DM hosts joint tactical exercise Published Dec. 4, 2007 By Senior Airman Jacqueline Hawkins 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ -- Approximately 50 members of the 355th Security Forces Squadron, Tucson Unified School District, Tucson Police Department SWAT team, and other local agencies participated in a joint training exercise held on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at Lowell H. Smith Elementary School Dec. 3. "The event was designed to provide a training environment for police first responders in a highly stressful environment involving an active shooter incident," said Kevin Johnson, 355th SFS trainer. With the event involving a little more than three months of planning, special care was taken to develop each training scenario, such as hostage situation, explosive hazards, and engagement of an active shooter. "We conduct this training with TPD and other agencies about every quarter," Mr. Johnson said. "The training is broken up into a class room day and an exercise day." "Ever since the Columbine School shooting, law enforcement has had to change its doctrine and tactics when faced with active shooter situations," said Mr. Johnson. "It also gives our unit valuable training time with local police agencies and builds solid working relationships with each other." The training exercise also provided another benefit for the airmen and local law enforcement agencies. "With limited budgets we can do more by pooling resources and manpower to make realistic training scenarios for our police and security forces' first responders," said Mr. Johnson. With upcoming Air Expeditionary Force rotations and on going temporary duty assignments this training is necessary to aid where needed. "This training is a great opportunity for our squadron members to learn different tactics and a way of dealing with active shooter situations at home station or it could also be used at some deployed locations," said Mr. Johnson. To watch the news clip click here.