Executive Summary
- EMU Department of Public Safety is hosting an active shooter response training for the public on January 28.
- The curriculum focuses on overcoming the “freeze” response through scenario-based learning.
- Techniques include barricading, coordinating with others, and evading attackers.
- The initiative aims to improve survival rates during the interval before police arrive.
The Eastern Michigan University Department of Public Safety (EMU DPS) has announced a public training initiative aimed at instructing local residents on survival strategies during active shooter incidents. The open session, scheduled for Wednesday, January 28, on the university campus, is designed to equip community members with the necessary skills to escape, barricade, or defend against potential threats.
Andrea Elliott, the Community Engagement Officer for the EMU Police, emphasized that the training focuses on overcoming physiological stress responses. According to Elliott, engaging in scenario-based learning helps individuals avoid the involuntary reaction of freezing during a crisis. She noted that widespread knowledge of coordination and evasion techniques within the community could significantly improve survival outcomes in the critical moments before law enforcement arrives.
“If you learn ways to respond to emergency situations ahead of time, you’re more prepared, because whatever your stress response is going to be, may interfere with your ability to act unless you had previous training,” Elliott stated regarding the program’s objectives.
Community Safety Strategy
This training represents a proactive approach by campus law enforcement to involve the civilian population in public safety protocols. By transitioning from passive lockdown procedures to active response training—often categorized as run, hide, fight—agencies aim to mitigate casualties during mass violence events. The initiative underscores the evolving role of university police departments in extending preparedness resources beyond the student body to the surrounding community.
