Active Shooter Trainings To Take Place At Two Area Schools This Week

Williston, ND (KEYZ) - In the wake of several national tragedies, local law enforcement will participate in active shooter training at area schools.

The Williston Police Department will be conducting a department-wide mandatory active shooter training at Williston Middle School and Bakken Elementary School buildings from Tuesday July 12th through Friday July 15th.

WPD officers will be utilizing simulation firearms and simulation ammunition to create realistic scenarios.

The training is designed to induce stress and create a realistic environment to instruct officers on how to respond to real-life situations.

The Williston Police Department conducts mandatory, monthly trainings with all officers in the department to address any current concerns or increased incidents that occur nationally.

These training scenarios also serve as a refresher for WPD officers to practice all the necessary skills needed in their day to day working environment.

The Williston Police Department assures the community that it continues to remain vigilant in training and want to provide the highest quality of service that promotes and maintains a safe environment in partnership with the community.

During training, the two schools will be restricted to no public access for safety purposes.

There have been 27 school shootings this year.  Since the beginning of 2018, 119 school shootings have occurred across the nation, according to tracking done by the organization Education Week began tracking such incidents.

The highest number of shootings in a single year, 34, occurred in 2021. There were 10 shootings in 2020, and 24 each in 2019 and 2018.

Since 1970, North Dakota has the third lowest incident rate per million residents in the United states.