Grant. OPD’s robot cost $194,509 and was funded a 2005 Homeland Security Grant.
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