Morrison Chief of Police Brian Melton conducted A.L.I.C.E. Training Institute sessions for local businesses, on Tuesday, June 9, and Friday, June 12, 2015, at Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison Street, Morrison, IL. Free, one-hour trainings were designed to prepare individuals to handle the threat of an Active Shooter/Violent Intruder.
A.L.I.C.E. stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate.
Six Tuesday participants represented Odell Public Library; Super Wash, Inc.; thecity1.com; Whiteside County Health Department.
Melton’s training goals were to
- increase public awareness
- gain support for the techniques
- give specific information.
“While it is hoped that no one will ever need to use this training, the goal is to greatly increase the odds of survival, should anyone face this form of disaster,” Chief Melton said.
In the past, he received Community District #6 School Board approval to train all staff in proactive A.L.I.C.E. techniques–which go beyond traditional “lockdown” or “shelter-in-place.” Since 1982, over 350 children and adults have died in schools. Mass shooting events across 25 years have reduced the National average for response time of law enforcement to an active killer scene, to five-to-six minutes. However, that puts officers on the ground, but not necessarily in a building or near the area at risk. Melton stated most shooting sprees are over in five minutes, with perpetrators often taking their own lives.
After calling 9-1-1, a more proactive approach within those five minutes could save lives. Statistically, the numbers of wounded or dead can be reduced dramatically if people “take care of the threat. The best thing to stop an active shooter is forcible resistance.” Interrupt the shooter’s thought pattern, causing him/her to start orienting and making decisions over again before firing. Distractions include noise, movement, creating distance from the perpetrator, throwing things, and swarming.
“Only 2% of violent intruder events have been by more than one person. If he is inside, you get outside. When faced with danger, you must do something.”
- The State of Alabama agrees. Their 2013 Strategic Plan for Active Shooter Response is A.L.I.C.E. and “Run, Hide, Fight.”
- The New York Police Department recommends “Evacuate; Hide; Take Action.”
- The International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends “Active Resistance is an option.”
A.L.I.C.E. training for citizens began in 2001. It is “one of a few response plans” available, he stated. Chief Melton stressed these are non-sequential responses to a threat. For example, Escaping may be the first thing to do. Nor are they isolated actions. Alerting as many people as possible of a threat–through a variety of means–works in combination with other responses. During a Counter move to subdue a shooter, some could Escape; some could Inform others. Flexibility is key.