In light of the recent college campus shootings in Oregon and Arizona, and other locations in recent years, Capital University’s Public Safety shared their tips on remaining safe in an active shooter situation.
Public safety is at all times in connection with Bexley and Columbus Police Departments as well as the Columbus SWAT.
Public safety, if receives a call of an active shooter on campus, is prepared and trained to locate and neutralize the shooter. Although working with area police departments and SWAT, public safety officers will not wait for them to arrive to act during an active shooter situation.
“The law enforcement community, at the time of Columbine [school shooting in 1999] were trained to contain the area and wait for SWAT,” said Frank Fernandez, Chief Officer of the Capital University Public Safety.
Law enforcement on all levels has improved their training in response to these types of tragic situations.
“All law enforcement departments are trained the same way and will respond together to look for the threat and neutralize it,” Fernandez said.
Some typical police protocol are postponed while the shooter is still active.
“During the process of an active shooter situation, we are not going to assist people that are hurt,” Fernandez said. “We are going to stop the threat so that no more are hurt.”
After the threat has been neutralized, law enforcement will address medical needs alongside paramedics and other first-responders.
Upon receiving a call of an active shooter, public safety will release a CapAlert to inform all students, faculty, and staff of the situation. Bexley and Columbus Police Departments will also be notified to respond.
Capital University faculty and staff have undergone active shooter training which includes tips on profile of active shooters and what to do in response.
Capital students, if interested, can take part in active shooter training provided by Public Safety. Students can request training by contacting Public Safety. The training sessions offered are three to four hours long and cover tips on profiles of potential active shooters and what to do in response to an active shooter situation.
In the event of an active shooter on campus, there are a series of ways to respond. All tips on how to respond and stay safe in an active shooter situation can be found on the Public Safety page on Capital’s website.
Public Safety advises three tactics to stay safe when an active shooter is in your vicinity.
The first tactic is to evacuate the area, if possible. It is important to have an evacuation plan in mind and to leave behind any and all belongings. Help others escape and prevent unknowing individuals from entering the area. Keep your hands visible and follow any instructions from police officers present.
The second tactic is to hide if an evacuation is not possible. Lock and barricade the door of the room to prevent the shooter from entering. It is important to be out of the active shooter’s view and provide protection for yourself in the event shots are fired in your direction.
The third tactic should serve as a last resort if the previous two are not possible, and that is to take action against the shooter. Use any items or improvised weapons to throw at and attack the shooter. Act as aggressively as possible and commit to your action. This step serves as a last resort if you find the active shooter is at close range and you have no other options.
Capital students can register for CapAlerts to stay informed by updating their WebAdvisor account.
“For those who haven’t registered for CapAlert, this is time to do it,” Fernandez said. “It is a federal requirement that we send those alerts and it is necessary for you to stay informed on potential threats on or around campus.”
There are currently eight certified full-time officers on the Public Safety Department serving to keep the Capital community safe.
“Our main goal is to keep the campus community safe and informed if there is a threat so that no one becomes a victim,” Fernandez said.
